Minami Majino Castle

History

According to the 『守矢頼真書留』, around 1542 Minami-Majinojō was built or occupied by the Yajima Clan who were originally based in Kuwabara Castle. This is supposed to have taken place during or as a result of Takeda Shingen's invasion of Suwa and the attack on Suwa Yorishige's forces directed from Kuwabarajō. So the Yajima were fighting for Shingen it seems.

That is all that is known of the castle and the date of the castle's abandonment is unknown. Minami-Majinojō might've been twinned with Gongenzawa Castle as that site was also called Kita-Majinojō.

Visit Notes

Getting to the ruins of Minami-Majinojō ("South Majino Castle") was no mean feat. I had to do some free climbing without using trails. Eventually I was rewarded with the evident ruins of the castle's shukuruwa (main bailey), topped with dorui (earthen ramparts) and protected in the rear by a large karabori (dry moat). I descended via the castle's sub-baileys which terraced the mountain ridge. The mountain itself also had some interesting features like large, sacred boulders and old stone-pilings at the base which I supposed might be from the later Edo Period (after the castle's time).

Gallery

Castle Profile
English Name	Minami Majino Castle
Japanese Name	南真志野城
Founder	Yajima Clan
Year Founded	1542
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Dorui, Karabori, Koshikuruwa, Kuruwa
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Kami-Suwa Station on the Chuo Line; 80 minute walk
Visitor Information	24/7 free; mountain
Time Required	50 minutes
Location	Suwa, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36° 0' 21.85" N, 138° 5' 24.11" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2020
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

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