Toyo Castle (Murakami Clan Fort Network)

Toyojō is one of the smaller forts in the Murakami Renju Toride (村上連珠砦), a network of fortifications strung about the mountains like a 'pearl necklace'. I had hoped, since it is featured in a book of yamajiro in the area alongside larger forts, that Toyojō might be nearly as exciting as Hanagoyajō w

History

See Murakami Katsurao Castle for more background information on the Murakami Clan.

Field Notes

Toyojō is one of the smaller forts in the Murakami Renju Toride (村上連珠砦), a network of fortifications strung about the mountains like a 'pearl necklace'. I had hoped, since it is featured in a book of yamajiro in the area alongside larger forts, that Toyojō might be nearly as exciting as Hanagoyajō which is located nearby. However, it is a fairly small and basic fort. It has a main bailey with a trench to the rear. There is a lower bailey. Possibly there used to be more baileys going like a ladder down the hillside, but this area is now cultivated and so the land may have been modified for use by farmers in subsequent centuries. Toyojō is at least located on a relatively lower hill and so not difficult to climb to. This was my first castle visit with the onset of spring; the weather was pleasant and there were many birds out, including some big fat blue ones, and so I was quite optimistic about the day ahead.

Gallery

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  Sub-bailey
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Castle Profile
English Name	Toyo Castle (Murakami Clan Fort Network)
Japanese Name	村上豊城
Founder	Murakami Clan
Year Founded	Sengoku Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Toyotono Route bus from Ueda Station on the Shinano Railway
Hours	24/7 free; mountain
Time Required	20 minutes
Location	Ueda, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36.41883, 138.26941
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2022
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
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