Hachimanpara Jinsho

Hachimanpara-jinsho is a fortified encampment site in Oshimada Township, Nagano Municipality. Hachimanpara-jinsho is the fortified encampment site of Takeda Shingen. It is located on the plain at Kawanakajima. Uesugi Kenshin, meanwhile, encamped at Saijozan on a hill on the others

History

There is lots of information in English about the infamous Kawanakajima campaign, but I may as well clarify that the 'battles of Kawanakajima' refer to a series of conflicts in and around Kawanakajima which took place from 1553 to 1564. The main and most famous battle, for which the war is named, occured at Kawanakajima in early autumn 1561. Thousands of warriors died in that great clash of titans, Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, and many a legend was born.

Field Notes

Hachimanpara-jinsho is a fortified encampment site in Oshimada Township, Nagano Municipality. Hachimanpara-jinsho is the fortified encampment site of Takeda Shingen. It is located on the plain at Kawanakajima. Uesugi Kenshin, meanwhile, encamped at Saijozan on a hill on the otherside of the Chikuma River.

The ruins of fortifications at Hachimanpara include earthworks such as dorui (earthen ramparts) and traces of dry moats. The dorui is not tall or wide, but was supplemented with abbattis. The type of barrier used was called 'sakasa-enju (逆槐)', or inverted pagoda trees. Popular legend says that the buried trees took root and continued to grow upside-down after the battle.

There are various signs, statues and monuments scattered around the shrine at the site today. This is where, it is said, Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin briefly engaged in hand-to-hand combat, with the younger warrior, mounted, swinging his sword down at a seated Shingen who deflected the blows with his gunbai (warfan). Kenshin was then chased away from Shingen by a warrior with a spear.

Note: The Battle of Hachimanpara ('the Plain of Hachiman') is the more specific name given to the fourth battle of Kawanakajima, but 'the battle of Kawanakajima' also usually refers to the fourth and largest clash. Hachimanpara is also sometimes read as 'Hachimanbara' and 'Hachimanhara'.

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Castle Profile
English Name	Hachimanpara Jinsho
Japanese Name	八幡原陣所
Alternate Names	川中島古戦場・武田信玄本陣
Founder	Takeda Shingen
Year Founded	1561
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Artifacts	Karabori, Dorui
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Nagano Station; bus for Matsushiro, get off at Kawanakajima Battlefield
Hours	Park / Shrine is free; museum open 9am-4pm; closed Mondays
Time Required	30+ minutes
URL	Castle Website
Location	Nagano, Nagano Prefecture
Coordinates	36.59082, 138.18699
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2023
Contributor	ART
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
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Shiseki Yawa

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