Bodaiyama Castle
Bodaiyamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Tarui Township, Fuwa County. It is primarily an earthworks castle but has diverse features such as earthen ramparts, trenches and baileys. Of trenches alone there are several kinds: horikiri (ridge-bisecting trenches), tatebori (trenches climbin
History
In 1558, Takenaka Shigemoto captured territory in Iwade valued at 6,000 kan by deposing the Iwade Clan. To fortifiy his new holdings he constructed Bodaiyamajō, a mountaintop fortress. For three generations the Takenaka Clan occupied the castle, through lords Shigemoto, Shigeharu and Shigekado. In 1600, following the nearby battle of Sekiǵahara, Takenaka Shigekado relocated his main base to the Takenaka-jin'ya on the plain below, and Bodaiyamajō was abandoned.
Field Notes
Bodaiyamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Tarui Township, Fuwa County. It is primarily an earthworks castle but has diverse features such as earthen ramparts, trenches and baileys. Of trenches alone there are several kinds: horikiri (ridge-bisecting trenches), tatebori (trenches climbing the mountainside) and yokobori (lateral trenches).
The trench on the main approach to the castle is spanned by a dobashi (earthen bridge). Karabori (dry moats) form an umadashi (barbican) approach into the main bailey. There is a deep horikiri between the third and outer baileys. Tatebori are found throughout this site, and they are nauseatingly steep and long.
The castle's deguruwa (projecting bailey) has unejōtatebori, a row of tatebori in close configuration, beneath it. These tatebori, of which there are three smaller trenches flanked by a large outer trench on each side of the ridge, begin from a terrace and connect just below with a large horikiri. This stalwart, array of trenches like spokes is one of several highlights of this site in my estimation.
The main bailey has a koshikuruwa (terraced bailey) beneath it in the west. A yokobori runs between the bottom of the earthen walls of the main bailey and the koshikuruwa. The use of yokobori is seen rarely at yamajiro, so it's always nice to see. Two tatebori hem in a series of small pocket baileys climbing like stairs down the mountainside to the west of the koshikuruwa. This is called the 'horse-slipping slope', and was intended to be a major impediment to cavalry charges up the slope. There is a tarmac / asphalt road at the bottom of here; this would definitely be a shortcut up to the castle for those averse to hiking (300m up), but I'm not sure if there's anywhere to park.
Bodaiyamajō has many features and is a top yamajiro in the Tōkai region. I had wanted to visit for several years after first visiting Takenaka-jin'ya, which is the former kyokan (residential compound) paired with the castle, in 2020; despite all that waiting I was not disappointed! By the way, Bodaiji means 'funerary temple' or 'clan temple'. The temple Bodaiji at the foot of the castle-mount was (re-)built by the Takenaka Clan at the start of the Edo period. Some of the buildings are cultural properties. The hike to the castle starts from here and takes up to an hour depending on one's pace.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Bodaiyama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 菩提山城 |
| Alternate Names | Bodaisanjō |
| Founder | Takenaka Shigemoto |
| Year Founded | 1558 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Local Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Tatebori, Yokobori, Karabori, Horikiri, Umadashi, Dobashi, Kuruwa, Dorui, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Hiking course starting at Takenaka-jin'ya, going via Bodaiji (50 min walk or a bus from Tarui Station to Takenaka-jin'ya); 55 min hike from Bodaiji |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 150 mins |
| URL | Castle Website |
| Location | Tarui, Gifu Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.39294, 136.48322 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Yogo | |
