Taga Castle 多賀城
Founder Ohno no Azumabito
Year 724
Type Hilltop
Condition Ruins
Admin's Rating ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Historical Site Special Historic Site
Historical Value Top 100 Castles, Important Cultural Properties
Location Tagajo, Miyagi Pref.
Map Google Map
Access Kokufu-Tagajo Sta. (Tohoku Main Line), 15 min walk
Website Tagajo Tourism
Visited May 22, 2010
Notes A nice castle for castle fans to visit since it is one of the oldest castle sites in the country, and especially on the main island of Honshu. Stop by the tourist information just outside the station to get a map of the castle ruins. The first place to start just outside the station and then you only need to follow the blue signs (even if you can't read them) to get to the other sites.
History Taga Castle was built on the boundary between the Emishi people of the northeast and the lands ruled by the Imperial Court in Kyoto. It was the main military and political base for the pacification of the northeast. It was burned down in a rebellion in 780 but was soon rebuilt. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro moved the military base farther north in 802, but Taga Castle continued to flourish as the political and administrative center. Taga Castle lost it's importance during the period of Northern and Southern courts.

Several of castles of this same type were built pushing farther into the north as new territories were subjugated. Taga Castle is well known for being mentioned in an ancient history text (shokunihonki) and by Matsuo Basho in his famous Oku no Hosomichi.

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Viewer Comments

Comment on this castle
  • rebolforces on My Page    March 27, 2013 at 09:09 PM
    Closer to 30 minutes walk, or that might have been the directions I got at the museum near the stations
  • Kris on My Page    March 20, 2011 at 12:31 AM
    Went here 4 weeks ago.
  • Eric on Tohoku Castle Trip 2010    June 21, 2010 at 08:00 PM
    Another famous josaku castle like Shiwa Castle
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Tagajo, Miyagi Pref.
Taga Castle views
remains of the government office
government or officials buildings central compound model
gate ruins and tuijibei wall open area in front of the provincial office
foundation of the provincial office. East Gate and wall ruins
southern wall ruins stone monument to the renovation of the castle
Sakkan area map of Taga Castle