Tenjin'yama Castle (Suwa)

History

Tenjin'yamajō was a branch fortification of Takashimakojō, built as part of a series of border defences to protect the Upper suwa Shrine against the forces of the Lower Suwa Shrine. See Takashimako Castle for more information.

Visit Notes

The site of Tenjin'yamajō is very close to Kamisuwa Station. It is at the far end of a long ridge which further up hosted Takashimakojō. The whole area is now residential. The site can be accessed either by road where there is a hairpin bend, and quickly on foot from the station by taking a long, tall flight of stairs built into the cliffside. Houses are found clinging to the cliff, and there is a play area built on a terrace. I don't know if the site had any sub-baileys, but we can presume its integral baileys followed the ridgeline. If the co-ordinates I had represented the centre of the site, then it was certainly a small fortification straddling the narrow ridge line. The main bailey may have been the smallest, at the tip, with subsequent baileys following the ridgeline, gradually expanding. But this is just speculation. No ruins remain, and even the ridge has been heavily altered through modern development. My working assumption was that Tenjin'yamajō was a satellite fortification of Takashimakojō, the forerunner of Takashimajō.

Gallery

Ridge from below, now covered in houses and coated in concrete
Stairway to castle site
End of ridge

Castle Profile
English Name	Suwa Tenjin'yama Castle
Japanese Name	諏訪天神山城
Founder	Upper Suwa Faction
Year Founded	14th Century
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features
Visitor Information
Access	Kami-Suwa Station on the Chuo Line; 5 minute walk
Visitor Information	Private Property
Time Required	5 minutes
Location	Suwa, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36° 2' 59.86" N, 138° 7' 4.69" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2021
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
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