Sanadayama Castle
Sanadayamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) in Mori Township, Shūchi County. Ruins include dorui (earthen ramparts), horikiri (trenches) and what looks like a yokobori (lateral trench) beneath the main bailey. The layout is a of a main bailey complex at the peak, with terraced ridges below and a
History
By tradition, Sanadayamajō was built by the Mutō Clan in the Kamakura period, but the details are unclear. The ruins seen today likely date to around 1572 when Takeda Shingen, to whom the Mutō Clan switched their allegiance to from the Imagawa Clan, invaded the area. Sanadayamajō may be considered a Takeda fort. It was likely abandoned in 1581 with the death of its last lord, Mutō Ujisada, at Takatenjin'yamajō. Ujisada had a son, Magozaemon, who reverted to farming in Suruga whilst the Takeda Clan was obliterated in Kai.
Field Notes
Sanadayamajō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) in Mori Township, Shūchi County. Ruins include dorui (earthen ramparts), horikiri (trenches) and what looks like a yokobori (lateral trench) beneath the main bailey. The layout is a of a main bailey complex at the peak, with terraced ridges below and a horikiri to the rear. The main bailey hosts a circle of Buddhist statuettes in a perpetual meeting.
The path up to this ruin has moved in recent years, as has a signboard for the castle. There used to be a footbridge over the Ichinomiya River near to a tea shop with a giant teapot outside, but it was washed away in a typhoon. I found another bridge - more of a plank - by taking a riverside path to the south of the castle-mount. The trail is not long, but is fun; there are more rickety bridges over creeks. It is not clear whether the trails are still maintained, but I got up okay despite discouragement from the lady at the tea shop.
Note: Though some sources refer to this site as 'Sanadajō', there appears to be no relation to the Sanada Clan of Shinano.
Gallery
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Sanadayama Castle |
| Japanese Name | 真田山城 |
| Founder | Mutō Clan |
| Year Founded | c.1572 |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Local Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Horikiri, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Enden Station on the Tenryū-Hamanako Railway; 30 min walk to trailhead. |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 30 mins |
| Location | Mori, Shizuoka Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 34.83713, 137.89953 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Yogo | |
