Tenjin'yama Castle (Musashi)
History
Tenjin'yamajō was built by Fujida Yasukuni in the first half of the 16th century. Fujida became a vassal of Hōjō Ujiyasu in 1556, and so Tenjin'yamajō became a Hōjō stronghold from that time. Uesugi Kenshin campaigned in Kantō in 1560, at which time the Fujida took the opportunity to defect to his side, but they were that same year then defeated by the Hōjō, who took possession of their castle. In 1564, Hōjō Ujikuni, the fourth son of Hōjō Ujiyasu, took Tenjin'yamajō as his residence, but he would soon relocate to Hachigatajō in 1568. Thereafter Tenjin'yamajō was retained as a supporting castle of Hachigatajō. Tenjin'yamajō was destroyed in 1590 by the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the prelude to the surrender of Odawarajō.
The faux tenshu was erected in 1970. It is now abandoned.
Visit Notes
I came to Tenjin'yamajō hunting mogi, but the site turned out to be quite interesting besides the abandoned folly, which was well because the faux reconstructed tower was far too dilapitated to safely enter. The trenches at the site were interesting, and, in addition to multiple baileys, I identified dorui (earthen ramparts) and even found a segment of ishigaki (stone-piled ramparts) above a tatebori (climbing moat).
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Musashi Tenjin'yama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 武蔵天神山城 |
| Founder | Fujida Yasukuni (Shigetoshi) |
| Year Founded | 1530s-1550s |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Reconstructed main keep |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Main Keep Structure | Two Tiers, Two Storyes (Faux Recon.) |
| Year Reconstructed | 1970 |
| Artifacts | Kuruwa, Horikiri, Karabori, Ishigaki, Mogi-Tenshu |
| Features | trenches, stone walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Higuchi Station on the Chichibu Railway; 30 minute walk to trailhead at the White Bird Shrine; 10 minute hike |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Mountain |
| Time Required | 80 minutes |
| Location | Nagatoro, Saitama Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 7' 12.65" N, 139° 7' 1.60" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
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