Four new castles around Sasayama Hyogo

Continuing my previous set of updates for Kyoto, this one brings four castles from Hyogo Prefecture. Sorry—just a small (4 castle) update this time! That said, these sites are historically tied to the same story (Mitsuhide's Tanba campaigns) and could easily have been included with the Kyoto set

Four new castles around Sasayama in Hyogo Pref.

2025-05-24

Continuing my previous set of updates for Kyoto, this one brings four castles from Hyogo Prefecture. Sorry—just a small (4 castle) update this time! That said, these sites are historically tied to the same story (Mitsuhide's Tanba campaigns) and could easily have been included with the Kyoto set.

My castle visits usually fall into one of two categories: either the quality of the ruins catches my attention, or I’m chasing a historical narrative—this journey was definitely the latter. Having already visited many castles on the Kyoto side of the Tanba region, I wanted to round out the story by crossing into Hyōgo and seeing these key sites for myself. The fall of Yakami Castle and the execution of Hatano Hideharu marked the final phase of Mitsuhide’s campaign to bring Tanba under Nobunaga’s control.

Okudani Castle was the Hatano's first castle when settling in Sasayama. It later became a satellite fortification of Yakami Castle
Yakami Castle was the massive stronghold of Hatano Hideharu, who surrendered to Mitsuhide in 1579 after a prolonged siege.
Hannyaji Castle served as a forward staging ground for Mitsuhide.
Kinzan Castle was strategically placed to cut off communication and reinforcements between Yakami Castle (Hatano) and Kuroi Castle (Akai Naomasa) — effectively isolating both strongholds for the final campaigns.

Functional Update - I'm going to start adding Yamap Trails (a Japanese hiking website) and YouTube videos under the Visitor Information section of the Castle Profile on the right side. These will only be my own Yamap trails and videos. In this update I've included Yamap trails for all but Hannyaji Castle. I won't add my trail logs for all castles, only where it makes sense and could be useful. For example, there is no point to adding a GPS track for a big well documented castle in the city like Himeji Castle.

I started mapping my castle travels back in 2009 at Takiyama Castle. Since then I've recorded a GPS trail for all but 2 castle visits so that I could tag my photos. Those two misses were because of device problems. The full tracks used to be available on my old website until Google made these extra services fee based, but they were not commonly referenced anyway. Yamap has some similar features (like elevation profile) to help guide users and now that GPS and smartphone maps are mainstream, maybe these will help some visitors.

Now, I need to take a break for about a month to do some work traveling. The next updates will be for Shiga Prefecture starting in late June or maybe July.

Hannyaji Castle / 般若寺城

This site is completely overgrown and difficult to explore. There should be three baileys with trenches and a clear view of Yakami Castle. I’ve seen old photos of the site from when it was much better maintained. There used to be a sign and wooden steps along a clearly marked trail. I actually found the ruins of those steps, rather, I tripped over the old wooden beams while climbing through the weeds.

Access is unclear. A newer sign in front of the temple at the base of the mountain includes a note on the left that says “no admittance without reservation,” but another blogger reported that this applies to the temple, not the castle ruins. Still, there’s no official trail to the top. To reach the site, you either have to go through the temple grounds or enter via a roped-off, abandoned preschool looking place(?). I chose the latter and simply picked a spot that looked climbable, then scrambled my way uphill.

Although the site is mostly overgrown, there is some evidence of cutting trees near the promontory, which opens up the view toward Yakami Castle. It’s a great spot to stand and imagine yourself as Akechi Mitsuhide, gazing across the valley and strategizing your ultimate siege against the Hatano's significantly more formidable mountaintop stronghold.

There is no bus that conveniently stops right in front of the castle. You can take one of the local busses that gets near and walk 2-3km or rent a bicycle from the Tourist Information Center near Sasayama Castle and cycle the 5km here.

Kinzan Castle / 金山城

Kinzan Castle is perched on one of the tallest peaks dividing eastern and western Tanba. The hike involves a steep 300-meter elevation gain, but the trail is well marked and clean. Even on a weekday, I encountered a few other hikers enjoying the mountains on a crisp, clear morning.

Access is limited, and getting here requires planning. I stayed overnight in Sasayama specifically to reach the site. Only four buses a day pass the trailhead, shuttling a few local residents on the route between Sasayamaguchi and Kaibara, so timing is critical.

Despite the difficulty in reaching it, the summit rewards you with sweeping views over both valleys. I was lucky to get such great weather this morning to see both Kuroi Castle and Yakami Castle.

At the foot of the castle lies Eirinji, a notable temple constructed within the lower baileys of the former castle. The stonework surrounding the temple is not original to the castle, but rather part of the temple complex. Around the side of Eirinji, you can find the original castle well and a visible tatebori (vertical trench) climbing toward a detached lookout-style bailey (dejiro).

Okudani Castle / 奥谷城

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 shared a few good hiking tips for next time and I would have known how to better circumvent the landslide area at Yakami Castle.

Yakami Castle / 八上城

The trail up to Yakami Castle is well maintained, with clear signage marking all the major baileys. However, the kyokan area at the base of the mountain deserves more attention. There are multiple baileys and interesting earthworks you can discover by straying from the main path, and scrambling over fallen trees and bamboo. Given the size and importance of this residential compound, a little more signage or maintenance would greatly enhance the experience of this valuable site.

Around the mountaintop baileys, there was once extensive stonework. Some sections have collapsed over time, and much of it is now hidden under thick vegetation. I’ve heard from senpai castle explorers that the stonework used to be much more visible before the surrounding trees were cleared and tall weeds and thick vegetation grew up in their place. They've cut some paths through the weedy areas, but a little more maintenance could dramatically improve the site’s impact. I would happily volunteer a weekend to help!

The Sasayama valley once supported a dense network of satellite castles centered around Yakami Castle. From the mountaintop, you can spot small "islands" scattered across the valley. These are small hills and mountains, most of which once held fortifications. The surrounding region also hosted a wider web of fortresses controlled by Hatano allies. Unfortunately, most of these sites are unmaintained, overgrown, or located on private property. With limited public transportation, they remain difficult to access — but I hope to explore more of them someday.

Yakami Castle had been on my list for many years after a strong recommendation from Shiro Megumi Fan during one of my early visits to the area. Until recently, though, it was somewhat difficult to reach. The main options were cycling 7.5 km from Sasayamaguchi Station, or taking a bus to downtown Sasayama Castle and walking 4 km to the trailhead — not ideal in such a castle-rich area where time is precious. There are a few infrequent local buses that stop closer, but poor scheduling means you’ll end up waiting a long time or walking back anyway.

Since bicycle rentals began at the Sasayama Castle tourist information center, the 4 km ride to the trailhead has become a practical and enjoyable option. This made it possible for me to comfortably visit Yakami Castle, nearby Okudani Castle, Hannyaji Castle, and still swing back for a quick revisit to Sasayama Castle before dark.

As of November 2024, the lower section of the eastern trail is partially closed near the base due to a landslide or washout. After exploring the castle ruins partway down this ridge, I had to retrace my steps back along the same route, but that did give me a new chance to take photos from the top under sunnier conditions than the dark cloudy ones earlier in the morning. You may want to check the signs I ignored at the top of the site or ask if the trails are all clear at the information center.

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