杉本城, Mountain fortress in Kanagawa, Japan
Sugimoto Castle sits at the summit of Mount Sugimoto with multiple defensive terraces built from stone at different elevations carved into the mountainside. The layout uses the steep slopes and ridges to create layered fortification lines.
This site served as a military outpost in the late Kamakura period, protecting northern approaches to Kamakura from potential threats. Its elevated position and layered defenses were key to controlling the surrounding region.
The stone walls here show how medieval Japanese builders used the mountainside itself as a defense, blending architecture with the natural landscape.
You can reach these ruins by hiking through a forested trail that connects to other historical sites in the Kanagawa area. Bring sturdy shoes and allow enough time for a steady climb through the woods.
Stone walls here extend for hundreds of meters along the ridge, making it one of the largest mountain fortifications in eastern Japan. This scale is striking because such expansive defenses are uncommon in this region.
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