Baba Noroshidai
Baba-noroshidai is a noroshidai (fortified beacon) site in Sutama Township, Hokuto Municipality. No clearly medieval ruins remain, and the site is now an Akiba shrine, presumably built in the Edo period. Akiba shrines were often built at or near noroshidai, as they venerate a fire-related diety. So
History
Baba-noroshidai was part of the network of beacons that linked Takeda territory in their homeland of Kai with their conquests in Shinano. It is positioned to the south of Ôwatari-noroshidai which I visited just prior, and to the north of Shishikujō ('Lion Roar Castle'), which is a large site which also had a signal tower; Baba-noroshidai may be considered a satellite fortification of Shishiku Castle.
Field Notes
Baba-noroshidai is a noroshidai (fortified beacon) site in Sutama Township, Hokuto Municipality. No clearly medieval ruins remain, and the site is now an Akiba shrine, presumably built in the Edo period. Akiba shrines were often built at or near noroshidai, as they venerate a fire-related diety. So the shrine may have medieval antecedents related to the noroshidai, but the structures appear to be Edo period. This includes the glorious ishigaki (stone-piled retaining walls) which ring the hilltop. This ishigaki appears to have been handsomely piled at some point centuries ago. It's clearly also collapsed in places but repaired with a different piling method, the taniźumi method which we see in more recent times when masonry skills had declined. A long, steep stairway leads to the shrine from below. I heard the Rocky theme play in my head and began to run up, but I had to stop half way up, haha. The shrine buildings' ceramic tiles make use of the Takeda kamon.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Baba Noroshidai |
| Japanese Name | 馬場烽火台 |
| Founder | Takeda Shingen |
| Year Founded | 16th Century |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | stone walls |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Akiba Shrine in Sutama-Egusa (parking below shrine stairway) |
| Hours | 24/7 free; temple |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| Location | Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.83643, 138.47327 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Yogo | |
