I had long suspected a mountain castle site may exist between the relatively low-lying foothills of Inukaijō, and the much more formidable peaks of Hirasejō. It seemed like there was a nice big vacant plot there. Then I learnt of this site, and it fit right in with those expectations. The site of Go
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History
A map of municipal historic sites indicates a large area as the historic site of what I had presumed to be a small fort, spreading over a valley onto another hilltop beyond the Alps Park, which appears to be on private land. Little information is available on the site, even at the usual castle maniac hang-outs, and so it seems very little ruins remain to be found. I was somewhat confident that I had identified the main area, and figured the site for a fortified look-out or signal tower. Afterwards I had a quick look around the park before it started raining. Another possible site is at the complete other end of the Alps Park, by a famous sakura tree planted by a folkloric hero associated with the cultivation of the Matsumoto Basin. This may be apocryphal as it contradicts the map I found put out by the municipality (several maps put out by the Board of Education care to indicate the site!).
Field Notes
I had long suspected a mountain castle site may exist between the relatively low-lying foothills of Inukaijō, and the much more formidable peaks of Hirasejō. It seemed like there was a nice big vacant plot there. Then I learnt of this site, and it fit right in with those expectations. The site of Goten'yamajō can be found within the Alps Park, which is a sprawling park in the mountains to the north of downtown Matsumoto. Goten'yamajō's remains ought to be found in a wooded, quieter part of the park at its northern edge, near to the Yama-no-Kami-jinja (which is a hokora).
To get to this site I had to go off the main trail and up onto a very densely thicketed ridge. I had to climb along a few fallen trees to pass through the bush. I climbed along and up one which took me over some impassable tangle of flora, and jumped down into a clearer patch. There's that old ninja training coming in handy again. Here I found a flattened but somewhat narrow portion of ridge line as well as some feint indications of terracing beneath - albeit not certain. Below this small peak is a flattened space before the ridge turns up again. The slopes around what I presumed to be the central bailey area looked steep and purposeful enough to have been worked, and this tentative kirigishi was the most convincing part of this site for me.
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| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Chikuma Goten'yama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 筑摩御殿山城 |
| Founder | ??? |
| Year Founded | ??? |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Kita-Matsumoto Station on the Shinonoi Line; 52 minute walk or 8 minute drive to trailhead |
| Hours | 24/7; Free; Park |
| Time Required | 10 minutes |
| Location | Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.26742, 137.95321 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2021 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
