Iwamurada Castle (Saku)
Iwamuradajō is a Bakumatsu period hirayamajiro (hill-and-plains castle) ruin in Iwamurada Township, Saku Municipality. When there is a castle site and a jin'ya site with the same name, it's usually the case that a medieval fort preceeded an Edo period jin'ya. However, in the case of Iwamuradajō the
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History
Iwamurada-jin'ya was established in 1703 by Naitō Masatomo, governing a fief in Saku County worth 16,000 koku. In 1858, Naitō Masanobu, then aged 13, was granted the rank of a castle lord. With permission to build a castle obtained, construction began on Iwamuradajō in 1861. Owing to financial constraints, the castle was never fully completed, but a roof-raising ceremony was held in 1864, and so it is thought that most of the main buildings were in place by then.
Field Notes
Iwamuradajō is a Bakumatsu period hirayamajiro (hill-and-plains castle) ruin in Iwamurada Township, Saku Municipality. When there is a castle site and a jin'ya site with the same name, it's usually the case that a medieval fort preceeded an Edo period jin'ya. However, in the case of Iwamuradajō the jin'ya came first, and a castle was erected only later, and then not completely, in the Bakumatsu period.
Only ruins remain of Iwamuradajō, and the site is now a park and temple grounds. Ruins are mostly earthworks and include dorui (earthen ramparts). There is a road climbing up to the plateau and considering there appears to be earthworks remains on either side, it's tempting to conclude that a moat or trench ran here. The fort sits on a plateau, and from the ramparts there is a beautiful view, and Mount Asama can be seen prominently.
A unique-looking storehouse with an overhang was relocated from the castle and existed up until recent years, but is now reported as demolished. The Japanese Wikipedia article (created in 2007) for Iwamurada-jin'ya refers to the storehouse as extant but this is outdated. The storehouse had been left to deteriorate, and was demolished in 2009. This is regrettable.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Iwamurada Castle (Saku) |
| Japanese Name | 佐久岩村田城 |
| Alternate Names | Fujiǵajō (藤ヶ城) |
| Founder | Naitō Masatomo; Naitō Masanobu |
| Year Founded | 1703; 1864 |
| Castle Type | Hilltop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Kuruwa |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Iwamurada Station on the Kōmi Line; 25 min walk |
| Hours | 24/7 free; temple |
| Time Required | 20 mins |
| Location | Saku, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.26818, 138.48243 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Jōkakuzukan | |
| Oshiro no Tatemono Guide | |
