Minami Kumai Castle

The ruins of Minami-Kumaijō are now the site of Shōrinji; this name (Pine Forest Temple) is apt as shaded beneath the tall trees where spiders make ornate their palaces of web, the castle's ramparts sit taciturn and brooding in the shade. Peering through the pines we can spy these sullen ruins. My f

History

<see Kita Kumai Castle>

Field Notes

The ruins of Minami-Kumaijō are now the site of Shōrinji; this name (Pine Forest Temple) is apt as shaded beneath the tall trees where spiders make ornate their palaces of web, the castle's ramparts sit taciturn and brooding in the shade. Peering through the pines we can spy these sullen ruins. My favourite view was at a junction where a koshiguruwa (hip bailey) met with a large climbing trench. I took the place where a small shrine squatted to be the middle bailey and on above that there was a now farmed bailey with a masugata gate complex arrnagement leading between it and the temple structures below.

Gallery

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Castle Profile
English Name	Minami Kumai Castle
Japanese Name	南熊井城
Founder	???
Year Founded	???
Castle Type	Hilltop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Dorui, Kuruwa, Karabori, Horikiri
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Shiojiri Station on the Chūō Main Line; walk 35 minutes
Hours	24/7; free
Time Required	one hour
Location	Shiojiri, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36.12371, 137.97114
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2019
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

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