- Type
- Ruin
- Location
- Niigata Prefecture, Japan
- Commissioned by
- Nagao clan
- Coordinates
- 37.1471°, 138.2056°
History
The origins of the castle on Mount Kasuga above the Takada plain are uncertain; the first defences are thought to date from the 14th century, and in the first half of the 16th century they were enlarged by the Nagao clan, deputy governors of Echigo Province. In 1530 Nagao Kagetora, later known as Uesugi Kenshin, was born here; from 1548 he ruled Echigo from Kasugayama and made it one of the largest mountain fortresses in Japan. Kenshin died in the castle in 1578, and the succession dispute between his adopted sons turned into a civil war known as the Otate no ran. In 1598 Uesugi Kagekatsu moved to Aizu, and in 1607 the new lords of the Hori clan moved their seat to Fukushima Castle on the coast and Kasugayama was abandoned.
What to see
On a wooded hill about 180 metres high, extensive earthen terraces of the former baileys survive along with dry moats, ramparts and wells – the castle never had stone walls. A path from Kasugayama Shrine climbs to the summit, which looks out over the city of Jōetsu and the Sea of Japan. On the way you pass the reconstructed Bishamon-dō pavilion and the site of Kenshin's residence, and his statue stands at the foot of the hill.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q1197131
Popularity: articles about this site in 12 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).