Sasano Castle (Chikuma)

History

Sasanojō was used as part of a network of fortifications protecting the territory of Aida and guarding the mountain trail that led between valleys (in former times mountain ridges were a frequently used means of going to-and-fro'). The Horidaira Clan acted as castellans. Horidaira village was located beneath Sasanojō and the castle may have been built as a redoubt for the villagers to flee to if they came under attack.

Visit Notes

Sasanojō is a curious ruin indeed. There is a principal bailey which is not so large but is typical of a mountainfort. To the north it is protected by a series of horikiri (trenches cut into the ridge). To the west is another series of trenches in similar fashion. To the south there is a narrow ridge. Beneath this ridge is a series of small baileys divided by karabori (dry moats) and dorui (earthen ramparts). To the south of here is a very interesting feature in the form of the umaya no kubo (stables pit). This area for keeping horses is formed from natural terrain, a sunken area surrounded on three sides by the encircling ridgeline, perhaps the remnants of a landslide. It's likely the bottom of this depression was flattened to create a bailey-like space well sheltered from without. To the north of the castle proper is a series of what looks like a row of yokobori (lateral trenches) and dorui. It's not clear to what extent these formations are man-made; I can't imagine how natural movements of the earth would've created them, but I'm not an expert in such a field. Perhaps the castle builders augmented the natural terrain to create a series of funnels. If so then this defensive feature is quite unlike any I've seen before.

Gallery

Deep trench-like formations, part of a row of such structures

Castle Profile
English Name	Chikuma Sasano Castle
Japanese Name	筑摩佐々野城
Alternate Names	笹ヶ城
Founder	Horidaira Clan
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Horikiri, Karabori, Dorui, Kuruwa
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Akashina Station on the Shinonoi Line; access via forestry road or hike from Samine Castle site
Visitor Information	24/7 free; mountain
Time Required	60 minutes
Location	Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36° 21' 33.73" N, 137° 57' 21.38" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2021
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
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