Suda Castle
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History
Sudajō was the castle of the Suda Clan, a branch of the Inōe Clan of Inōejō. The clan has its origins in the Kamakura period but Sudajō is thought to have first been built in the Muromachi period. During the Nanbokuchō period the clan fought for the Southern Court. The Suda had their most powerful stronghold, Ôiwajō, in Ôiwa-gō ('gō' refers to a 'township' or collection of villages), which they had expanded into, but their main base was Sudajō in Suda-gō which was important for controlling trade along the Chikuma River from the eastern bank. In the Sengoku period the clan split into two factions in response to Takeda Shinge's push into Shinano. Sudajō's faction under Suda Nobuyori sided with Takeda Shingen whilst the Ôiwa half of the clan under Suda Michichika remained under the vassalge of the Murakami Clan, siding with Uesugi Kenshin. Under the reign of Takeda Shingen, Suda Nobuyori's son, Suda Nobumasa, built a new (flatland) base at Fukujimajō closer to the Chikuma River, which may have sidelined Sudajō, though nothing remains of Fukujimajō now. Uesugi Kagekatsu repossessed northern Shinano following the death of (Takeda Katsuyori and) Oda Nobunaga in 1582. In 1584 Fukujimajō was attacked by the Shimazu Clan from Naganumajō and fell. Suda Nobumasa committed seppuku, ending the Suda-gō faction of the Suda Clan. A victorious Uesugi Kagekatsu placed his various vassals who had fled from northern Shinano back in charge of their domains, and Suda Michichika took over leadership of the remaining Suda, his main base at Kaiźujō (now Matsushirojō). Sudajō was abandoned in 1598 following the relocation by Toyotomi Hideyoshi of Uesugi Kagekatsu to Aiźu-Wakamatsujō.
See also: Matsushiro Castle, Zenkaizu Castle, Oh'iwa Castle, Suzaka Jin'ya, Suda Yakata, Takai Fukujima Castle
Visit Notes
My initial plan in visiting Sudajō was to visit several yamajiro in the municipality of which Sudajō was the most accessible on its own little hill. But I got a very severe puncture which popped by bicyclette tire like a party balloon. Luckily Sudajō, in Garyū Park, is not far from the train station. The castle ruins are maintained as part of the park. Features include kuruwa (baileys), some dorui (earthen ramparts), tatebori (climbing moats), horikiri (trenches) and other earthworks, most notably a masugata (angled) gate complex. The entrance to the castle area from the eastern ridge is a horikiri, but now there is a modern bridge spanning it, and the lower eastern baileys of the castle are used as a cemetery. The eastern bailey beneath the main bailey is now the site of the mausoleum of Lord Hori of the Suzaka Jin'ya, and various Hori Clan graves now occupy the site of the castle of the lords which came before them, the Suda Clan.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Suda Castle |
| Japanese Name | 須田城 |
| Founder | Suda Clan |
| Year Founded | Muromachi Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Designations | Local Historic Site |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Masugata, Tatebori, Horikiri, Kuruwa, Dorui, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Suzaka Station on the Nagano Line; 20 minute walk to Garyū Park |
| Visitor Information | 24/7 free; park |
| Time Required | 40 minutes |
| Location | Suzaka, Nagano Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 36° 38' 29.69" N, 138° 18' 46.55" E |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2022 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Kojōdan | |
| Ranmaru | |
| Oshiro Tabi Nikki | |
| Shingen Travel | |
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