Tanno Castle

History

Tannojō was constructed by Hagiwara Yoshinobu, an official under Hosokawa Shigeyuki, the governor of Mikawa Province, in 1469 during the Ōnin War. The castle-mount, Midōsan, refers to a buddhist hall which was part of the temple Zenpukuji, and it is said that Hagiwara evicted the priests, forced them to build fortifications, and even melted down their bells and other religious paraphernalia for weaponry. The fort protected the strategically valuable Kunisaka Pass to the west.

In 1470, Makino Naritoki, attacked and put Tannojō to siege. Hagiwara Yoshinobu sallied forth in defence, but after getting down the mountain, his own men (some of them former monks?) turned on him. Hagiwara is said to have committed seppuku on horseback whilst in retreat. He was not mourned by the locals.

Visit Notes

Tannojō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin located between the borders of Toyôka and Sagara townships in Gamagôri Municipality, and the township of Mito in Toyokawa Municipality to the north. Ruins include a horikiri (trench) and kuruwa (baileys). The layout is of a single bailey complex with a wide trench to the rear. Sub-baileys sit below and partially surround the main bailey. The western slope is terraced but if there is terracing on the bay-facing side then it must be only a thin slip of earth, a feature commonly called an inubashiri (dog's run).

Since the area below Tannojō is maintained as a park, many people come up from there; indeed, I saw several people at the castle ruins. However, I had cycled to Gamagôri and opted to cycle up a mountainroad to the Kunisaka Pass. From here there is a hiking trail that goes to the castle site, but it does not seem highly trafficked.

Gallery

Main bailey and castle marker

Castle Profile
English Name	Tanno Castle
Japanese Name	丹野城
Founder	Hagiwara Yoshinobu
Year Founded	1469
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Horikiri, Kuruwa, &c.
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Hike from Kunisaka Pass to the west, or from Sagara Forest Park from the south
Visitor Information	24/7 free; mountain
Time Required	30 minutes
Website	https://mito.or.jp/mito-intro/mitohistory/2kodou/3-2-42
Location	Gamagôri, Aichi Prefecture
Coordinates	34° 50' 1.90" N, 137° 16' 29.32" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2024
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
Jōkaku Shashin Kiroku
Shiseki Yawa
Jōshi Meguri Bibōroku
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