Kameyama Castle (Kii)

History

Kameyama Castle was built around 1348-1349 as the stronghold of the Yukawa clan. Some say the Yukawa were a branch family of the Kai Takeda who helped dispell bandits along the Kumano Highway and became a magistrate in the Muromachi Shogunate.

The Yukawa and Tamaki split control of the Hidaka River Basin. When Hideyoshi attacked the Kii area, the Yukawa wanted to join forces to reisst but the Tamaki had already allied with Hideyoshi. The Yukawa were defeated and Yukawa Naoharu, head of the Yukawa clan was captured. He later died under suspicious circumstances at Hideyoshi's Yamato Koriyama Castle.

Visit Notes

This is a fairly large mountain castle with concentric rings of stepped baileys along the sides of the mountain. From illustrations on the site, it looks to be have been very well developed. Unfortunately only 4 baileys right around the top have been cleared for castle fan to enjoy today, including high earthen embankments around tyhe main bailey. I tried to get into a couple more baileys around the top that look like they might have other castle remains but they were too overgrown to see anything. Over the years the stepped concentric baileys were used as mikan orchards and the structure of the original baileys have largely been destroyed.

You often see this castle called the tsume-no-shiro, or mountain redoubt, paired with the Komatsubara Yakata down on the plain, but this is a much later development. The mountain castle is much older and far more well developed than any typical mountain redoubt and plains castle pair. The Komatsubara Yakata was built in the mid 1500s.

The castle is not far from Gobo Station and can be visited along with Tedori Castle in one day if you plan train timings carefully. There are few trains going between Gobo Station and Wasa Statio (for Tedori Castle).

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Gallery

Castle Profile
English Name	Kameyama Castle (Kii)
Japanese Name	亀山城
Alternate Names	Maruyama-jo
Founder	Yukawa Clan
Year Founded	1348-1349
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Designations	Prefectural Historic Site
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features
Visitor Information
Access	Gobo Station
Visitor Information	Park, open any time
Time Required	120 mins
Website	http://www.city.gobo.wakayama.jp/kanko/bunkarekisi/bunka/ahibunka/shiseki/1382688182372.html
Location	Gobo, Wakayama Prefecture
Coordinates	33° 54' 39.38" N, 135° 9' 17.10" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2023
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2023
Admin Visits	February 5, 2023
Friends of JCastle
Jokaku Horoki
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RaymondWDaimyo

13 months ago

Score 1

Visiting this yamajiro is the icing on the cake after going to Tedori Castle. As Tedori Castle takes a lot of time to get to unless you happen to live in Wakayama, it’s always nice to get in an extra castle ruin on the same day for the effort expended in getting to this part of Wakayama Prefecture. There are some clear earthwork remnants at this castle ruin as shown by the photos that Eric has put up. As mentioned in the profile, there are only four of the baileys at the top of the mountain which have been maintained and are clear of weeds and undergrowth even though there are many more baileys making up this yamajiro. None of these other baileys are accessible or can be seen clearly. The mountain where this castle is located can be seen from Tedori Castle if you look towards where JR Gobo Station is located. The mountain directly overlooks Gobo Station.

Eric, thanks for uploading all these photos. It reminds me of what I saw when I went to this yamajiro ruin with my wife.

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