Takato Castle, located in the city of Ina in southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, was a notable stronghold during the Sengoku period. By the end of the Edo period, it was the residence of a cadet branch of the Naito clan, the daimyo of the Takato Domain. Also known as Kabuto Castle, it was originally constructed in the 16th century and is now mostly in ruins.
The castle is situated on a hill in what was once Takato Town, at the eastern edge of the Ina Valley in southern Nagano. It was strategically positioned at the crossroads of the Akiba Kaido, a route connecting Totomi Province with the Suwa region of Shinano and Kai Province, and a road leading to western Ina Valley and Mino Province. The location was crucial for controlling southern Shinano from Kai Province. The castle overlooked the confluence of the Mibugawa and Fujisawa rivers, which provided natural defenses. Its fortifications included deep trenches, earthen ramparts, and stone walls, arranged in concentric rings, typical of Takeda Shingen’s style. The Central Bailey was protected by the Second and Third Baileys, along with four additional enclosures. Most of the gates were box-shaped for added defense. During the Edo period, the castle’s front gate was moved to the west to face the castle town directly. A han school, constructed in 1860, was situated within the Third Bailey, and a few samurai residences from that era still remain in the surrounding area.
The exact date of Takato Castle’s construction is unknown, but before it existed, there was another fortification controlled by the Takato clan, retainers of the Suwa clan, who had dominated the region since the Kamakura period. In 1545, Takeda Shingen broke his alliance with the Suwa clan and captured Takato Castle during his campaign to conquer southern Shinano. After seizing the castle, Shingen had it completely rebuilt according to contemporary military designs by his strategist, Yamamoto Kansuke. Shingen granted the castle to his retainer, Akiyama Nobutomo, and later passed it on to his son, Takeda Katsuyori. From Takato Castle, Shingen launched his invasion of Mino Province and his final campaign toward Kyoto in 1572.
After Shingen's death, the castle was defended by Nishina Morinobu, Katsuyori's younger brother. However, in 1582, Oda Nobutada, son of Oda Nobunaga, captured the castle during the Battle of Temmokuzan, overwhelming the 3,000 defenders with 50,000 troops. Despite Nishina’s valiant resistance, the Takeda forces were ultimately defeated.
Following the destruction of the Takeda clan, Takato Castle was granted to Nobunaga’s general Mori Hideyori. After Nobunaga’s assassination in the Honno-ji Incident, the castle fell under the control of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who assigned it to Hoshina Masanao. When the Tokugawa were relocated to the Kanto region by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, Takato was given to Hideyoshi’s general, Ogasawara Sadayoshi. Tokugawa Ieyasu regained control of the castle after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1603, and under the Tokugawa shogunate, Takato became the center of the 30,000 koku Takato Domain, ruled by the Hoshina clan. The Hoshina were succeeded by the Torii clan (1636–1689) before the Naito clan took control until the Meiji Restoration.
With the establishment of the Meiji government and the abolition of the han system, the castle structures were dismantled, and surviving gates were donated to nearby temples or sold to private owners. Today, the site is preserved as Takato Castle Ruins Park (Takatojoshi Koen), famous for its cherry blossoms, which were planted in the Meiji period. The park is considered one of Japan’s top three cherry blossom viewing spots, alongside Hirosaki Castle and Mount Yoshino. Though little of the original castle remains, some moats and stone walls have survived. One yagura has been reconstructed, and the Otemon (main gate), which had been moved to a high school, was returned to its original site in 1984. The oldest remaining building on the castle grounds is the Shintokukan, a former han school built by the last daimyo of Takato, Naito Yorinao.
See also
-
Shinpu Castle
Shinpu Castle was a Japanese hirayama-style fortress from the Sengoku period, situated in what is now Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture. It served as the main stronghold of warlord Takeda Katsuyori. Designated as a National Historic Site in 1973, the castle occupies a strategic position on a mountain with steep cliffs, overlooking the Kamanashi River to the west of Kofu, where Takeda Shingen’s Tsutsujigasaki Castle once stood.
-
Takatenjin Castle
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.
-
Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
-
Yamato Koriyama Castle
The impressive ruins of Koriyama Castle sit atop a small hill, surrounded by two rivers. The strategic positioning and strong layout of the castle served it well through the final years of the Sengoku period and the peaceful days of the Edo period.
-
Yamanaka Castle
Yamanaka Castle, established by Hojo Ujiyasu in the 1560s, is located in what is now eastern Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. This castle served as the first line of western defense for the main Hojo Castle at Odawara. Carved into the side of a 586-meter-high mountain, Yamanaka Castle was strategically positioned along the Tokaido Highway, offering superb views of nearby Mt. Fuji, the ocean, and the road leading to Odawara.
-
Uwajima Castle
Uwajima Castle, located in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku, is one of the 12 remaining Japanese castles with an original keep. Known for its small size, Uwajima Castle is relatively difficult to access, which means it is less frequented by tourists.
-
Ueda Castle
Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture once stood prominently on a cliff overlooking the Saigawa River. Also known as Amagafuchi-Jo, Isesaki-Jo, Matsuo-Jo, and Sanada-Jo, it was built around 1583 by its first master, Sanada Masayuki. This sturdy yet small fortress cleverly utilized the surrounding natural defenses, including the river, steep rocky cliffs, the layout of the town below, and the strategically designed waterways to hinder attackers. Ueda Castle was fortified with seven defensive yagura (watchtowers) atop robust stone walls and had two large gates with watchtowers above them.
-
Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama Castle, located in Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, is celebrated as one of Japan's top three major hilltop (Hirayama) castles, alongside Himeji and Matsuyama Castles. Originally, Tsuyama Castle comprised 77 structures, including the main keep, various yagura (watchtowers), gates, palaces, and living quarters. For comparison, Hiroshima Castle had 76 structures, and Himeji had 61. The first castle on this site was built in 1441 but was soon abandoned. The large-scale construction that we recognize today began in 1603 under the orders of Mori Tadamasa. The castle served as the administrative base for the Tsuyama Han daimyo, the Mori clan from 1603 to 1697, and the Matsudaira clan from 1698 to 1871.
