Baba Noroshidai

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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

BabaNoroshidai008.jpg

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.




Gallery
  • Hilltop and shrine
  • Stone walls of shrine
  • BabaNoroshidai011.jpg
  • BabaNoroshidai009.jpg


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


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