Takatsuki Castle (Tokyo)

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Takatsukitokyo10.jpg

History

There is not much actual evidence about the history of Takatsuki Castle, it is mostly conjecture, but it was likely built by the Oishi in the mid to late 1400's. The castle itself is not very big but it has a great location overlooking the Aki River and Tama River which also provide natural defensive boundaries. The castle has great views of the surrounding plains, but may have been too small for the Oishi. Following Takatsuki Castle, the Oishi built Takiyama Castle much further back along the same mountain ridge. Today there is a road cutting the ridge just west of Takiyama Castle, but if you visit both castles it seems obvious that they share the same ridge and may have been connected. Takiyama Castle has some good views as well, but with Takatsuki castle being at the furthest point in the northwest, I believe it likely that Takatsuki Castle was used as a lookout or smoke signal tower even after moving to the much larger Takiyama Castle.


Visit Notes

Except for the specific path, this is private property. Please be respectful. This castle should definitely be visited with a trip to Takiyama Castle.
滝山城と一緒に訪れてください。指定の通路以外は私有地のためマナーを守ってください。


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Gallery
  • Honmaru, main bailey
  • Kirigishi - man made cliff face
  • Otemichi and entrance
  • Bailey
  • Otemichi Road
  • Entrance. The road cuts off part of the castle to the north.
  • Entrance and embankment
  • Entrance
  • Trench around the Honmaru
  • Trench
  • Deep trench of the Honmaru
  • Honmaru trench
  • Side bailey from the Honmaru
  • Small bailey overlooking the Honmaru entrance and road
  • Map
  • Map


Castle Profile
English Name Takatsuki Castle (Tokyo)
Japanese Name 高月城
Founder Oishi Akishige
Year Founded 1458
Castle Type Mountaintop
Castle Condition Ruins only
Historical Period Pre Edo Period
Features trenches
Visitor Information
Access Haijima (Itsukaishi Line), 15 mins walk
Visitor Information Mountain, open anytime. Private property. Be respectful.
Time Required 30 mins
Location Hachioji, Tokyo
Coordinates 35° 42' 48.13" N, 139° 19' 7.10" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2018
Admin Year Visited 2018
Admin Visits March 18, 2018


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(2 votes)
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ARTShogun

16 months ago
Score 0++

Takatsukijō was an earthworks fort built on a mountain promontory overlooking the Aki River. Ruins feature kuruwa (baileys), dorui (earthen ramparts), karabori (dry moats), horikiri (trenches) and tatebori (climbing trenches). The baileys are terraced with the spacious shukuruwa (main bailey) at the top. To the rear of the shukuruwa is a large karabori system.

The castle ruins are maintained as a sort of park but much of it is barred to public access as it is mostly on private land. The main bailey is cleared but most of the site is covered in yabu (scrub) and bamboo. Since much of it is overgrown it can be hard to photograph the ruins. I ascended to the site by what appears to be the only maintained path, opposite a small shrine and abandoned hotel. A road cuts through here and there is a path into the castle precincts, both of which may have been trenches in the past, the latter almost certainly. The abandoned hotel (there are many hotels in this rural / peri-urban area; people from the big city make short stays here away from prying eyes) is also on the castle grounds, but this bailey cannot be accessed. However, I checked behind the hotel and found another bailey with supporting earthworks like dry moats, which I was proud to have found. Here I saw a pheasant screech and run right past me, and I went "whayyy". If I had been a fox that pheasant would've been in trouble.

The main bailey has dorui and karabori in respectable measure, and this was the highlight of the site for me. During my visit I saw many large military craft fly overhead. There is a large American (USFJ) airfield / military base (and a smaller Japanese (JSDF) one) in nearby Fussa. I saw at least five large planes and, later, two large helicopters. It seemed like a busy day and I wondered if something scary was going on. I'd hate to live in this area. Unfortunately there is no way to hike between Takatsukijō and nearby Takiyamajō, which was my next destination, as a large modern road now intersects the ridge.