Obata Castle (Tanba)

Obata Castle is not easy to reach by public transportation. Technically, it’s accessible via the Aya Bus from Ayabe Station, but with only four buses per day, timing is difficult. Walking is also impractical, since the site lies about 9.5 km from Ayabe Station. However, because it’s listed among the

History

The early history of Obata Castle is not well documented, but according to the late Edo-period regional chronicle Tanba-shi (『丹波志』), the Hōkabe clan (波々伯部氏) controlled the castle at the time of Akechi Mitsuhide’s conquest of Tanba in 1579.

Field Notes

Obata Castle is not easy to reach by public transportation. Technically, it’s accessible via the Aya Bus from Ayabe Station, but with only four buses per day, timing is difficult. Walking is also impractical, since the site lies about 9.5 km from Ayabe Station. However, because it’s listed among the recommended sites in the Woodland Kyoto tourism guide, I had to make the effort to visit—renting a bicycle from Ayabe Station and stopping at Iden Castle and Iden Miyanokoshi Castle along the way.

I had originally considered visiting another site after Obata, but the combination of a poor-quality rental bike, 20 km of cycling, unusually hot weather, and the long, slippery climb at Iden Castle earlier in the day nearly broke me!

Obata Castle is very well maintained. While I was there, a few volunteers were clearing fallen branches and weeding the paths in for an autumn cleaning. The castle itself is fairly compact—you could walk through it twice and still cover the whole site in under an hour. This modest size makes the infrequent bus service even harder to justify.

The main trail and central enclosure are well maintained, but if you climb over the rear earthen embankment (dorui) and descend into the horikiri, you’ll find a stunning trench. Just a bit farther downslope, there’s also a tatebori (vertical trench) you can view from above. These earthwork features are among the highlights of the site and worth exploring if you’re comfortable going slightly off the maintained trail.

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Gallery

Castle Profile
English Name	Obata Castle (Tanba)
Japanese Name	小畑城
Founder	Hohkabe Clan
Year Founded	Muromachi Period
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Ayabe Station (Sanin Line), Aya Bus (30 mins)
Hours	mountain trails, open any time
Time Required	45 mins
URL	Castle Website
Location	Ayabe, Kyoto
Coordinates	35.34921, 135.1932
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2025
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2024
Admin Visits	November 4, 2024
Friends of JCastle
Woodland Kyoto
Kojodan
Yamajiro Sanka

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