作手城, Mountain fortress in Mikkaido, Japan
Saku-te Castle is a Japanese mountain fortress in Aichi Prefecture built on a high ridge. The ruins display a complex network of stone walls, earthen embankments, and ditches that run up and down the slope, giving visitors a clear sense of the entire defensive layout.
The castle took shape in the first half of the 16th century during the Sengoku wars, serving as a strategic outpost for regional powers. It was later abandoned as political authority shifted and new transportation networks bypassed the mountain stronghold.
The castle takes its name from local slate quarrying that shaped the region's economy for centuries. Walking through the ruins, you can notice how stone extraction influenced settlement patterns and how people built their communities around this resource.
The hike follows well-marked trails that wind through the forest, showing where the castle's original pathways ran. Sturdy shoes and extra time are advisable, as the paths can be steep and navigation across the uneven terrain of the ruins requires attention.
The location was so important that multiple rival Daimyo families fought for control over the span of decades. This changing ownership left marks in the structures, where repairs and alterations from different periods are still visible.
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