Tajihi-Sarugake Castle, Hill castle in Akitakata, Japan.
Tajihi-Sarugake Castle sits on a mountain peak and displays the typical features of Japanese hilltop fortresses with stone walls and defensive structures built during the feudal period. The remains are still visible as foundation outlines and show how these fortifications were strategically planned.
This fortress was founded before 1500 and became the seat of the Mōri family, with Mōri Motonari leading the clan there for several decades. The stronghold was eventually abandoned and left in ruins.
The ruins show how local lords displayed their power through fortified structures built high on the mountain. Today visitors can sense how the elevated location served both defensive and symbolic purposes.
Access is by marked hiking trails that lead up from the base to the summit where the remains stand. Information boards placed throughout the site explain the ruins and help visitors understand the old fortifications.
This fortress received designation as a National Historic Site in 1940, a recognition shared with nearby Yoshida-Kōriyama Castle in the same area. This shared status highlights how important the region was as a center of Mōri power.
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