Okudani Castle

This was a truly rewarding little site tucked away in the valley beneath Yakami Castle. A sign along the roadside marks the entrance; from there, it’s a steep scramble straight up the hillside. To the left, the slope drops off toward what may have been the kyokan area. Scrambling upward, you soon re

History

Okudani Castle was likely the first stronghold established by the Hatano clan after being granted control of the region following the Ōnin War. It served as their main base until the construction of nearby Yakami Castle, which became the clan’s principal fortress. Okudani may have continued to function as a satellite fortification, guarding one of the approaches to Yakami and protecting the Okudani area — part of the original castle town.

The castle is situated along the lower spur of the same mountain as Yakami Castle. It consists of a large central bailey flanked by smaller baileys at either end, with a prominent horikiri (trench) cut into the mountainside. On the valley side, a wide flattened terrace appears to have been hewn directly from the slope — possibly serving as a kyokan or residential area.

When the road at the foot of the mountain was renovated in 1996, archaeologists discovered the remains of a 10-meter-wide water moat, which has since been reburied. This moat, likely fed by the adjacent river, would have enhanced the site’s natural defenses and underscores the strategic planning behind the castle’s placement.

Field Notes

This was a truly rewarding little site tucked away in the valley beneath Yakami Castle. A sign along the roadside marks the entrance; from there, it’s a steep scramble straight up the hillside. To the left, the slope drops off toward what may have been the kyokan area. Scrambling upward, you soon reach a small side bailey on the right and a clear koguchi (gate entrance) ahead.

The site is not actively maintained beyond the initial sign, but the thick forest cover keeps the undergrowth manageable. Several tatebori trenches can still be made out, and a particularly impressive horikiri trench lies at the rear of the site.

When I returned my rental bicycle to the Sasayama tourist information center, the clerk asked where I had gone that day. As a local and regular hiker of the Yakami Castle trail, she was surprised I even knew about Okudani Castle — and confessed she had never actually entered the site herself. I should have told her my plans before setting off; she ended up sharing a few good hiking tips I’ll have to take advantage of next time and I would have known how to better circumvent the landslide area at Yakami Castle.

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Castle Profile
English Name	Okudani Castle
Japanese Name	奥谷城
Alternate Names	Kaburamaru-jo
Founder	Hatano clan
Year Founded	late 1400s
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Designations	Local Historic Site
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access
Hours	Mountain trails, open any time
Time Required	45 mins
URL	Castle Website
Location	Tanba Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture
Coordinates	35.05649, 135.25327
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2025
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2024
Admin Visits	November 7, 2024
Friends of JCastle
Yamajiro Sanka

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