Château de Kanumajo, Japanese castle in Kanuma, Japan
Kanumajo was a castle built on level ground in Tochigi Prefecture with traditional stone walls and defensive features typical of 16th-century Japanese fortifications. The site now displays the remaining stone foundations and structures with educational panels describing how the layout served defensive purposes.
The clan built the castle during the Sengoku period and lost it to the Tokugawa in 1590 when Japan underwent unification under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This transfer reflected the larger shift toward centralized power happening across the nation at that time.
The site preserves elements of feudal military architecture through its stone foundations and layout that once protected the clan stronghold. Walking through the grounds reveals how defenders organized the space to control access and monitor the surrounding area.
The site is open to visitors who can walk the grounds and view the stone foundations at their own pace using the educational panels as guides. The paths are generally easy to navigate, though the terrain can be uneven in places.
While only stone foundations remain visible today, archaeological evidence reveals the castle once featured sophisticated water management systems for both defense and daily use. This hidden engineering achievement often goes unnoticed by visitors focused on the visible walls.
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