Kaminoyama Castle

The mock main keep is nothing like the main keep that would have stood here and it's even in the wrong place. The main reason to visit this castle is to see the 4 samurai homes behind it. The museum is a nice local history museum and the top offers nice views of the valley but it is light on castle

History

Kaminoyama Castle is built on a critical highway between Yonezawa and Yamagata. It was a focal point of the skirmishes between the Date in Yonezawa and Mogami of Yamagata. In the Edo Period the Toki clan was stationed here and the castle was well developed. In 1692 when the Toki clan we reassigned the castle was considered to be too extravagant for such a small fiefdom so the castle was dismantled. After the Toki, the Kanamori and then a Matsudaira clan becomes lords of Kaminoyama but the castle was never rebuilt despite many petitions to the bakufu.

Field Notes

The mock main keep is nothing like the main keep that would have stood here and it's even in the wrong place. The main reason to visit this castle is to see the 4 samurai homes behind it. The museum is a nice local history museum and the top offers nice views of the valley but it is light on castle information. You could skip it if you don't have time.

Kaminoyama is also conveniently located between Yamagata and Yonezawa and has some hot springs. I used this as my base for 2 days of castle exploring between Yamagata and Yonezawa. The ruins of the mountaintop castle, Takadate Castle, can also be found on the mountain behind Kaminoyama Castle but I did not have time to visit on this trip.

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Gallery

Main Keep
Main keep and yaguramon gate
Main Keep
Main keep and yaguramon gate
Ruins of a Yaguramon style gate
unknown stonework
Main Keep
Main keep
View from the top
View from the top
Honmaru and Ninomaru
Honmaru and Ninomaru
Site of the Ninomaru moat
Main keep
Sunset
Sunset
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Miwa Residence
Sokabe Residence. Open to the public.
Morimoto Residence
Yamada Residence

Castle Profile
English Name	Kaminoyama Castle
Japanese Name	上山城
Alternate Names	Tsukioka-jo
Founder	Takenaga Yoshitada
Year Founded	1535
Castle Type	Hilltop
Castle Condition	Reconstructed main keep
Historical Period	Edo Period
Main Keep Structure	3 levels, 4 stories
Year Reconstructed	1982 (concrete)
Features	main keep, gates, turrets, samurai homes, stone walls, walls
Visitor Information
Access	Kaminoyama Onsen Station (Oou Honsen), 15 minute walk
Hours	open 9am-4:45pm; closed 12/29-12/31; check the website for other closed days. 410 yen admission
Time Required	30 mins; 60 mins with samurai homes
URL	Castle Website
Location	Kaminoyama, Yamagata Prefecture
Coordinates	38.15786, 140.27592
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	1999
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	1997, 2017
Admin Visits	October 1997; November 2, 2017

Nearby Samurai Homes

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(12 votes)

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