Kubodera Castle
History
Kuboderajō was built as the main base of the Kubodera Clan, who had held territory in the area from the Nanbokuchō Period. They allied with Uesugi Kenshin and were defeated by Takeda Shingen during the battles for Kawanakajima.
Visit Notes
This no-name castle proved to be much more impressive than I had anticipated. Getting there was the first challenge. A small trail leading between some farmland led to the foot of the mountain, but this was overgrown and very difficult to pass. I chanelled by inner tanuki and began crawling through the undergrowth and up the mountainside. Kuboderajō's layout is simple enough, a series of baileys located in a neat column along a ridge. The main bailey is foremost, and is surrounded by a ring bailey. A trench divides it from the next bailey. A larger trench divides the second and third. Subsequent baileys are then located at lower terrain from each other in staircase-like fashion. A wide trench, likely an augmented ravine, is arranged parallel to this column of baileys, and is terraced. Gradually it slopes off into a series of tatebori (climbing moats). The site is too overgrown in parts to see properly. If properly maintained it would make for a nice park. The whole vicinity seems to be made up of abandoned apple orchards. I exited via cultivated hillside and descended via Entsūji.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Kubodera Castle |
| Japanese Name | 窪寺城 |
| Founder | Kubodera |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Tatebori, Horikiri, Dorui, Kuruwa |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Amori Station on the Shin'Etsu Line; 15 minute walk to trail head. |
| Visitor Information | Free; 24/7; Mountain |
| Time Required | 40 minutes |
| Location | Nagano, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 38' 16.37" N, 138° 9' 51.55" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Yogokun | |
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