Takiyama Castle (Settsu)

Takiyama Castle sits high on the mountain above Shin-Kobe Station. Finding the path can be a little tricky. You need to go through a dark underpass beneath the train tracks to the opposite side, where you’ll soon see trail signs for hikers along the roadside. There are several mountain trails in thi

History

The earliest reference to Takiyama Castle dates to 1333, during the wars to restore Emperor Go-Daigo, when it served as a fortress of Akamatsu Norimura. After the wars, the castle remained under Akamatsu control. It endured multiple sieges by Southern Court forces but was reputedly impregnable. As the region stabilized, it likely lost importance or was abandoned. By the early Sengoku period, Takiyama had become part of the Miyoshi sphere of influence.

In 1553, Miyoshi Nagayoshi appointed his chief general Matsunaga Hisahide as castellan of Takiyama Castle and governor of lower Settsu. Rising high above the port of Kobe, Takiyama commanded key trade routes and became Hisahide’s first power base. He undertook extensive reconstruction with double horikiri (二重堀切) and extensive early stonework, transforming it into a modern mountaintop fortress. The castle was not only a military stronghold but also an administrative and residential center, showing the beginnings of Hisahide’s castle architecture sensibilities that would later shine at Shigisan Castle and Tamon Castle. He hosted Nagayoshi for renga (連歌) poetry gatherings, Noh performances, and other cultural events—an early fusion of martial and artistic ambition he would also cultivate late in Yamato.

While nominally Hisahide’s personal stronghold, he did not reside there continuously. His main residence was first at Nagayoshi’s Akutagawasan Castle and later at Shigisan Castle and Tamon Castle after becoming governor of Yamato Province. At Takiyama, daily administration and defense were handled by a select corps of retainers known as the Takiyama-shū (滝山衆).

After Nagayoshi’s death in 1564, tensions between Hisahide and the Miyoshi Triumvirate (三好三人衆)—Nagayasu, Masayasu, and Iwanari Tomomichi—erupted into open conflict. In 1566, the Triumvirate launched a major assault on Takiyama Castle. Despite fierce resistance from the Takiyama-shū, the castle was eventually overwhelmed and captured.

Following Hisahide’s fall, Takiyama Castle came under the control of Araki Murashige, one of Oda Nobunaga’s generals in Settsu. When Murashige rebelled in 1578, the Oda army retook the castle, after which it was abandoned. It is said that stonework and some structures may have been relocated to Hanakuma Castle or Hyogo Castle.

Field Notes

Takiyama Castle sits high on the mountain above Shin-Kobe Station. Finding the path can be a little tricky. You need to go through a dark underpass beneath the train tracks to the opposite side, where you’ll soon see trail signs for hikers along the roadside. There are several mountain trails in this area above Kobe, but for Takiyama Castle, keep following this road until you see the sign and stone stairs shown in the second photo. Follow the stairs up to the left, and you’ll find a well-marked trail leading all the way to the top. Some sections are washed out, but the path is generally in good condition; hiking shoes are recommended.

This was a really exciting yamajiro that I knew little about before visiting. I had been reading about Matsunaga Hisahide and wanted to see his first castle in person. It did not disappoint. Along the climb, you’ll pass several flattened terraces that once served as baileys or checkpoints. As you approach the summit, the narrow trail runs alongside eastern baileys a ridge high above you. Look up the slopes and you can spot stones from old walls that may have been left behind or slid down the slope. Much of the original stonework was carried off for reuse at Hanakuma Castle or Hyogo Castle.

At the top, the trail passes through a large horikiri (defensive trench) separating the eastern and main baileys. Look closely along the sides and you’ll find traces of remaining stonework here too. The most impressive feature by far is the giant double horikiri at the rear of the castle — the scale is enormous, and my photo below is a stitched panorama to capture the full view.

For an early September visit, the vegetation wasn’t too bad, but the site was definitely a haven for the big black and yellow joro spiders!

Loading map...

Gallery

Castle Profile
English Name	Takiyama Castle (Settsu)
Japanese Name	滝山城, 瀧山城
Founder	Akamatsu Norimura; later rebuilt by Matsunaga Hisahide
Year Founded	1333; 1553
Castle Type	Mountaintop
Castle Condition	Ruins only
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	trenches, stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	Shi Kobe Station, 5 min walk to trailhead
Hours	Well maintained mountain trails
Time Required	120 mins
Hiking Trail	View on Yamap
Location	Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture
Coordinates	34.70917, 135.18809
Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"auto","height":"200px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"Castlemarker.png","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":6,"defzoom":14,"layers":["CartoDB.Positron"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":34.70917,"lon":135.18809,"icon":"../images/1/1e/Castlemarker.png"}],"imageoverlays":null}
Admin
Added to Jcastle	2025
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	2025
Admin Visits	September 19, 2025
Friends of JCastle
Kojodan
Jokaku Horoki
Shirobito

0.00

(0 votes)

Loading comments...