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Takatenjin Castle was a yamashiro-style fortress from Japan's Sengoku period, situated in the Kamihijikata and Shimohijikata districts of Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. Designated a National Historic Site in 1975, with an expanded protected area in 2007, its ruins remain a significant historical landmark.

The castle stood on Mount Kakuo, a 200-meter-high mountain with steep cliffs, accessible only via a narrow path. Strategically important, it was considered the "key" to controlling Totomi Province and the nearby Tokaido highway, which lies 11 kilometers to the south. The castle's layout formed a "Z" shape, spanning the eastern and western peaks of the mountain, with a saddle-like ridge connecting the two. The eastern peak contained the original fortifications, including the inner bailey, while the western peak was added later by the Takeda clan. The castle was surrounded by terraces, dry moats, and earthen ramparts. Despite lacking stone walls, its steep terrain made it nearly impregnable.

The exact origins of Takatenjin Castle are uncertain, but it is believed to have been built by the Kushima clan in the 15th century. The Kushima were retainers of the Imagawa clan, but were eventually suppressed after siding against Imagawa Yoshimoto in an internal struggle. Yoshimoto later gave the castle to the Ogasawara clan. During the Battle of Anegawa in 1570, Tokugawa Ieyasu controlled the castle, leaving Ogasawara Nagatada as its castellan.

In 1571, Takeda Shingen besieged Takatenjin Castle with 20,000 troops but failed to capture it. Three years later, in the Siege of Takatenjin (1574), Takeda Katsuyori succeeded where his father had not, capturing the castle and earning great prestige. However, the victory was short-lived as the Takeda suffered heavy losses the following year to the Oda-Tokugawa alliance. By 1580, unable to maintain supply lines to the castle, Tokugawa Ieyasu decided to isolate it rather than attack directly. The defenders, running out of supplies, made a desperate attempt to break the siege in March 1581, led by their commander Okabe Motonobu. All 700 men were killed, and the castle was abandoned soon after.

Today, the city of Kakegawa preserves the castle ruins, with several hiking trails leading up the mountain. The summit hosts a Shinto shrine and monuments honoring the war dead from the Satsuma Rebellion and the First Sino-Japanese War. A faux tenshu (main keep) built before World War II was destroyed by lightning, leaving only a concrete foundation behind.

 


See also

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