Shizuhara North Castle

The name “Shizuhara Castle” is commonly used to refer to two distinct sites on this mountain: what I call Shizuhara North Castle (at the peak) and Shizuhara South Castle (on a lower rise to the south). It is not a very well known nor well studied castle which is unfortunate because the ruins are abs

History

Shizuhara North Castle was most likely constructed between 1469 and 1485 by the Yamamoto clan, who were the largest allies of the Ashikaga Shogun in the Iwakura area north of Kyoto (近畿の城郭 V). Some also call this a tsume-no-shiro (mountain redoubt) for Ogurayama Castle. This area had many small landholders with fortified manors or small castles allied with the Ashikaga. Some sources attribute the castle's construction to Miyoshi Nagayoshi, but it's more likely that an earlier Yamamoto stronghold was further fortified during Miyoshi’s consolidation of power in the Kyoto region around 1555. During this period, the Yamamoto clan acted as castellan under Miyoshi authority with their main castle at Ogurayama.

In 1573, as tensions escalated between Oda Nobunaga and Ashikaga Yoshiaki, Yamamoto Sanehisa took refuge in Shizuhara Castle in July, resisting Nobunaga’s forces. Later that year, Akechi Mitsuhide attacked and captured the site in October, after which it was likely abandoned. For more on the later developments in Shizuhara Village area, see Shizuhara South Castle.

Field Notes

The name “Shizuhara Castle” is commonly used to refer to two distinct sites on this mountain: what I call Shizuhara North Castle (at the peak) and Shizuhara South Castle (on a lower rise to the south). It is not a very well known nor well studied castle which is unfortunate because the ruins are absolutely worth visiting. This is a situation where trekking out to these sites, observing the land and castle structures with your own eyes and making your own theories is critical. Most references lump them together as one complex, but I believe this obscures their distinct histories and layouts. The Kyoto Castle Survey treats them as the “North Bailey Grouping” and “South Bailey Grouping” within a single entry. However, Jōkaku Hōrōki clearly distinguishes the two, and Google Maps labels the north site as Shirotaniyama Shizuhara Castle. Based on my observations, I think it is appropriate to treat them as separate castles.

Shizuhara North Castle is located at the mountain summit and consists of terraced baileys along three ridgelines. There is minimal stonework: a possible gate foundation in the main bailey and one side bailey with stones that may have served as a retaining wall rather than fortifications. In contrast, the South Castle, which lies farther away than one might expect from maps, features extensive stonework, tatebori (vertical moats), and a prominent horikiri trench isolating it from the upper ridge — evidence of a later, more advanced fortification.

The trail begins to the left of Shizuhara Shrine and climbs steeply to the summit, reaching Shizuhara North Castle in about 45 minutes. While the path can be steep and is not well marked, it is generally clear and manageable without risk of getting lost.

See Shizuhara South Castle for more details.

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Castle Profile
English Name	Shizuhara North Castle
Japanese Name	静原城（北城）
Founder	Yamamoto Clan
Year Founded	1469-1485
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	trenches
Visitor Information
Access	Ichihara Station (Eiden Line), bus to Shizuhara
Hours	Mountain trails, open any time
Time Required	120 mins
Hiking Trail	View on Yamap
Location	Kyoto, Kyoto
Coordinates	35.11851, 135.78801
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2025
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2025
Admin Visits	January 5, 2025
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