Takei Castle

History

Takeijō is a late Sengoku period site used by the Mimura Clan as their main base. Other ruins nearby suggest a network of fortifications. The castle is said to have been founded in the late Kamakura period but the nawabari (layout) dates to the end of the Sengoku period, and is an exemplar of mountain castles built at that time due to its many defensive features.

In the main bailey, stones from river beds and what was possibly ballast have been uncovered but there was no ishigaki (stone ramparts), and no buildings remain. However, at the foot of the castle a kabukimon has been reconstructed. From there a winding path leads up to the castle ruins.

Visit Notes

Takeijō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Asahi Township, Chikuma District. It is a prefectural-tier designated historical site.

I was very happy with Takeijō. For a small site there are a variety of different features and ruins. Whilst some parts were difficult to access, most of the ruin was well sign-posted with information (only Japanese). Because it’s hard to photograph the various trenches and baileys, I have used the on-site map to mark on what is where in the corner of each photo showing a specific feature.

Takeijō features three integral baileys: ninokuruwa (second bailey), sannokuruwa (third bailey), and shukuruwa (lord’s bailey / main bailey), and sub-baileys, called koshi-kuruwa (hip baileys) and obi-kuruwa (ring bailey). The obi-kuruwa is particularly fun because it starts at the foot of the shukuruwa and wraps near all the way around it before ascending to the entrance of the main bailey. Trenches include tatebori (climbing moats), which streak the mountain as though a giant comb was scraped down it, yokobori (side moats), horikiri (trenches which cut through the mountain ridges to create redoubts), and nijūhorikiri (double trenches), which I also call twin trenches.

By the way, the map is mislabelled. The blue is in fact horikiri, and the yellow are the connected tatebori and yokobori (but otherwise the map is nice and useful). There is an identifiable segment of dorui (rampart of piled earth rising above the perimeter of the bailey) in the ninokuruwa.

The castle ruin is situated on the slope of a mountain. The entire hillside is surrounded by an electrified fence to prevent wild animals from entering the village of Asahi (an on-going problem for the locals apparently because there are also remains of boar pits and other medieval defences in the village). The fence behind the kabukimon, which marks the entrance to the castle, is intimidating, but can be unlocked and entered. Luckily I had my gloves on to open the lock because it was spitting sparks due to the electrification. And so the castle is well-defended even today! On even ground at the foot of the mountain / castle is a park area with a tea house called Wadōan.

Gallery

Castle Profile
English Name	Takei Castle
Japanese Name	武居城
Founder	Mimura Clan
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Designations	Prefectural Historic Site
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Kuruwa (Shukuruwa, ninokuruwa, sannokuruwa, obi-kuruwa, koshi-guruwa), Horikiri, Dorui, Kabukimon, Tatebori, Yokobori
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Alpico Bus Service to Asahi Village from Hirooka Station on the Shinanoi Line
Visitor Information	24/7 free
Time Required	one hour
Website	https://www.vill.asahi.nagano.jp/bunkazai/yamajiro/1523.html
Location	Asahi, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36° 7' 1.24" N, 137° 52' 52.39" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2019
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

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