Takanashi clan fortified residence

The Takanashi clan fortified residence is a medieval compound that once occupied a rectangular area protected by defensive water channels. A moat running approximately ten meters wide and three meters deep surrounded the entire perimeter with its distinctive V-shaped profile.

The Takanashi family controlled northern Shinano Province from the 15th through 16th centuries. Their authority came to an end when they resisted Oda Nobunaga, whose expanding military campaigns brought the region under his command.

The residence takes its name from the Takanashi family, who ruled this region during the Muromachi period. Walking through the excavated grounds today, visitors can sense how this compound served as both a home and a center of local power for this ruling family.

The site sits within easy walking distance of Shinshū-Nakano Station on the Nagano Electric Railway, roughly ten minutes on foot. The excavated grounds are open to visitors and feature marked paths guiding you through the archaeological discoveries.

Archaeological work between 1986 and 1994 uncovered a Sengoku-period garden, the only known example from that era in Nagano Prefecture. This garden blends water and rock arrangements in a way that remains rare and undocumented elsewhere in the region.

Location: Nakano

GPS coordinates: 36.74472,138.37667

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:05