Château de Kawamurashiro, Mountain fortress in Yamakita, Japan.
Kawamura Castle is a mountain fortress in Yamakita, in Kanagawa Prefecture, built at a point where three old provinces meet. The site is made up of several rows of earthen walls, dry moats, and fortified paths that run across steep slopes with open views over the surrounding land.
The fortress was founded in the late Heian period by the Kawamura family and became a key point during the conflicts between the Northern and Southern Courts in 1352. Over the following centuries, different clans used the site as an outpost to control the surrounding region.
The name comes from the Kawamura family, who controlled this land across several generations. Visitors can walk along the earthen walls and dry moats that show how this hilltop was used as a defended point for a long time.
The site is easy to reach from Yamakita Station on the JR Gotemba Line, and two marked trails with different levels of difficulty lead through the grounds. Sturdy shoes are strongly recommended, as the slopes are steep and can be slippery when wet.
Excavations on the grounds uncovered a trench system that stands apart from typical Japanese fortress designs, suggesting local builders developed their own solutions. This makes the site of interest to anyone curious about how medieval military construction varied from one region to another.
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