Takatori Castle(高取城): Japan's Palenque - A Hidden stone wall complex in the gloomy forest.

The history of Takatori Castle

Takatori Castle ruins are located at the location indicated on the map below.

The nearest railway station to the castle ruins is Tsubosakayama Station on the Kintetsu Line. It is located approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes away from Kansai Airport.

To get to Tsubosakayama Station from Kansai Airport, you will need to take the JR Line to Tennōji Station. From Osaka Abenobashi Station, located just south of Tennoji Station, you can take the Kintetsu Line to Tsubosakayama Station. The total journey time is approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Takatori Castle was originally a small fortress built by a samurai who was the lord of this area around the beginning of the 14th century, solely for use during times of war. 

As Japan entered a turbulent period with constant conflicts, the size of the castle was expanded, and by the mid-16th century, it also housed the lord's residence and administrative offices.

The significant transformation of Takatori Castle occurred in the late 16th century. After the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi(豊臣秀吉) unified all of Japan and established his base in Osaka, the eastern area, which includes the present-day Nara Prefecture, became the territory of Hideyoshi's younger brother, Hidenaga(秀長).

Hidenaga established his main base at Yamatokoriyama Castle in the northern part of Nara Prefecture. And, he chose Takatori Castle as a strategic stronghold in the southern part of Nara Prefecture and ordered his retainers to develop and expand it into a castle using the most advanced construction techniques of that time.

(Click here for an introduction article about Yamatokoriyama Castle!)

Thus, Takatori Castle became a magnificent fortress, surrounded by stone walls extending approximately 3 kilometers in circumference, with its focal point being the mountaintop of Mt. Takatori at an elevation of 583 meters. It was comprised of three layers of ”Tenshu(天守:castle keep) and 29 watchtowers.

The figure below is a CG recreation of Takatori Castle as it appeared in the past.

Until the 19th century, Takatori Castle continued to serve as the residence of the local lord in this area. However, with the advent of the Meiji Restoration, which marked the end of the Edo period, the Meiji government issued an order in 1873 to abolish all castles nationwide, leading to the abandonment of Takatori Castle.

Subsequently, most of the castle's buildings fell into decay, leaving only the stone walls. The castle's grounds became overgrown with trees, and the fortress was gradually engulfed by the surrounding mountain forest.

For a long time, the castle ruins were left neglected. However, in 1953, they were recognized as valuable castle remains, and currently, efforts are being made to preserve the site as cultural heritage and promote cultural tourism.

Castle Town

Now, let's head towards the ruins of the Takatori Castle keep, located at the mountaintop of Mt. Takatori, starting from the nearest station, Tsubosakayama Station.

The total distance is about 5 kilometers, and it takes approximately 5 hours  for a round trip if you walk the entire way.

The mountain trail includes some steep sections, so please make sure to wear appropriate hiking shoes when climbing. Avoid wearing sandals or similar footwear, as there is a higher risk of injury. Even if you don't have hiking shoes, opt for comfortable footwear like sneakers.

First, you'll need to pass through the castle town and walk approximately 3 kilometers to reach the trailhead. It takes about 40 minutes on foot, and you can also use a taxi to get here.

Takatori Castle town is called "Tosa(土佐)," and several traditional Edo-period houses still remain along the streets extending from the castle.

This is the row house gate of the samurai residence.

On either side of the gate, there were row houses where the samurai's retainers lived.

This is also the row house gate of the samurai residence.

This is a very large row house gate, which served as the entrance to the residence where the chief retainer of Takatori resided during the Edo period.

 By the way, currently, this estate belongs to the Uemura family, who were the lords of Takatori during the Edo period.

Inside Takatori Castle

You can reach the location in the photo by taxi, but from here, you'll need to go on foot.

You will be climbing a steep slope, so please be sure not to attempt it in sandals or inappropriate footwear!

Here and there, the stone walls of the castle come into view.

As you climb the mountain path, catching your breath, you'll come across a peculiar stone structure. 

This is called the "Saruishi(猿石)," and it is believed to have been transported from the Asuka region, located to the north of Takatori. Asuka was an area where the ancient capital of Japan existed, and it is known for housing many mystical stone structures. When constructing the castle's stone walls, it is speculated that stones from the ancient ruins in Asuka were reused and brought to this location, including the Saruishi, which is believed to have been carried here at that time.

After passing the Saruishi, you will soon come across the remains of a large gate.

This is the Ninomon (二ノ門:Second Gate), and beyond this point is the central area of Takatori Castle.

From here on, you will enter an area where many of massive stone wall remains are preserved within the mountain forest.

The diagram below is a map of the central area of Takatori Castle.

To reach the Honmaru Tenshudai (main keep platform) at the mountaintop, one had to overcome seven gates. It was a heavily fortified castle designed for strong defense.

From the Ninomon, as you ascend through the stone wall structures towards the summit, you will soon encounter a junction where the path leads to the remains of the Kunimi Yagura (国見櫓:watchtower).

The Kunimi Yagura was a watchtower located in the northern part of Takatori Castle, overseeing the plains of Nara Prefecture.

Even now, from this spot, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the plains of Nara, making it a popular viewpoint.

Let's get back to the main path and head for the mountaintop again.

The road after the Ninomon becomes less steep.

You can feel a significant change in the scenery as the number of stone structures increases, indicating that you have entered the heart of the castle.

As you enter the area of "San no maru(三の丸:the Third Bailey)," you'll find more flat sections, and the remains of stone walls will also become more extensive.

This is the Otemon Gate.

Beyond this gate is the area of "Ninomaru"(二の丸:the Second Bailey), where the lord and his vassals conducted their political affairs. The government buildings were lined up here.

By the way, can you see that the shape of the stone walls of the gate is in a zigzag pattern?

In the past, multi-storied watchtowers were built on top of these stone walls, allowing the defending side to shower the invading enemies who entered this gate with gunfire from the front, rear, and sides.

In Japanese castle architecture, this kind of structure for castle entrances and exits is commonly referred to as "Masugata." "Masu" refers to a square wooden measuring cup, and the gate's square shape resembles this cup, which is how it got its name. Masugata is a globally observed castle structure, but in Japan, it emerged in the late 16th century during the final years of the Sengoku period, and it represents one of the ultimate defense structures in Japanese castle design.

At Takatori Castle, all seven gates from the Ninomon to the Otemon were constructed using the cutting-edge Masugata defense structure of that time, indicating that it boasted an impregnable defense as a castle stronghold.

Takatori Castle has numerous Masugata, so passing through the remains of these gates allows you to imagine being targeted by enemy soldiers from various directions. It's one of the ways enthusiasts enjoy exploring castle ruins.

This is a photograph taken around the late 19th century near the Ninomaru of Takatori Castle.

You can see that the white turrets and castle walls stood densely packed on top of the stone walls. Takatori Castle was situated on a high mountain, and in Japan, it was exceptionally rare for many buildings to line up on such elevated peaks.

If these structures were still standing today, they would undoubtedly be considered national treasures due to their architectural significance.

As you ascend to the Ninomaru, you'll enter a spacious area with fewer trees, and suddenly, it becomes much brighter.

The massive stone wall visible in the background of the photo is the "Taiko Yagura," situated between the Ninomaru and the "Honmaru"(本丸：main keep) of the castle.

When you climb up the Taiko Yagura, the massive stone walls of the Honmaru finally come into view.

 It is truly hard to believe that in an era without heavy machinery, people manually transported these stones to the top of such a high mountain!

A bear-shaped doll holding a sign that reads "本丸→(Honmaru)" and an object resembling the castle tower will greet you as you arrive.

When looking up at the Honmaru from the north side, you will be overwhelmed by the massive stone walls.

This is the Tenshudai (base of keep).

Once upon a time, a three-story tower stood tall on the Tenshudai.

When looking from the turret platform into the interior of the main keep, you'll find a spacious area spreading out before you.

In addition to the Honmaru, there were three two-story turrets built at strategic points around the edge of this area. These turrets were connected by long, corridor-like passageways, encircling the outer perimeter of the area.

In the center of this space surrounded by the turrets, there stood a palace known as the "Honmaru Ohiroma" (Main Keep Great Hall).

The Honmaru offers a beautiful view of the southern side, overlooking the Yoshino area.

The season depicted in the photos presented in this article is around February, but Takatori Castle is also renowned for its beautiful autumn foliage. The foliage is particularly stunning from late November to early December.