Niijiro Fort
Niijiro-toride ('New Castle Fort') is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in the Kasugai Township of Fuefuki Municipality. Ruins include horikiri (trenches) and dorui (earthen ramparts). The ruins are located on the peak of Mount Daizōkyōji. Starting at Daizōkyōji, a temple, the Daizōkyōjiyama hiki
History
Niijiro-toride is speculated to have been a tsumeshiro (fortified redoubt) for the fortified manor hall of the governor of Kai Province, Takeda Nobutora, on the plain below. This would date it to the 15th century. However, this is only speculation.
Niijiro was noted as a castle ruin in the 1814 'Kai Provincial Journal'. I think it may have been built or used as a look-out or noroshidai in the early-to-mid' 16th century.
Field Notes
Niijiro-toride ('New Castle Fort') is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in the Kasugai Township of Fuefuki Municipality. Ruins include horikiri (trenches) and dorui (earthen ramparts). The ruins are located on the peak of Mount Daizōkyōji. Starting at Daizōkyōji, a temple, the Daizōkyōjiyama hiking course is well maintained. There are two routes to the top following a fork; one is long and winding, and the other is a direct climb up the rocky ridge starting from the tengū shrine. I took the latter route, and found a kofun (ancient burial mound) along the ridge on the way up.
Niijiro-toride is paired with Furujiro-toride ('Old Castle Fort') on the same mountain. There is even a third, more obscure site called Koteshiro-toride ('Branch Fort'). By the way, I'm adding the suffix 'toride', meaning 'fort', to these names, though they are often listed without. 'Shiro' means 'castle' so it may be considered redundant to add a suffix, but these sites all have generic names which many other sites share elsewhere, even within Yamanashi. I hope the addition of 'toride' clarifies that 'shiro' is part of the reading and name of each of these sites, and not a suffix itself. Besides which, all of these sites are very minor and obscure.
Niijiro has some defnitive castle ruins, and is the main fort in its group. The peak is lopsided though parts appear to have been worked somewhat, perhaps to create a shallow terrace. Frankly, it doesn't look like a bailey. However, to the rear is a berm and trench system. This trench unmistakably indicates a fortification, and it is not a small trench either. Niijiro was likely just served as a noroshidai (beacon tower), but the rear trench is surprising at such a site.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Niijiro Fort |
| Japanese Name | 新城砦 |
| Alternate Names | Niijiro (新城) |
| Founder | Takeda Nobutora |
| Year Founded | 15th Century |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Horikiri, Dorui |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Isawa-Onsen Station on the Chūō Line East; 6 min walk to trailhead; 60+ min hike to peak |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 15 mins |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Fuefuki, Yamanashi Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.66902, 138.62566 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Kojōshi | |
