History
It is thought that the Unno Clan constructed a watch tower or other small fortification on this ridge line as part of their defences to protect their valley home in the 14th century from the threat of the Murakami Clan to the west. The Unno Clan are also said to have founded the temple which sits below the ridge, and shrine structures may have also been built on the ridge. These were abandoned when the Murakami Clan took over the valley, but were later restored.
Visit Notes
Shirayamajō was the least interesting site of my large tour of castle ruins in the area. There are barely any ruins to be seen. There is some evidence of terracing of the ridge line, but this could've been built by anyone for any reason at anytime. The castle's main bailey could be a natural formation. However, one nice thing about coming here was being able to see Kashiwayamajō above in near perfect profile which highlighted the contours of impressive earthworks. Shirayamajō, if it really stood here, must've been a very primitive fort indeed, making use only of wooden barriers.
Castle Profile | |
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English Name | Chiisagata Shirayama Castle |
Japanese Name | 小県白山城 |
Founder | Unno Clan |
Year Founded | Mid. 14th century |
Castle Type | Mountaintop |
Castle Condition | Ruins only |
Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
Features | |
Visitor Information | |
Access | Ueda Sation on the Shinano Railway; bus to Kamishina; 20 minute walk to Sumiyoshi |
Visitor Information | 24/7 free; mountain |
Time Required | 10 minutes |
Location | Ueda, Nagano Prefecture |
Coordinates | 36° 25' 38.50" N, 138° 16' 57.72" E |
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Admin | |
Added to Jcastle | 2022 |
Contributor | ART |
Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
Friends of JCastle | |
Ranmaru |
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