Imori Mountain was developed as a tourist spot in the Modern Times. For example, the statue of Masatsura Kusunoki and the stand for hoisting the national flag were built on the top. In addition, an amusement park was built on the Senjojiki Enclosure during the early Showa Era which might have destroyed part of the castle ruins. Shijonawate and Daito Citys, which own the ruins of Imori Castle dividedly, have recently been excavating the ruins. That’s why new discoveries such as the stone walls are often found. They aim to have the ruins designated as a National Historic Site.
The Senjojiki EnclosureThe remaining stone walls at the eastern side of the Main Enclosure (quoted from the Daito City Website)
My Impression
I think visiting the ruins of Imori Castle is like killing two birds with one stone. You can see the castle ruins while taking a hike. In addition, you may find a new discovery from the recent excavation with every visit.
A view from the castle ruins
As for Nagayoshi Miyoshi, if he lived a little longer, the Japanese history might have been different. Nobunaga Oda would not have gotten to Kyoto that easily, so his unification of Japan would be impossible. Nobunaga was not only strong, but also very fortunate.
Part of the portrait of Nagayoshi Miyoshi, owned by Juko-in of Daitokuji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)
How to get There
It takes about one and a half hours from Shijonawate Station or Nozaki Station on JR Gakuen-toshi line to the castle ruins on foot. To get to the stations from Tokyo: Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Super Express, transfer to the Osaka-Higashi Line at Shin-Osaka Station, and transfer to the Gakuen-toshi Line at Hanaten Station.
Now, the trails at the ruins of Imori Castle have become very popular for hiking. There are several trails to choose from when you visit the ruins. I will describe one of the trails from JR Shijonawate Station via Shijonawate Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to Masatsura Kusunoki, a warrior in the 14th Century during Northern and Southern dynasties. He was the son of Masasige Kusunoki. He supported the Southern dynasty and was beaten in the battle of Shijonawate in 1348 by the troop of the Ashikaga Shogunate. Ashikaga Shogunate supported the Northern dynasty which used their position at Imori-yama Mountain to defeat Masatsura.
The aerial photo around the castle
The approach to Shijonawate ShrineShijonawate Shrine
Northern Enclosures and Great Wide View
The trail behind the shrine is very long and steep. You need to climb nearly 300m up the mountain. All the trails are on the western side of the mountain, so you won’t see any of the stone walls until you get to the top of the mountain. At the top of the slope, you will reach the northern part of the castle. This part is narrow, and there are several small enclosures. You will suddenly see a great city-wide view of Kyoto and Osaka. You can also see some of the remaining stone walls on the eastern side of the mountain. However, you can’t go below the stone walls because the trails on that side are abandoned and dangerous. There is also the burial mound for Nagayoshi Miyoshi called Gotaizuka around there.
The trail to the topA view from the northern enclosuresThe remaining stone walls of the northern enclosures
Southern Enclosures – Main and Senjojiki Enclosures
As you go on the trail to the south, it is divided into two branches at the entrance of the southern part. The one on the right is for the Main Enclosure on the top of the mountain. There are several attractions for hikers on the top such as the observation platform, the statue of Masatsura, the ruins of the stand for hoisting the national flag before World War II, and the signpost of the castle. You can also see a great view again of Osaka Plain on the west. If you go on the other branch on the left, you can see a lot of stone walls on the eastern side of the Main Enclosure. New discoveries about the stone walls were recently found one after another.
The branch point of the trailThe statue of Masatsura Kusunoki (licensed by ブレイズマン via Wikimedia Commons)The ruins of the stand for hoisting the national flagA view of Osaka Plain from the Main EnclosureThe remaining stone walls at the eastern side of the Main Enclosure (quoted from the Daito City Website)
On the south of the Main Enclosure, there is the largest enclosure in the castle, called Senjojiki, which means a hall of 1,000 mats. It is thought that it had the Main Hall for Nagayoshi, and now has a transmitting tower. The enclosure was guarded by the narrow earthen bridge on the north and the entrance with stone walls on the south. You can see both of these ruins onsite.
The Senjojiki Enclosure with the transmitting towerThe earthen bridge in the north of the enclosureThe ruins of the entrance in the south of the enclosure
