History
Hōshōji-toride is thought to have been built by the Tomono Clan as a branch castle of Maeyamajō to the south.
Visit Notes
It was already dusk and getting dark when I stumbled across Hōshōji-toride. The ruin of this fort is located on a small hill. It is easy enough to reach, being right next to the road, but when I visited the site it was overgrown with prickly grasses which made exploration difficult. Despite this it was fun to run around as quick as possible trying to get a sense of the castle's layout before it was enveloped in darkness, and it's always a pleasant surprise to be able to visit one extra castle site! As the name implies, Hōshōji-toride is also the site of a temple, though that is now also just a ruin. Ishigaki (stone walls) at the foot of the hill were part of the temple rather than the fort, but they look old and whet one's appetite for castling. The ruins of the fort consist of a series of baileys and mounds, including sub-baileys terracing the hillside. One large koshikuruwa (sub-bailey) is evident below what I took to be the main bailey, and it seems the former temple site consituted another large bailey lower down.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Houshouji Fort |
| Japanese Name | 宝生寺砦 |
| Alternate Names | 宝生寺山砦 |
| Founder | Tomono Clan |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Kuruwa |
| Features | stone walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Namezu Station on the Koumi Line; 10 minute drive or 50 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Mountain |
| Time Required | 30 minutes |
| Location | Saku, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 14' 14.17" N, 138° 26' 19.86" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2020 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
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