Ohwatari Noroshidai
Ôwatari-noroshidai is a noroshidai (fortified beacon) site in Sutama Township, Hokuto Municipality. It is part of a chain of such sites that I visited in Sutama that day, and is the most fortified of those I visited, being built to the scale of a typical mountain fort. Indeed, this can be considered
History
Ôwatari-noroshidai was part of the network of beacons that linked Takeda territory in their homeland of Kai with their conquests in Shinano. Ôwatari-noroshidai stood between Hishi-noroshidai to the northeast and Baba-noroshidai to the southwest. The fort also guarded the Torii Pass, and was guarded by the Kô-shū ('Little Ridge Band'), a local war band.
Field Notes
Ôwatari-noroshidai is a noroshidai (fortified beacon) site in Sutama Township, Hokuto Municipality. It is part of a chain of such sites that I visited in Sutama that day, and is the most fortified of those I visited, being built to the scale of a typical mountain fort. Indeed, this can be considered a proper yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin.
Ôwatari-noroshidai overlooks the Torii Pass, where there is no torii, but there is a Kannon statue. The ridge above the pass starts off steep, and then gradually evens out before the castle ruins become clear in the form of the terracing of the ridge. Bands of terraced baileys march up the ridge to the fort's main bailey. The main bailey is long and narrow, surrounded on three sides by dorui (earthen ramparts). The southern side has no parapet wall. To the rear of the main bailey is a horikiri (trench). There is a row of hokora (mini-shrines) in the middle of the bailey.
The dorui was heaped up as a process of flattening the ridge to create the main bailey, but below the dorui the mountainside is incredibly steep in any case. If one goes beyond the rear horikiri the ridge is quite narrow, and it terminates in a part of the hill overlooking the steep mountainside. Below the Shiokawa bends around the castle-mount, providing a natural barrier on three sides. Whilst many noroshidai consist only of singular baileys, this single bailey fort complex is impressive owing to the rugged terrain and relative isolation.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Ohwatari Noroshidai |
| Japanese Name | 大渡烽火台 |
| Founder | Takeda Shingen |
| Year Founded | 16th Century |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Kuruwa, Horikiri, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Climb from Torii Pass |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 30mins |
| Location | Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.84331, 138.48216 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Yogo | |
