Takeyama Castle (Hanishina)
History
Takeyamajō was built by the Nishijō / Saijō Clan, an affiliated clan of the Kiyono / Seino Clan who built Kurahonejō. The Kiyono joined Takeda Shingen when he advanced into Shinano, having formerly supported the Murakami Clan who opposed him. The Nishijō are thought to have joined the Kiyono and Terao clans in switching their allegiance to the Takeda in 1550. The Nishijō would later join the Uesugi Clan after the fall of the Takeda Clan in 1582. Takeyamajō was thereupon abandoned. It is thought that Takeyamajō was formerly called Zōzanjō because the mountain it was built upon is so called, apparently because it looks like the shape of an elephant when viewed from a particular direction, but that the name was changed to Takeyamajō after the Sanada Clan planted bamboo at the ruins during their rule of Matsushiro. In that case Takeyamajō would be an anachronistic name.
Visit Notes
Takeyamajō has bands of ishigaki (stone-piled ramparts) supporting terraced baileys. There is lots of ishigaki remaining around the main bailey and below where the bamboo forest is. Takeyamajō was renovated by the Takeda and the pleasing form of the castle dates to this time. There are two principal baileys, the ichinokuruwa (first bailey) and ninokuruwa (second bailey), of which the latter is largest in area. The ninokuruwa terminates at the bow in a platform of earth was used either as a base for a turret or for a signal tower. The main bailey complex has many sub-baileys terracing the mountainside below. A series of climbing sub-baileys terraced the elevation between the ninokuruwa and ichinokuruwa. Ishigaki is found all around the ichinokuruwa, but particularly to the mountainside rear where the sub-baileys are narrower and longer. The ruins of Takeyamajō are interesting and I'd recommend visiting for yamajiro (mountaintop castle) fans who visit Matsushirojō.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Takeyama Castle (Hanishina) |
| Japanese Name | 埴科竹山城 |
| Alternate Names | Zōzanjō 象山城 |
| Founder | Nishijō / Saijō Clan |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Kuruwa, Ishigaki, Koshikuruwa |
| Features | stone walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | No. 30 bus from Nagano Station to Matsushiro Station (35 mins); 10 minute walk to trailhead. |
| Visitor Information | 24/7; Free; Park |
| Time Required | 30 minutes |
| Location | Nagano, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 33' 25.49" N, 138° 11' 42.79" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Hōrōki | |
| Ranmaru | |
| Yogochan | |
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