Hourinji Castle

From Jcastle.info

Hōrinjijō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin between the townships of Hōrinji and Yamaguchi in Motosu Municipality. Ruins consist of earthworks such as baileys and trenches. This single bailey complex has terraced sub-baileys along each ridge leading to the flattened peak. The main bailey has s

Hourinjijou001.jpg

History

Hōrinjijō is obscure in the historical record. For more information see Ikoyamajō...


Field Notes

Hōrinjijō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin between the townships of Hōrinji and Yamaguchi in Motosu Municipality. Ruins consist of earthworks such as baileys and trenches. This single bailey complex has terraced sub-baileys along each ridge leading to the flattened peak. The main bailey has slight terracing to the fore and aft. To the rear are the remains of a horikiri (trench) hidden in the ferns. Along the main hiking route, en route to Yamaguchijō, the ridge has been terraced into at least three platforms, and these terraces further feature horikiri spanned by dobashi (earthen bridges). The highlight for me was seeing these horikiri with dobashi between the terraces in the lower castle area.




Gallery
  • Castle Layout
  • Chute trench
  • Trench
  • Stone-piled retaining wall
  • Trench
  • Terraced bailey from above
  • Trench in profile
  • Dobashi (earthen bridge)


Castle Profile
English Name Hourinji Castle
Japanese Name 法林寺城
Founder Unknown
Year Founded Sengoku Period
Castle Type Mountaintop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Artifacts Horikiri, Dobashi, Koshikuruwa, &c.
Features trenches
Visitor Information
Access Oribe or Motosu stations on the Tarumi Railway. Hike from Ikoyamajō or Yamaguchijō.
Hours 24/7 free; mountain
Time Required 45 mins
Location Motosu, Gifu Prefecture
Coordinates 35.51114, 136.67989
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2025
Contributor ART
Admin Year Visited Viewer Contributed
Friends of JCastle
Jōkaku Hōrōki
Kyūtarō no Sengoku Shiro Meguri
Yogo


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