Kasugayama Castle

About

Kasugayama Castle (Kasugayama-jō) is a Sengoku period yamashiro-style Japanese castle located in the Nakayashiki neighborhood of the city of Jōetsu, Niigata prefecture. It was the primary fortress of the warlord Uesugi Kenshin, and was originally built and ruled by the Nagao clan. It is listed as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles and the ruins have been protected as a National Historic Site since 1935. The castle and its history were mentioned by Takizawa Bakin, and Yamazaki Yoshishige in Tanki manroku. Kasugayama Castle is regarded as among Japan's Five Greatest Mountain Castles, along with Nanao Castle, Odani Castle, Kannonji Castle and Gassantoda Castle. The castle is unofficially called Hachigamine Castle (Hachigamine-jō).

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.