Tama Castle (Mino)
Tamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin overlooking Tama village in Sekiǵahara Township, Fuwa County. Ruins include earthworks such as dorui (earthen ramparts), baileys, and trenches, including a rear "ribbed box" trench, as well as many tatebori (hillside climbing trenches). The fort's layou
History
Tamajō was first constructed in 1332 by Satake Yoshiharu. It was located at a strategic location overlooking Japan's most important trade route where it passed between the provinces of Mino and Ōmi.
In the Sengoku period, Hama Rokubē became castellan. In the mid' 16th century, Takenaka Clan vassal Yamauchi Kuranosuke acted as castellan, making Tamajō a branch castle of Bodaiyamajō. Following the defeat of the Azai Clan by Oda Nobunaga in 1573, Tamajō was abandoned, having lost its function as a border castle.
Unusual for a yamajiro, Tamajō was refortified in the early 20th century, this time by the Sekiǵahara ordinance supply branch of the Nagoya army division who erected barbed wire fencing atop the mountain, the concrete posts of which remain today. A network of magazines was excavated in the northern foot of the mount, at least one of which is officially open to the public.
Field Notes
Tamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin overlooking Tama village in Sekiǵahara Township, Fuwa County. Ruins include earthworks such as dorui (earthen ramparts), baileys, and trenches, including a rear "ribbed box" trench, as well as many tatebori (hillside climbing trenches). The fort's layout is of an expanded main bailey above with sub-baileys and defensive structures ringing it below.
The rear trench complex is this site's highlight - for me. The array of tatebori, one after the other, on the fort's western slope, are also impressive. Piles of stones arond here suggest either some masonry was used, or a large amount of stones were kept around to be used as projectiles. Some features I found did not appear on the map I was using, including a well site.
To reach Tamajō I rented a bicycle from the souvenir shop across from Sekiǵahara Station. I got an electric one so as to cycle on the forest road which leads to the trail to Tamajō. Afterward I went to the Sekiǵahara Limestone Cave, which was full of bats - and even a type of trout (masu) that lives in subterrene streams there.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Tama Castle (Mino) |
| Japanese Name | 美濃玉城 |
| Founder | Satake Yoshiharu |
| Year Founded | 1332 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Tatebori, Unebori, Kuruwa, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Rental bicycles are available opposite Sekiǵahara Station on the Tōkaidō Main Line |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 70 mins |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Sekigahara, Gifu Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.36278, 136.43608 |
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Shiro Rekishi Meguri | |
