Japan Castle Atlas

Fukuhara Naotaka

福原直高

A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and brother-in-law of Ishida Mitsunari. In 1597 he moved to Funai in Bungo Province and began building Funai (Niage) Castle at the mouth of the Oita River.

Years: ?–1600

Tradition

Story

The site was called Niorosu, "unloading," because boats unloaded cargo there; Naotaka is said to have disliked the name and called his castle Niage-jo, "raising cargo."

Connected castles

Stone walls and a white turret rising from the moat, October 2022. Most of Funai's turrets were rebuilt to their outward look after the war; only Hitojichi Yagura and Shumon Yagura survive from the Edo period.

In-depth article

Ōita, Oita

Funai Castle

大分府内城

A seaside castle whose builder disliked the place name "Unloading" and renamed it "Raising Cargo".

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 92CastleFlatland

SuicasmoCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

began building the castleRecord source: article

Stone walls and a white turret rising from the moat, October 2022. Most of Funai's turrets were rebuilt to their outward look after the war; only Hitojichi Yagura and Shumon Yagura survive from the Edo period.

In-depth article

Ōita, Oita

Funai Castle

大分府内城

A seaside castle whose builder disliked the place name "Unloading" and renamed it "Raising Cargo".

Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 92CastleFlatland

SuicasmoCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

BuiltRecord source: jokaku

Sources

1
府内城Checked: 2026-10-03
2
府内城跡(おおいた市観光ナビ)Checked: 2026-10-03
3
福原長堯(補助資料・Wikipedia日本語版)Checked: 2026-10-03