Kofu castle – ページ 2 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

127.Shinpu Castle Part1

The mysterious Takeda’s last castle

Location and History

Katsuyori Takeda moved from Kofu to Simpu

Shinpu Castle was located in what is now Nirasaki City, the northwest part of Yamanashi Prefecture which was called Kai Province. The province was owned by the Takeda Clan for a long time until the late 16th Century and their home base had been located in the Takeda Clan Hall in Kofu, the center of the province. Katsuyori Takeda, the last lord of the clan decided to move his home base to Shinpu Castle in 1581. He moved to the castle within the year.

The location of the castle

The Portrait of Katsuyori Takeda, ownd by Koyasan Jimyoin (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The move was done for several reasons. First, Takeda’s territory expanded to the west such as Shinano Province (now Nagano Pref.), in order to make Shinpu Castle the center of their territory. Secondly, the large territory made Takeda’s vassals so many that the Takeda Clan Hall and Kofu were too narrow and small for them. Lastly, Katsuyori was threatened by Nobunaga Oda and Ieyasu Tokugawa from the west, after several defeated battles with them such as those of Nagashino Castle and Takatenjin Castle. Katsuyori needed to prepare a stronger castle for a possible invasion from them.

The location of Shinpu Castle and the range of Shinano Provence (on the left) and Kai Province (on the right)

Final version of Takeda Clan’s Method for building Castles

Shinpu Castle was built on a mountain on a long cliff wall called Shichiri-Iwa, which means about 28km long rock, along the Kamanashigawa River on the westerly direction. The eastern side of the castle was also a steep cliff of the mountain. The southern part of the castle had the Main Gate with the large Umadashi which was Takeda’s characteristic defense system. The northern part had this castle’s unique defense system called Degamae with water moats. The back entrance had doubled gates with a square space inside called Masugata. The Main Enclosure, the Second Enclosure, and the Third Enclosure were placed on several tiers to protect the castle. Katsuyori’s Main Hall was built in the Main Enclosure on the top. Overall, the castle could be very defensive even though it was all made of soil.

The relief map around the castle

The imaginary drawing of Shinpu Castle (from the signboard at the site)

However, Katsuyori burned the castle by himself and escaped from it in Mar 1582 after only his three-month stay, when he had heard of Takato Castle, located in the west of Shinpu Castle, being captured by Nobunaga’s invasion. Moreover, Katsuyori was defeated by his retainer’s betrayal just after eight days from the escape. So, why did Katsuyori withdraw from the castle?

The positional relation between Shinpu Castle and Takato Castle

Why did Katsuyori throw Castle away?

The reason which had been often said was that the castle was still unfinished. For example, the Main Gate was found to have no buildings through excavation. Others point out that Katsyori had only hundreds of his troops including women and children when they escaped because most of his vassals left him. Some remaining senior vassals recommended that he should be accommodated to another castle. For example, Masayuki Sanada offered Sanada’s Iwabitsu Castle in Kozuke Province (now Gunma Pref.). Katsuyori finally took another suggestion from the retainer who would deceive him. Another historian even says Sinpu Castle maybe did not deserve a castle, but a large hall would have been more suitable. This is because it needed more moats for a castle. Only Katsuyori knew the answer.

The portlait of Masayuki Sanada, privately owned licensed under Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

After Nobunaga was also killed in the Honnoji Incident in June 1582, Ieyasu used Sinpu Castle again for his stronghold to get Kai Province. He succeeded in getting it, used Takeda Clan Hall to govern it, and built Kofu Castle as its new home base before Shinpu Castle was eventually abandoned.

The Portrait of Ieyasu Tokugawa, attributed to Tanyu Kano, ownd by Osaka Castle Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Shinpu Castle Part2”

25.Kofu Castle Part3

Castle ruins which should be more popular

Features

Other Attractions outside Castle ruins

Two restored gates called Uchimatsukage-mon Gate and Kaji-kuruwa-mon Gate are open to the public road at the western foot of the hill. they look like the entrances of the castle, but they were the gates between other enclosures, which means the castle was so large in the past.

The map around the castle

The miniature model of the main portion of Kofu Castle, adding the location of the two gates (an exhibition in the Inari Turret)

Finally, I recommend walking outside the eastern side of the hill to have a better look of the high stone walls. The walls are 17m high which are one of the highest ones in eastern Japan. The method of piling the stones is called Nozura-zumi using natural stones, so they look very natural. The method became popular when the castle was built. You can see them close by from the road alongside them which was part of the Inner Moat.

The high stone walls at the eastern side

The present route goes alongside the stone walls

Later History

After the Meiji Restoration, Kofu Castle was abandoned and all the buildings of the castle were demolished. The ruins were turned into the industrial experimental station such as for silk making and brewing. After that, the ruins partly became a park, but the rest was turned into the city area. They were first designated as a Prefectural Historic Site in 1968. Yamanashi Prefecture has been developing the park investigating the ruins and restoring the castle buildings. They were finally designated as a National Historic Site in 2019.

A picture of the castle ruins about 100 years ago (licensed by 江戸村のとくぞう via Wikimedia Commons)

Part of the castle ruins were turned into the Yamanashi prefectural office

The tower in this picture is the Shaon-to Tower built in 1922

My Impression

I think Kofu Castle may not be so popular for its potential. It could be because people usually think Kofu City is a legacy of the Takeda Clan. Kofu Castle was built after Takeda. However, if you visit and learn about the castle, you will find that the city was clearly developed based on the castle. The restored castle buildings look good, and the remaining stone walls are particularly great. The stone walls look rough, but are piled wisely. We can enjoy seeing the contrast everywhere in the castle.

The stone walls of Kofu Castle (in the central part)

The stone walls of Kofu Castle (in the eastern part)

The Main Enclosure that can be seen from the base for a Main Tower

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car:
It is about 15 minutes away from Kofu-Showa IC or Kofu-Minami IC on the Chuo Expressway.
There are several parking lots around Kofu Station.
By train, it is very close to Kofu Station.
To get to Kofu Station from Tokyo: Take the limited express Azusa or Kaiji at Shinjuku Station, and get off at Kofu Station. It takes about 1 hour and a half.

Kofu Station that can be seen from the base for a Main Tower

The limited express Azusa (licensed by MaedaAkihiko via Wikimedia Commons)

Links and References

・Kofu Castle, Kofu City

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Kofu Castle Part1”
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25.Kofu Castle Part2

The great stone walls remain with restored castle buildings.

Features

The ruins of Kofu Castle is just close to Kofu Station. The ruins are the eastern part of the main portion, and the western part was turned into the city area such as the Yamanashi prefectural office. Moreover, the ruins are divided between north and south by the station and the railway. That’s why the station is so close.

The aerial photo around the castle

Restored Yamanote-mon Gate in North of Station

In the north, you can visit the Yamanote-mon Gate which was restored as the Kofu City Historic Park in 2007, using the original way. It is one of the three entrances of the castle, and the only one that we can see now. It has a typically gate style usually found in castles of the Edo Period called “Masugata”. The style has a square space inside sandwiched by two gate buildings facing different directions, which serves as defensive wall.

*The miniature model of the main portion of Kofu Castle, the front of the photo is the Yamanote-mon Gate (an exhibition in the Inari Turret)*

Center of Castle “Maizuru Castle Park” in South of Station

Crossing the railway through the station to the south, you will stand in front of the Inari Enclosure with the restored Inari Turret. This is where the entrance of Maizuru Castle Park is. Maizuru is a nickname of Kofu Castle, which comes from the castle looking like a flying crane in the past. You might think it’s the castle’s entrance, but you are already in the castle area for the reasons mentioned above. The turret is on the Inari Enclosure located on the northeast corner of the mid slope of the hill.

The map around the castle

You can see the center of the castle (Maizuru Castle Park) over the train line from around the Yamanote-mon Gate

The entrance of Maizuru Castle Park from the station

The restored Inari Turret (from the outside of the park)

The Inari Enclosure (inside the Inari Turret)

You can walk around the eastern side of hill to the south through the Sukiya Enclosure. You will eventually arrive at the Kaji Kuruwa at the southern foot of the hill. You can see the stone walls still cover the whole hill by the walk.

Going to Main Enclosure

Part of the Inner Moat remains only at the southern foot of the hill. There is a wooden bridge over the moat as the entrance of the park which was built in the present.

The only remaining part of the Inner Moat

You can walk up to the top of the hill through the zigzagged route surrounded by stone walls. The restored Kurogane-mon Gate is in front of the Main Enclosure where the main enclosure turret used to be located. There was also the Bishamon-do Hall built in Yanagisawa’s period which remains at another place in Kofu City called the Keko-in Temple.

The map around the castle

Mysterious Base for Main Tower and Great View

The stone wall base for the Main Tower remains next to the Main Enclosure. In fact, it is still uncertain if the base had a Main Tower or not. There has been no evidences for the tower such as drawings and other records, while ridge-end tiles with golden leaf and roof tiles with a clan’s family crest which might have been used for a Main Tower were found by excavations. Anyway, you should check out a great 360-degree view of Kofu City from the top of the base. The city in on the Kofu Basin which is all surrounded by the mountains. For example, You can see Mt. Fuji on the south and the South Alps on the west if the weather is fine.

The stone wall base for a Main Tower that can be seen from the inside Main Enclosure

A view in the south of the base (Mt. Fuji can slightly be seen )

*A view in the west of the base (the South Alps)*

*The stone wall base for a Main Tower that can be seen from the outside Inari Enclosure*

To be continued in “Kofu Castle Part3”
Back to “Kofu Castle Part1”