Sentougamine Castle
Sentōǵaminejō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Mikkabi Township of Hamana Ward, Hamamatsu Municipality. Ruins are chiefly earthworks, including horikiri (trenches), dorui (earthen ramparts) and baileys. The layout of the fort is of a central bailey complex with terracing below. Three spoke
History
Sentōǵaminejō first emerged as a fort of the Nanbokuchō period. Controlled by the Ii Clan, the castle was conquered by Takashina Moronao in 1339. The fort's structure as seen today has led some to speculate that the castle was rebuilt at a later date some time in the Sengoku period, but there is no historical record of the castle after 1339. Whilst not overly sophisticated in its defences, it still has well preserved dorui and horikiri, which makes me think it could have been re-used in the Sengoku period (my impression is that Nanbokuchō period yamajiro tended to have less processing of the castle-mount, relying more on natural terrain, and mostly just flattened ridges; for example: Chihayajō). In that case the Imagawa (before 1560) or Matsudaira (after 1560) clans are contenders for rebuilding the fortress.
Field Notes
Sentōǵaminejō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Mikkabi Township of Hamana Ward, Hamamatsu Municipality. Ruins are chiefly earthworks, including horikiri (trenches), dorui (earthen ramparts) and baileys. The layout of the fort is of a central bailey complex with terracing below. Three spokes come off from the peak along its adjoining ridges. In the south and west there are baileys surrounded by dorui. In the east there are flattened ridge portions divided by horikiri.
When I visited the castle ruins there were sakura blooming of a kind that flowered at the same time as unfurling brown leaves, presenting a sort of combination of autumn and spring in one tree. There is a well in a small bailey on the mountainside. I went there last as another path from there leads back to the first horikiri along the eastern ridge. There are several outlying forts in orbit around Sentōǵaminejō, such as Nakasentō-toride and Koiyama-toride, but I did not visit these.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Sentougamine Castle |
| Japanese Name | 千頭峯城 |
| Founder | Takashina Moronao |
| Year Founded | 1339 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Prefectural Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Horikiri, Kuruwa, Dorui, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Mikkabi Station on the Tenryū-Hamanako Line; 40 min walk to trailhead. |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 60 mins |
| Location | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34.82118, 137.55946 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Shiseki no Yawa | |
| Jōkaku Shashin Kiroku | |
| Yogo | |
