Mochikoshi Castle (Murakami Clan Fort Network)

History

Mochikoshijō was part of a series of forts used by the Murakami Clan on Mount Kokuzō. Mochikoshijō was used primarily as a storage depot for supplying the other forts in the network. For more information see my profile on Murakami-Kokuzōsanjō.

Visit Notes

Zama-jinja grants access to Mochikoshijō (“Deferred Castle”) via a path that climbs up from the left of the main hall. Mochikoshijō is quite an atypical site in its layout. It features ishigaki (stone-piled ramparts), dorui (earthen ramparts), tatebori (climbing trenches) and other earthworks. There are two main enclosures, the lower and the higher. The lower is long with remnants of ramparts and ishigaki heaped to the right (ascending) and to the left there is more ishigaki but one has to look beyond the old parapets to the steep sides of the bailey to see the remains of the stone walls. The upper bailey is terraced, with a lower and upper portion, and the lower is protected by a prominent row of dorui. To the rear of this bailey is a climbing trench to the left and a dorui segment to the right which would’ve formed between them a secure rear gate.

Gallery

Ishigaki and dorui around lower bailey

Castle Profile
English Name	Mochikoshi Castle (Murakami Clan Fort Network)
Japanese Name	村上持越城
Founder	Murakami Yoshikiyo
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Dorui, Ishigaki, Hori, Kuruwa
Features	trenches, stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	Nishi-Ueda Station on the Shinao Railway; 12 minute walk to trailhead at Zama-jinja
Visitor Information	24/7 free; mountain
Time Required	50 minutes
Location	Ueda, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36° 25' 24.78" N, 138° 13' 10.52" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2021
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

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