10 Kyoto Castles Update May 2025

This update brings 10 new castles from across Kyoto Prefecture, all loosely tied to the Tanba Campaigns and eventually falling to Akechi Mitsuhide during his push through the region. Kyoto isn’t often thought of as a top destination for castl'ing, but the city, its suburbs, and the outer edges of th

10 Kyoto Castles Update May 2025

2025-05-16

This update brings 10 new castles from across Kyoto Prefecture, all loosely tied to the Tanba Campaigns and eventually falling to Akechi Mitsuhide during his push through the region. Kyoto isn’t often thought of as a top destination for castl'ing, but the city, its suburbs, and the outer edges of the prefecture are full of hidden fortresses and overlooked sites that tell the story of Japan’s power struggles and shifting alliances in the late 1400s through the 1500s.

This update also adds four profiles (Shiogai Castle, Higashi Goma Castle, Obata Castle (Tanba), and Onigajo Castle) from the list of recommended castles from the Woodland Kyoto campaign. While these are sometimes difficult to access they are all well preserved and have features worth visiting.

Goma Nakamura Castle / 胡麻中村城

This site is probably not worth the trouble to visit. It is cataloged in the Kyoto Prefectural Castle survey, but it does not seem to have ever been maintained. There is a gate through the fence at the foot of the mountain, but to find it you first have to wade through shoulder high grasses and weeds between other fields, and then pass through a small stand of trees that obscure the fence and gate from the roadside. The gate lock was so full of spider webs and bugs, I don't think anyone had passed through in a long time. There is no trail, so you work your way straight up to the top of the ridge while dodging spider webs and overhanging branches enough that you cannot stand up straight most of the way. At the top, you can more or less make out some flattened areas and possibly the horikiri on the other side. You can also refer to my Yamap trail for more details how to get there and the location in relation to nearby castles.

Higashi Goma Castle / 東胡麻城

The most common approach to this castle seems to be to hike from Shiogai Castle, but you could equally start from this side, and it might be easier to find the entrance. The last photo below shows it clearly. From here, you can easily hike around the horseshoe shaped mountain to Shiogai Castle. You can also refer to my Yamap trail for more details of this course including both these castles, Noge Yakata and the Goma Nakamura Castle. I got interested in these sites from the Mori-no-Kyoto (Woodland Kyoto) booth at the Osaka Castle Festival last summer and made it my first visit of the autumn castle season. The site is well maintained by local volunteers with many small handmade signs pointing out key features. The volunteers also do occasional tours of these sites.

Iden Castle / 位田城

The structural layout (nawabarizu) of Iden Castle in the Kyoto Prefectural Castle Survey immediately caught my attention, and since it’s on the way to Obata Castle, I figured it would make for a worthwhile bonus stop.

I’ve climbed some tough castle ruins before, but this one nearly broke me. The trail starts out well enough, but it quickly fades into a steep, overgrown mess from the "Jin'ya" bailey. It seems the path may have been maintained at some point, but that effort has long since lapsed. When trees are cleared and the shade disappears, weeds tend to take over the forest floor—obscuring not only the castle remains but also the trail itself. I could find no unejo tatebori and only 2 horikiri lower on the slope.

After "jin'ya" which is quite near the base, the trail ascends nearly 200 meters in elevation—and becomes almost impossible to follow. In the steeper sections, old ropes tied between trees were the only indication of where the path might be. I spent much of the climb clutching a rope with one hand (sometimes both) just to know where I was going through the weeds and and also using my trekking pole for balance on the slippery, steep slope.

By the time I reached the upper enclosure, I was exhausted and covered in dirt and spider webs wet from the morning dew clinging to the nearly shoulder high weeds that I had essentially “swum” through. I quickly gave up on reaching the lower peak, there were no ropes or clear trail in that direction, just another steep descent into an overgrown slope. On my way back down, I encountered another castle explorer who had turned back long before reaching the summit.

Despite the struggle, it wasn’t a total loss. At the peak, I was rewarded with a fading sea of clouds stretching across the valley below.

For a sizable castle, it's actually difficult to find much good information about this castle. I've relied on the Kyoto Prefecture Castle Survey and 近畿の名城 I and some history of the Iden area to put this together. Many other blogs and posts have somewhat incomplete or conflicting stories and there is a common error among them that says it was conquered by Akechi Mitsuhide in 1572, which is very unlikely. I would like to know the original source of that one! Tanba campaigns did not start until 1575, after Oda had solidified some control over Kyoto by defeating the Asakura/Azai and expelling Ashikaga Yoshiaki from Kyoto in 1573. Until then Oda was more occupied with Kyoto and Mitsuhide was still a rising star who was yet to take any other castles between Kyoto and Iden Castle.

https://www.kyoto-be.ne.jp/bunkazai/cms/?page_id=1521

Map Courtesy of Kyoto Pref. Board of Education.
Not to be used without permission.

Iden Miyanokoshi Castle / 位田宮越城

Access is very easy compared to Iden Castle. I cycled right into the middle of the central enclosure which now houses the Ujimasa Shrine. The layout is much more open, making it easier to appreciate the structure even with some overgrowth. Three large squarish baileys are surrounded by some smaller koshiguruwa type baileys and earthworks. The northern area facing Iden Castle seems to fade into some fields. Earthen embankments may have been cut through or reduced to provide access to fields too.

Map Courtesy of Kyoto Pref. Board of Education.
Not to be used without permission.

Noge Yakata / 野化館

I did not expect much before going to this site but was really impressed by two huge horikiri trenches. The trail from the roadside first takes you up to the main trench which separates the residence from the mountain side. The residence side also has a high embankment making the trench seem even taller/deeper. Ringing the main bailey you will find well preserved embankments and the opposite end from the entrance is another huge horikiri trench. Unfortunately this side is not maintained and heavily weeded/wooded over so it took some work to get down inside the trench and back out again. The bailey on the opposite side is completely weeded over. The site was cleaned up, trail created and markers added in 2017. It still seems to be somewhat maintained but is also slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Obata Castle (Tanba) / 小畑城

Obata Castle is not easy to reach by public transportation. Technically, it’s accessible via the Aya Bus from Ayabe Station, but with only four buses per day, timing is difficult. Walking is also impractical, since the site lies about 9.5 km from Ayabe Station. However, because it’s listed among the recommended sites in the Woodland Kyoto tourism guide, I had to make the effort to visit—renting a bicycle from Ayabe Station and stopping at Iden Castle and Iden Miyanokoshi Castle along the way.

I had originally considered visiting another site after Obata, but the combination of a poor-quality rental bike, 20 km of cycling, unusually hot weather, and the long, slippery climb at Iden Castle earlier in the day nearly broke me!

Obata Castle is very well maintained. While I was there, a few volunteers were clearing fallen branches and weeding the paths in for an autumn cleaning. The castle itself is fairly compact—you could walk through it twice and still cover the whole site in under an hour. This modest size makes the infrequent bus service even harder to justify.

The main trail and central enclosure are well maintained, but if you climb over the rear earthen embankment (dorui) and descend into the horikiri, you’ll find a stunning trench. Just a bit farther downslope, there’s also a tatebori (vertical trench) you can view from above. These earthwork features are among the highlights of the site and worth exploring if you’re comfortable going slightly off the maintained trail.

Onigajo Castle / 鬼ヶ城

While older maps (like this one from the Kyoto Castle Survey) indicate ruins primarily around the mountain’s summit and main enclosure, a newer map in 明智光秀の城郭と合戦 reveals additional ruins along the trail. Notably, there are two distinct koguchi (gate entrances) along the path, each accompanied by dorui (earthen embankments). The nearer koguchi features some remaining stonework. Just before reaching the first koguchi, hikers will encounter a series of terraced kuruwa (baileys) too.

This is a long steep hike, but the trail is clear and well marked making it a good trek. The trailhead begins at Kannonji Temple and diverges from a popular hiking route leading to Mt. Chōgatake, which may have hosted another satellite fortification. Originally, I planned to explore this area as well; however, despite the clear morning weather, afternoon rain clouds prompted a change in plans.

Access to Onigajō via public transportation is limited. The nearest option is a 5 km uphill walk from Gujo Station. I started here but treated myself to a taxi ride to reach the trailhead since it was my birthday. Despite providing detailed directions, the driver attempted to take me to a forestry road leading to an alternate trail he recalled from his school days, which would supposedly end up much closer to the summit than Kannonji Temple. Unfortunately, this trail appears to no longer exist, or the forestry road is inaccessible. The driver felt bad about the inconvenience and kindly offered a complimentary return ride to Fukuchiyama Station after my hike. Given the changing afternoon weather conditions, I very much appreciated the gesture.

History clarification: Some blog sources inaccurately state that Onigajō fell to Akechi Mitsuhide in 1575. However, Mitsuhide’s initial campaign in Tanba began in 1575 but did not reach Fukuchiyama until the second campaign in 1578–1579. Therefore, the fall of Onigajō is more accurately dated to 1579.

Map Courtesy of Kyoto Pref. Board of Education.
Not to be used without permission.

Shiogai Castle / 塩貝城

There are a couple trails into the castle site. I had a little trouble finding the one I was looking for that starts near the grave or memorial marker for the defeat by Akechi Mitsuhide's forces. I found the marker on the other side of a fence but had to go back and forth a bit to find the entrance through the fence. I ended up crawling under a loose area only to find an actual gate just a few meters away! From this grave marker the trail is very clear with several signs pointing the way. From here you can easily hike around the horseshoe shaped mountain to Higashi Goma Castle. You can also refer to my Yamap trail for more details of this course including both these castles Noge Yakata and the Goma Nakamura Castle. I got interested in this site from the Mori-no-Kyoto booth at the Osaka Castle Festival (2024). The site is well maintained by local volunteers who also do occasional tours of these sites.

Shizuhara North Castle / 静原城（北城）

The name “Shizuhara Castle” is commonly used to refer to two distinct sites on this mountain: what I call Shizuhara North Castle (at the peak) and Shizuhara South Castle (on a lower rise to the south). It is not a very well known nor well studied castle which is unfortunate because the ruins are absolutely worth visiting. This is a situation where trekking out to these sites, observing the land and castle structures with your own eyes and making your own theories is critical. Most references lump them together as one complex, but I believe this obscures their distinct histories and layouts. The Kyoto Castle Survey treats them as the “North Bailey Grouping” and “South Bailey Grouping” within a single entry. However, Jōkaku Hōrōki clearly distinguishes the two, and Google Maps labels the north site as Shirotaniyama Shizuhara Castle. Based on my observations, I think it is appropriate to treat them as separate castles.

Shizuhara North Castle is located at the mountain summit and consists of terraced baileys along three ridgelines. There is minimal stonework: a possible gate foundation in the main bailey and one side bailey with stones that may have served as a retaining wall rather than fortifications. In contrast, the South Castle, which lies farther away than one might expect from maps, features extensive stonework, tatebori (vertical moats), and a prominent horikiri trench isolating it from the upper ridge — evidence of a later, more advanced fortification.

The trail begins to the left of Shizuhara Shrine and climbs steeply to the summit, reaching Shizuhara North Castle in about 45 minutes. While the path can be steep and is not well marked, it is generally clear and manageable without risk of getting lost.

See Shizuhara South Castle for more details.

Shizuhara South Castle / 静原城（南城）

The name “Shizuhara Castle” is commonly used to refer to two distinct sites on this mountain: what I call Shizuhara North Castle (at the peak) and Shizuhara South Castle (on a lower rise to the south). It is not a very well known nor well studied castle which is unfortunate because the ruins are absolutely worth visiting. This is a situation where trekking out to these sites, observing the land and castle structures with your own eyes and making your own theories is critical. Most references lump them together as one complex, but I believe this obscures their distinct histories and layouts. The Kyoto Castle Survey treats them as the “North Bailey Grouping” and “South Bailey Grouping” within a single entry. However, Jōkaku Hōrōki clearly distinguishes the two, and Google Maps labels the north site as Shirotaniyama Shizuhara Castle. Based on my observations, I think it is appropriate to treat them as separate castles.

Shizuhara North Castle is located at the mountain summit and consists of terraced baileys along three ridgelines. There is minimal stonework: a possible gate foundation in the main bailey and one side bailey with stones that may have served as a retaining wall rather than fortifications. In contrast, the South Castle, which lies farther away than one might expect from maps, features extensive stonework, tatebori (vertical moats), and a prominent horikiri trench isolating it from the upper ridge — evidence of a later, more advanced fortification.

To reach the South Castle directly, you can climb the ridge from the base near Shizuhara village, but there is no marked trail. Even descending this way requires some navigation, and the path can be difficult to identify. If you’re already visiting the North Castle anyway, I would recommend to descend the eastern ridge to reach the South Castle.

Be advised: while the trail up to the North Castle is relatively clean and manageable, the descent toward the South Castle is overgrown, poorly marked, and scattered with fallen trees. You’ll need to scramble over or around these obstacles and watch the trees for ribbons indicating the path. That said, the South Castle’s ruins — with stone walls, vertical moats (tatebori), and a massive horikiri trench — make the effort worthwhile and it is much more interesting than the North Castle. You can also refer to my Yamap Trail log for navigation support.

See Shizuhara North Castle for more details.

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