Nagamine Fort

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NagamineToride (3).JPG

History

Nagamine-toride was built by the Katō Clan as a satellite fortification of their main residential castle, Uenoharajō (referred to as ‘Inner Castle’), in the mid’ 16th century. Nagamine-toride was a hilltop fort which watched over a major trade route between Kai and Musashi provinces. The Katō Clan became vassals of Takeda Shingen, protecting the border of Kai. Skirmishes historically took place in this area between Takeda forces and those of the Hōjō, particularly between Takeda Nobutora and Hōjō Ujitsuna. The Katō Clan are thought to have put their vassals the Ôkunugi Clan in charge of defending Nagamine-toride.

The fort was destroyed with the construction of the Chūō Expressway. Some ruins remained on the south side between the road and the golf course, but road-widening projects eventually consumed those too. Now a small memorial park stands in place of the fort. Archaeological excavations were carried out here, and a bronze cannonball was unearthed from one of the moats. Only some ruins to the north of the motorway remain now.


Visit Notes

Nagamine-toride is a medieval fort site; the ruins were demolished for the construction and gradual expansion of a national highway. The Chūō Expressway has been the grim reaper for many castle sites. Apparently some earthworks do still remain intact here, but it was beyond my power that day to uncover them. Many castling blogs cover this minor site, perhaps because there is a small memorial park with information boards and marker stelae for the old fort site, but the one which I found most interesting was the one from Jōkakuzukan, as he had visited the site over two decades ago before its destruction (I think this blogger lives or lived in Yamanashi). He also has done the most work in ascertaining the site’s condition today. After checking out the site to the south of the motorway where the marker stands, I then tried to check out the north where ruins are reported to still remain, but the whole area was so overgrown and fenced off that I could see nothing and find no way in. I had other sites to visit that day, so I moved on. Salutes for Jōkakuzukan.




Gallery
  • Explanation board with picture of the site before road expansion


Castle Profile
English Name Nagamine Fort
Japanese Name 長峯砦
Alternate Names 長峰砦
Founder Katō Clan
Year Founded Mid' 16th Century
Castle Type Mountaintop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Features trenches
Visitor Information
Access The nearest station is Uenohara Station on the Chūō Main Line
Visitor Information 24/7 free; park
Time Required 20 minutes
Location Uenohara, Yamanashi Prefecture
Coordinates 35° 37' 57.04" N, 139° 4' 34.32" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2023
Contributor ART
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
Jōkakuzukan
Kojōshi
Jōkaku Hōrōki
Shiro Meguri


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