- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1583 · 16th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Nagano Prefecture, Japan
- Commissioned by
- Sanada Masayuki
- Coordinates
- 36.4041°, 138.2440°
History
The castle above the Chikuma River was built in 1583 by Sanada Masayuki – at first as a forward base for Tokugawa Ieyasu against the Uesugi – and his clan manoeuvred between powerful neighbours in Shinano Province. In 1585 Masayuki's small garrison routed an attacking Tokugawa army, and in 1600 it held up Tokugawa Hidetada's army for several days, making it late for the decisive Battle of Sekigahara. After the Tokugawa victory the castle was demolished and the domain went to Masayuki's son Nobuyuki, who had fought on the winning side. Nobuyuki was moved to Matsushiro in 1622, and in 1626 Sengoku Tadamasa began rebuilding the stronghold, raising turrets and gates, some of which still stand; the work stopped on his death in 1628. From 1706 until the Meiji era the castle was held by the Matsudaira clan.
What to see
The castle grounds form a park with moats and stone walls, where around a thousand cherry trees bloom in spring. Three original 17th-century turrets survive: the West Turret stands where it always did, while the North and South Turrets, sold off in the Meiji era, were bought back by local people in 1942 and re-erected at the castle in 1949. The Higashi Toramon gate between them was rebuilt in 1994. The Sanada Shrine stands in the former main bailey, next to a well known as the Sanada well.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q2968344
Popularity: articles about this site in 11 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).