Hakoyama Castle (Takai)

I went to Hakoyamajō after Kamogatakejō and Kamagatakejō. I didn't want to leave it out, though it is not as interesting as those twin sites. It is on a peak to the north of them. One finds the trail by going through the Hakoyama Pass. However, I continued down to Hakoyama Tunnel first, where there

History

Hakoyamajō is thought to have been built as a branch castle of Kamogatakejō by the Takanashi Clan to guard the Hakoyama Pass, an important route.

For more information see my profiles / posts on Takanashi Yakata and Kamogatake Castle.

Field Notes

I went to Hakoyamajō after Kamogatakejō and Kamagatakejō. I didn't want to leave it out, though it is not as interesting as those twin sites. It is on a peak to the north of them. One finds the trail by going through the Hakoyama Pass. However, I continued down to Hakoyama Tunnel first, where there is no trail. I made things very hard for myself by climbing back up to the ridge here, crawling on all fours like a stupid bear. It would've been ten times easier if I had found the trail on the otherside of the pass. Anyway, I was quite tired but I strove on, climbing the steep, intimidating Hakoyama. The fortifications here were minimal, but the natural terrain meant that they probably didn't need to invest much to make it a tough nut to crack. Nevertheless I identified baileys, terraced sub-baileys, trenches, and possibly some remnant masonry. At the foot of the castle mount was what looked to be a recycling facility designed in the vague shape of a castle tower.

Gallery

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Castle Profile
English Name	Hakoyama Castle (Takai)
Japanese Name	高井箱山城
Founder	Takanashi Clan
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Kuruwa, Ishigaki, Horikiri, Dorui
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Shinshuu-Nakano Station on the Shinano Line; 20 minute walk to trail head
Hours	Free; 24/7; Mountain
Time Required	50 minutes
Location	Nakano, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36.7506, 138.39062
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2020
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

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