Nagaoka Castle

Nagaoka Castle is a former Japanese fortress in Nagaoka now preserved as an archaeological site. Only foundation stones and reconstructed wall sections remain from the original structure, displayed in the local museum.

The fortress was established in 1537 as a stronghold during the Sengoku period, an era of constant power struggles among regional warlords. Hori Naoyori rebuilt it in 1618 and reinforced its role as a military base in the early Edo era.

The name comes from the castle town that formed here in the 16th century and later shaped the modern city. Visitors today find a small park with information panels where the main keep once stood.

The site sits just a three-minute walk from Nagaoka Station and is freely accessible. The nearby city museum displays original wall fragments and provides context about the former compound.

Workers uncovered the foundation stones in 1954 during subway construction and salvaged them for posterity. Some of these stones were later embedded into the walls of the local history museum and remain visible there today.