Kasugayama Castle, Mountain fortress in Joetsu, Japan.
Kasugayama Castle is a hill fortress in Joetsu, Japan, with stone walls and earthen banks arranged across several terraces on the mountainside. Defensive ditches run along the flanks, while narrow pathways between the stacked platforms connect the different levels.
The castle emerged in the mid-16th century as the seat of Uesugi Kenshin and was gradually abandoned after his death in 1578. Over the following decades, new rulers moved their headquarters to the lowlands, allowing the fortress to fall into decline.
The fortress takes its name from the nearby Kasuga shrine and sits embedded in the wooded slopes rising above the city. Visitors today walk trails once used by samurai troops, with cedars and beeches lining the old defense lines.
The climb to the ruins takes around 40 minutes and involves uneven ground that can become slippery in wet weather. Sturdy footwear and drinking water are advisable, as there are no facilities on the mountain.
The layout avoids tall stone towers and instead relies on low platforms that follow the curves of the terrain. This design made the fortress less visible from below and harder for attackers to navigate in the dense forest.
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