Kongouji Castle (Murakami Clan Fort Network)
Murakami-Kongōjiō, or Kongōjijōdai-yashiki, was a large fortified manor hall used by the Murakami Clan in Sumiyoshi Valley. It and the surrounding area have been called the "Ichijōdani of Shinshū" due to the historical importance of the manor house and surrounding village, fortified from surrounding
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History
See Murakami Katsurao Castle for more background information on the Murakami Clan.
Field Notes
Murakami-Kongōjiō, or Kongōjijōdai-yashiki, was a large fortified manor hall used by the Murakami Clan in Sumiyoshi Valley. It and the surrounding area have been called the "Ichijōdani of Shinshū" due to the historical importance of the manor house and surrounding village, fortified from surrounding mountain peaks. However, there is very little left to see today of the complex. Some dorui (earthen ramparts) segments remain, most prominently to the south, with a possible section to the north. The largest segment to survive into modern times functioned as an outer town wall and was over 2m high, but it was destroyed in the 1950s or 1960s to make way for a farmer's orchard. It's strange that this wall could last so long only to be casually swept aside relatively recently, but I suppose that some farmer or other had got his hands on some new machinery and, long oppressed by the presence of an inconvenient earthen wall dividing his land, removed it as soon as he was able. If only he had known he was destroying the last significant remains of the "Ichijōdani of Shinshū" there's a chance he may have refrained from doing so perhaps. Sign boards are erected throughout the modern village to describe parts of the historic townscape.
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| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Kongouji Castle (Murakami Clan Fort Network) |
| Japanese Name | 村上金剛寺城 |
| Alternate Names | 金剛寺城代屋敷 |
| Founder | Murakami Clan |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Flatland |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Hori |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Ueda Sation on the Shinano Railway; bus to Kamishina; 20 minute walk to Sumiyoshi |
| Hours | 24/7 free; fields |
| Time Required | 40 minutes |
| Location | Ueda, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.41778, 138.28464 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2022 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Ranmaru | |
