Miyato Castle

Miyato castle was found about halfway through the Western Yushu Mountain Pass. It was constructed long before the Sugikawa clan was even founded, and the Ikeda clan who own the castle are much older than the Sugikawa clan. The Ikeda had always been a minor clan among the other great houses, though had never sworn allegiance to any clan other than the Shogun themselves.   They were often visited by other clans with offers of vassalization, though they never accepted. Their family would only follow the Shogun's wishes. Because of this, the clan always found itself under attacked by the other mightier clans of Rokugan during previous civil wars, though with their powerful strategic positioning the invading clans never could pierce the castle's defenses.  

Rise of the Sugikawa Clan

When the Shogun officially made the Sugikawa clan the holder's of Yushu they demanded that the minor clans inhabiting the area submit to Sugikawan rule, the Ikedas willfully submitted. They believed the Shogun had finally found them a worthy leader, but the newly appointed Daimyo had other plans. On his first visit to Miyamoto castle, Yusho Sugikawa outright declined the servitude of the Ikeda clan. Stating that as a lowly farmer, he had done little to earn such an honor. The two bickered for several days about the Shogun's decree, until the Ikeda leader made a proposal. Instead of simply becoming a vassal, the Ikeda clan would join the Sugikawa clan as allies through marriage. By the end of the night, Yusho would be engaged to the Ikeda clan's eldest daughter. In his mind, the children born of this unity would be of Samurai descent, and Ikedan as well as Sugikawan. Making them equal in his eyes. Yusho would humbly accept this proposal, leading to a strong friendship between the two clans.   Sometime in early spring of the year 576, Miyato castle would be invaded by the Akuma clan. With most of the Yushu elite forces heading north to broker an alliance between them and the Kasai clan, the Ikeda clan was left to defend themselves against a surprise attack by the Akumans. Before they could send word to Yoshinaga Sugikawa in Kogane, they were subdued swiftly and silently in the night. With this the Ikeda clan's fate was sealed. Upon later inspection, every family member's body was identified besides the head of the family who was confirmed dead upon a report made by the Gold Lotus. When they came through the castle on their way to Koton, they found fake guards posted upon spears, and the entire castle laced with flammable gasses. Luckily they were able to escape as the castle was burned down, leaving naught but the bodies piled up on in the garden left to rot.