Machimura Fort
History
Not much is known about the origins of this site, but it was likely used as a branch fortification of nearby Kita-Kumaijō. It’s also possible that fortifications were first erected here to protect the jōkashūraku, the village attached to the castle, forming a fortified settlement, and this is where name of the site derives.
Visit Notes
The original contours of this fortified settlement have been obscured by development, but the main fortified area, which is now a cemetery, I found quite easy to identify. Essentially there is a single small bailey surrounded by dorui (earthen ramparts), some segments of which are quite tall and thick. To the front of the bailey is natural elevation, and to the rear there is a depression which looks like it was excavated as a trench. These earthworks are all that remain. It is thought that the main bailey contained a watch tower.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Machimura Fort |
| Japanese Name | 町村砦 |
| Alternate Names | 町村 |
| Founder | Unknown |
| Year Founded | Medieval Era |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Kuruwa, Karabori |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Shiojiri Station on the Chūō Main Line; 50 minute walk |
| Visitor Information | 24/7; Free; Cemetery |
| Time Required | 30 minutes |
| Location | Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 7' 44.65" N, 137° 58' 39.50" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Yogochan | |
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