Castles of Nara
Takatori Castle
History of Takatori Castle
Takatori Castle was built in 1332 by Ochi Kunizumi, a member of a powerful family belonging to the Southern Court, as a branch castle of Kaibukiyama Castle. At first, it was a small castle with a simple moat and earthen mound, a type of castle typically seen in medieval Japan. Later, however, it was substantially remodeled by Honda Toshihisa, a vassal of Toyotomi Hidenaga, and others, and was reborn as an early modern castle. With a relative elevation of 390 meters (difference in height from the foot of the mountain to the main enclosure), it is the highest of its kind in Japan, and is one of the three great mountain castles in Japan, along with Bitchu Matsuyama Castle in Okayama and Mino Iwamura Castle in Gifu. The castle’s perimeter is estimated to be about 30 kilometers, and the perimeter of the bailey (inside the stone walls) about 20 kilometers, which is equivalent to the size of Himeji Castle.
Takatori Castle was temporarily abandoned in 1580 at the order of Oda Nobunaga, but was restored by Tsutsui Junkei after Nobunaga’s death. After the reign of Honda Toshihisa, the castle was occupied by Uemura Iemasa in 1640, and continued to be the residence of the Uemura family until the end of the Edo period. The castle was abandoned in 1873, and although there are no surviving buildings today, the 10-meter high stonewalls and other remains have not been intentionally destroyed and remain in almost perfect condition. For this reason, the site was designated as a National Historic Site in 1953 (designated name: Site of Takatori Castle) because of its importance as a site providing valuable insights into castles from the time. In 2006, it was selected as one of the Top 100 Japanese Castles by the Japan Castle Foundation.
Takatori Castle: Timeline of Key Events
- 1332
- Ochi Kunizumi builds Takatori Castle
- 1580
- Castle is abandoned at the order of Oda Nobunaga
- 1584
- Castle is restored by Tsutsui Junkei
- 1589
- Honda Toshihisa undertakes extensive renovation work on the castle
- 1640
- Uemura Iemasa enters the castle
- 1873
- The castle is abandoned
- 1953
- Designated as a National Historic Site
- 2006
- Selected as one of the Top 100 Japanese Castles
Takatori Castle Trivia
White castle walls like Himeji Castle
Takatori Castle had 29 white plastered towers and turrets. The view of the castle from the castle town, known as Fuyo Castle (fuyo means cotton rose hibiscus) features in an old poem, which reads: Looking southeast to Takatori,
I saw the castle of Tosa
Covered in snow,
Or so I thought
(Tosa is the old name of Takatori)
Today, we can only imagine what the castle must have looked like, but it is believed to have been a series of white buildings like Himeji Castle. Perhaps it would be easier to imagine it as a Himeji Castle set in the mountains.
A difficult castle to climb
Takatori Castle was a notoriously difficult castle to climb, given that the path to the castle’s main enclosure included a series of bends called the “seven bends” and a slope which was so steep that it was said that anyone who could carry a heavy load up the slope would be given 1.5 kg of rice. For this reason, during the Uemura family’s occupancy of the castle, the castle lord’s residence was moved from the second enclosure to the Shimoyashiki (second villa) further down, and the lord ascended to the top of the mountain in a palanquin only on New Year’s Day and other special occasions.
Highlights of Takatori Castle
Spectacular views
From a spot called Nanatsuido, you can look up at the towering stonewalls of the main and second enclosures, which are a sight to behold. Here, you can get a sense of the grandeur of Takatori Castle’s high stone walls. Also, from the site of the Kunimi Turret, on a clear day, you can see not only the city of Osaka, but also the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and Kyoto Tower in the distance, providing a spectacular view that only a castle with the highest relative elevation in Japan can offer.
Stone wall built with repurposed rocks from an ancient burial mound
Many rocks from burial mounds in the Asuka and Takatori areas were repurposed for use in the stone walls of Takatori Castle. A survey of these rocks has revealed that they are from the Asuka period (592-710). Some of the rocks are coated with plaster. You may find it interesting to look for them at the site, as they are used for corner stones in the wall.
What Does Takatori Castle Mean to the Local Community?
Symbol of the community along with the castle town
The Takatori Castle Festival is held every November, which includes such attractions as a demonstration of matchlock guns and a historical procession. In March each year, the Machiya no Hina Meguri attracts many visitors to the town, where households around Tosa Kaido Highway display their family dolls in front of their houses. In this way, Takatori Castle, together with the castle town, has become a symbol and a source of pride for the local community.
In recent years, Takatori Castle has been selected as one of the Top 100 Japanese Castles, and many people, including visitors from overseas, come here to hike, making Takatori Castle a hub for cultural exchange.
Events Related to Takatori Castle
Events related to Takatori Castle include the abovementioned Takatori Castle Festival and the Machiya no Hina Meguri. In addition, as indicated by the fact that rocks from burial mounds were used for stone walls, there are many burial mounds in the vicinity of Takatori Castle, including the Ichio- Hakayama Kofun and Miyatsuka Kofun, the Yoraku Kofun Group, and the Tsukamyojin Kofun. The Hakayama Kofun Light Festival and the Doronko Festival are held every July at the Ichio-Hakayama Kofun. The Yoraku Kofun Group is undergoing development toward the creation of a burial mound park, including the opening of the stone chambers. The Tsukamyojin Kofun, discovered at Kasuga-jinja Shrine in Sada, Takatori Town, is a burial mound with a stone chamber piled up with blocks of volcanic tuff. The individual interred in this tomb is most likely Prince Kusakabe, who was born in the late 7th century to Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jito. The burial mound has been backfilled, and a model of the stone burial chamber is on display at Liberte Hall in Takatori Town.
