Katsuragaoka chashi-ato, Ainu fortification ruins in Abashiri, Japan
Katsuragaoka chashi-ato is an Ainu fortification on an elevated plateau with two earthen mounds overlooking the Sea of Okhotsk in northern Hokkaido. The site preserves visible foundation remains and offers clear evidence of how Ainu people built their defensive structures.
This fortification developed during the Muromachi period and received official recognition as a Historic Site of Japan in 1935. The structure reflects how Ainu people adapted their settlements to changing circumstances over centuries.
The site shows how Ainu communities organized their settlements for both protection and daily life. Open spaces within the fortification reveal where people gathered and carried out common activities.
The site sits within Katsuragaoka Park and is accessible on foot with clear ground-level paths. Information panels scattered throughout explain the construction methods and help visitors understand the layout.
The location gave inhabitants command over both land routes and sea passages, making it a strategic point for controlling trade. From this elevated position, they could watch approaching vessels and monitor movement across the region.
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