Tago Castle
Tagojō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Tago Village, Nagano Municipality. Tagojō is a single bailey fort with dorui (earthen ramparts) surrounding it. There are no other clear ruins such as terraces or trenches. The fort bailey is now the site of an altar to Kannon-bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara
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History
Tagojō was the fortified mountain redoubt used by the Tago Clan to protect their residence on the slopes below. The Tago Clan were vassals of the Wakatsuki Clan who in turn served Murakami Yoshikiyo. Subsequently, Tagojō was likely caught up in the Kōetsu Wars, fought chiefly in Shinano between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, along with Wakatsukiyamajō.
The Tago Clan was a branch clan of the Wakatsuki Clan, and, according to clan tradition, descended from Tago Shūta, the third son of Minamoto Yoritaka who founded the Wakatsuki Clan and was a grandson of Minamoto Yoshiie. The Tago controlled Oshida and Tago villages which were on either side of the Wakatsuki Manor.
In 1553, Murakami Yoshikiyo, who the Tago Clan had served, was defeated by Takeda Shingen. Tago Yoshizai then led the clan as loyal followers of Takeda Shingen, though Tagojō may have already been abandoned by this time. The fort is quite small, so perhaps it was used chiefly as a noroshidai (signal tower).
Field Notes
Tagojō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin in Tago Village, Nagano Municipality. Tagojō is a single bailey fort with dorui (earthen ramparts) surrounding it. There are no other clear ruins such as terraces or trenches. The fort bailey is now the site of an altar to Kannon-bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva).
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| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Tago Castle |
| Japanese Name | 多胡城 |
| Alternate Names | 田子城 |
| Founder | Tago Clan |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Dorui, Kuruwa |
| Features | |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Nearest station is Sansai Station on the Kita-Shinano Line; or, rental bicycle from Nagano Station |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 20 minutes |
| Location | Nagano, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36.70072, 138.23047 |
| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2023 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Ranmaru | |
