The nature of the lords really reflected those of their castles.
Later History
The ruins of Kasugayama Castle were abandoned for a long time. In 1901, the Kasugayama Shrine was founded at the mid slope of the mountain. Since then, cedar trees were planted to cover the mountain. However, Joetsu City, who owns the ruins, is now cutting them down for visitors to see the enclosures on the mountain clearly. The excavation has just begun to reveal the castle. The ruins have been designated as a National Historic Site since 1935.
The Kasugayama ShrineThe picture of the ruins of Kasugayama Castle about 100 years ago (Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center)The main portion of the castle from the Koguchi entrance at the Back Route
My Impression
When I visited the ruins of Kasugayama Castle, I felt that this castle is more open than other mountain castles such as the Hojo Clan’s. It could be because the castle had few defensive structures like earthen walls and dry moats for its so many enclosures. I think this comes from Kenshin Uesugi’s personality. He always fought outside of the castle and was never besieged. The castle was not actually attacked by enemies at all in Kenshin’s period. I have also been reminded that the nature of the lords really reflected those of their castles.
The guide map of the castle ruins ( from the signboard at the site)Overlooking the enclosures from the Main EnclosureKenshin Uesugi on a horse drawn by the folding screen drawing of the Kawanakajima Battle
How to get There
If you want to visit there by car: It is about 10 minutes away from Joetsu IC on Hokuriku Expressway. The ruins offer several parking lots. Or it takes about 30 minutes walking from Kasugayama Station on the Echigo Tokimeki Railway. From Tokyo to Kasugayama Station: Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen Super Express and transfer at Joetsu-Myoko Station to the Echigo Tokimeki Railway.
The castle ruins which can be seen on the way from Kasugayama Station
Now, you can visit the ruins of Kasugayama Castle easily by car. You can also park at the Kasugayama Shrine located on the mid slope of the mountain and go to the top. However, if you have time, how about walking on the original routes from the foot of the mountain?
The whole view of the ruins of Kasugayama Castle
Around Main Route
For example, you can park at the starting point of the Main Route on the way to the shrine. The route was recently developed for visitors, and is about 3.5km to the top, but gently sloped with a laid-back atmosphere. After a while, you will pass beside the ruins of the guard house on a mound. The route gets a little steep and rough and goes through woods and valleys. You will eventually reach a large enclosure called Kakizaki’s Hall. You are near the main portion, so you will arrive at the top after passing Kagekatsu’s Hall and the Well Enclosure.
Around the Main Route
The entrance of the Main RouteThe Main Route with a laid-back atmosphereThe ruins of the guard houseThe Main Route through a forestKakizaki’s HallThe Well Enclosure
Around Back Route
The alternative is to walk on the Back Route which starts from the Lotus Pond in the Atagoyama Park at the northeast foot of the mountain. You will first enter the ruins of the Kurogane-mon Gate and the Hall for the Lord, which are now surrounded by woods. The route becomes winding and steep before reaching the ruins of the Sengan-mon Gate. The gate was very large and defensive with a deep dry moat inside. You will approach the main portion by climbing the zigzagged route on the Belt Enclosure and the Koguchi Entrance. The entrance is said to once be the front of the castle when it was smaller. The inside of the entrance is Naoe’s Hall on the ridge which is the opposite of Kagekatsu’s Hall in the main portion. This route looks like a mountain castle more than the Main Route.
Around the Back Route
The Lotus Pond in the Atagoyama ParkThe ruins of the Kurogane-mon GateThe ruins of the Hall for the LordThe ruins of the Sengan-mon GateThe deep dry moat inside the Sengan-mon GateThe Koguchi EntranceAround Naoe’s Hall
Around Main Enclosure
The Main Enclosure is on the top of the mountain where you can see a good view of the Kubiki Plain and the Japan Sea. The ruins of the Main Tower is next to the Main Enclosure, where it is said a kind of turret actually stood. Some religious facilities also stood around, and only the Bisyamon-do Hall was restored in recent times. Under the Main Enclosure, a lot of enclosures are on the eastern slope of the mountain, such as the Second Enclosure and Kagetora’s Hall. If you look up the top of the mountain from the mid slope, you can see these enclosures still covering the mountain. The Kasugayama Shrine is nearby, and you will see the statue of Kenshin Uesugi.
Around the Main Enclosure
The Main EnclosureA view from the Main EnclosureThe ruins of the Main TowerThe Bisyamon-do HallThe Second EnclosureLooking up the enclosuresThe statue of Kenshin Uesugi
Other Attractions
You can also visit the Kasugayama Castle Historic Site Square where part of the So-gamae outer earthen walls was restored, Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center where you can learn more about the castle and Kenshin, and the Rinsen-ji Temple where Kenshin studied in his childhood near the ruins.
The Kasugayama Castle Historic Site SquareJoetsu City Buried Cultural Property CenterThe Somon Gate of the Rinsen-ji Temple (licensed by ELK via Wikimedia Commons)
The castle of Kenshin Uesugi, the strongest warlord
Location and History
Kenshin Uesugi, Warlord who respected Justice
Kasugayama Caste was located in Echigo Province (what is now Nigata Prefecture), facing the Japan Sea. The castle is well known for one of its lords, Kenshin Uesugi. Kenshin is said to be the strongest warlord in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. While he fought over 70 battles during his 49-year life, he suffered no obvious defeat.
The location of the castle
The portrait of Kenshin Uesugi, owned by the Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
Kenshin also had very unique perspectives which other warlords never had. He never fought to invade other provinces by himself. He only fought with the help of others who were defeated by another warlord. As a result, he fought with a great warlord, Shingen Takeda 5 times on the south of his province. He also went over the mountains to the Kanto Region facing the Pacific Ocean to fight with the Hojo Clan as many as 17 times. Kenshin was a devout Buddhist, remained single all his life, and prayed for victory at the Bishamon-do Hall several days before his battles. He once escaped from the castle and tried to become a Buddhist priest, but his retainers urged him to go back to the castle until he gave up trying to become a priest.
The statues of Shingen Takeda (on the left) and Kenshin Uesugi (on the right) at the Kawanakajima Battlefield (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The restored Bishamon-do Hall
Despite Kenshin’s strength, he was not able to become a ruler. Every time he withdrew from a province after his win, his enemies got their territories back. He is sometimes criticized by historians. However, many history fans still love him as a warlord who respected justice.
The flag of Kenshin Uesugi (taken by 松波庄九郎 from photoAC)
Castle covered with Enclosures and Buildings.
Kasugayama Castle was built using earthworks on an 189m high mountain beside the Kubiki Plain, the western part of Nigata Pref. It is uncertain when the castle was first built, but Tamekage Nagao, Kenshin’s father, improved the castle. The scale of the castle became larger in Kenshin’s period, and the mountain was covered with uncountable enclosures and buildings.
The old drawing of Kasugayama Castle (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
The castle consisted of three parts at that time. The main portion of the castle was on the top of the mountain with the front facing the plain on the east. It included the Main Enclosure, the Bisyamon-do Hall, a senior vassal Naoe’s Hall, and Halls for Kenshin’s two adopted sons, Kagekatsu and Kagetora. Next, the Main Route went up from the southeast foot of the mountain to the top. It was a long detour around the mountain, passing the guard house and other senior vassals’ halls such as Kakizaki. Lastly, the Back Route also went up from the northeast foot to Naoe’s Hall. It passed through the Kurogane-mon Gate, the Hall for the Lord, the Sengan-mon Gate and the alternate entrance called Koguchi.
The georama of Kasugayama Castle at Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center
The castle might not have had complex defense systems, but it had the network of the branch castles, such as Samegao Castle, to work together when a battle happened.
The network of the branch castles around Kasugayama Castle (Joetsu City Buried Cultural Property Center)
Abandoned at Peaceful Time
After Kenshin died in 1578, an internal battle unfortunately happened in the castle between Kagekatsu and Kagetora. Kagekatsu finally won, but he was transferred to Wakamatsu Castle by the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1598. After that, the Hori Clan governed the castle, building the outer earthen walls called So-gamae to make the castle the largest. However, the clan moved to Fukushima Castle on the plain for convenience of governance in 1607. Kasugayama Castle was abandoned at the same time.
The portrait of Kagekatsu Uesugi, owned by Uesugi Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)The restored outer earthen walls
