History
The castle first appears to history in 1480 during the Suwa Clan Civil War (mentioned in the Kanchō Moriya Manjō Kakitome, "Complete Records of the Kanchō Moriya" (神長守矢満定書留)). When the Kanasashi were defeated in 1483, their leader's head was paraded for two nights here at Ôgumajō during the victory celebrations. It must've been a wild party.
In 1535 Takeda Nobutora made a truce with Suwa Yorishige and Yorishige took Nobutora's daughter as his wife, cementing their relations. However, in 1542, the new leader of the Takeda, Takeda Shingen, invaded Suwa and besieged the Suwa's castles, including Ôgumajō. Suwa Yorishige was defeated and obliged to fall on his sword. Shingen married his daughter and produced his heir, Katsuyori, the intended future ruler of all Takeda domains, including Suwa. Ôgumajō was abandoned in 1549 with the supersession of nearby Aruga Castle.
Visit Notes
Ôgumajō amounts to a small but well-maintained earthenwork ruin situated on the hillside. The site is now a flower garden and agricultural space and so, with all the trees cut down, we can easily get a sense of the castle's scale from a distance.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ohguma Castle |
| Japanese Name | 大熊城 |
| Founder | Suwa Clan |
| Year Founded | Before 1480 |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Kuruwa, Dorui, Hori |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Kami-Suwa Station on the Chuo Line; 75 minute walk. Or Chino Station; 70 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | 24/7 free |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| Location | Suwa, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 0' 16.34" N, 138° 6' 16.92" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2020 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
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