Mitake Castle (Kai)

History

Mitakejō served chiefly as a fortified signal beacon, part of a network of such sites surrounding the Kai Basin that allowed for rapid warning and communication across the province. The fort was guarded by a band of local provincial warriors called the Mitake-shū. After the fall of the Takeda Clan the Mitake-shū served Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Mitakejō was used as a fort and signal tower by Tokugawa forces during their conflict with the Hōjō in Kai.

Visit Notes

Mitakejō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Mitake Township, Kōfu Municipality. Ruins feature deformed bailey spaces and a double horikiri (trench) complex. I found the climb up instructive, with rocks, cliffs, chains and ropes to contend with; it's not a proper mountain unless it tries to kill you. I had several markers to aim for as the possible site of the castle; of course, it's always the highest one up... The yaguradai (turret platform) and nijū-horikiri earthworks are found further along the ridge from the Tengu shrine with the stone walls, and the shrine's narrow bailey space is the flattened ridge behind the shrine.

Gallery

Horikiri (trench)

Castle Profile
English Name	Mitake Castle (Kai)
Japanese Name	甲斐御岳城
Alternate Names	御岳の城山城
Founder	Mitake-shū
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Kuruwa, Horikiri, &c.
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Bus from Kōfu to Kinzakura-jinja; take the road that goes up past Meotogi-jinja; there is a path up the ridge there
Visitor Information	24/7 free; mountain
Time Required	60 minutes
Location	Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture
Coordinates	35° 46' 12.47" N, 138° 33' 39.02" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2024
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
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