Nishikata Castle

Visit Notes

The castle is behind the Chotokuji Temple and you should easily find the signs once you reach the temple.

This is a fantastic site. It's a typical Kanto style earthworks castle with lots of complex trenches and embankments and baileys. What makes this site particularly good is that it actually has clear trails and is well signposted. I would highly recommend this for any Kanto area castle fans. You can also visit nearby Nijo Castle and Manago Castle in a day.

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Gallery

Tatebori
Trench used as the current hiking trail
Tatebori - and current trail into the castle
Looking back down the tatebori trench
Design of the Kitanomaru Umadashi entrance
Trenches around the umadashi
North Bailey entrance
Umadashi structure at the entrance to the North Bailey
Kitanomaru trench
Umadashi of the North Bailey
Kitanomaru Bailey
Kitanomaru Bailey and embankment
Yagura foundation in the Kitanomaru Bailey
Design of the entrance to the Ninomaru Umadashi
Ninomaru umadashi entrance from the previous map
Ninomaru umadashi entrance from the previous map
Ninomaru Bailey
Obikuruwa Bailey
Obikuruwa Bailey
Ninomaru entrance
View from the Ninomaru
Ninomaru Bailey
Trench
Earthen embankment of the Honmaru
Honmaru entrance
Honmaru Bailey
Honmaru trenches
Honmaru entrance
Trench
Map of complex entrance
Entrance south of the Honmaru bailey
Below the entrance of the previous photo
Below the entrance of the previous photo
Trenches around the umadashi
Bailey around the Honmaru
South Bailey
A small Bailey around the South Bailey
A small Bailey around the South Bailey
South Bailey
South Bailey
Earthen embankment
Twisting entrance to the castle
Well Bailey on the left and overlooking the entrance
View from the well are looking up through the twisting entrances
Twisting Mizunote entrance
Umadashi entrance
Bailey and embankment
embankments
East Bailey trench
East Bailey
East Bailey entrance
Bailey
Bailey
Map

Castle Profile
English Name	Nishikata Castle
Japanese Name	西方城
Alternate Names	Tsurugaoka-jo
Founder	Nishikata clan, Utsunomiya clan
Year Founded	Kamakura Period (1185-1333)
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Tobu Kanasaki Sta. (Tobu Nikko Line), 30 mins walk. There is also an infrequent bus from the station to about a 10 min walk away.
Visitor Information	mountaintop, open any time
Time Required	150 mins
Location	Nishikata, Tochigi Prefecture
Coordinates	36° 28' 26.76" N, 139° 43' 22.51" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2019
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2019
Admin Visits	March 17, 2019

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