Kakunodate Castle, Hill castle in Semboku, Japan

Kakunodate Castle is a mountaintop castle (yamashiro) on Mount Furushiro in Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture. Only ruins remain at the site, which lies to the north of the samurai district and can be reached on foot in about 20 to 30 minutes. The castle is also known as Asakura Castle and Ryugasaki Castle.

In 1424 the Tozawa clan moved its seat from Kadonoya Castle to Kakunodate Castle on Mount Komatsu. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Ashina Yoshihiro entered in 1602 and laid out the town grid that became present-day Kakunodate. The castle was abandoned in 1620 under the one-castle-per-domain decree, and in 1656 the Satake clan took over the estate until the Meiji era.

The castle site connects to Kakunodate's samurai district, where numerous traditional residences reflect how people lived during feudal times. Walking through these streets gives a sense of the social order that defined the region back then.

The path to the summit starts from the samurai district and climbs steeply uphill, requiring about a 30-minute walk. Sturdy shoes are helpful for the steep slope, especially after rain when the ground can be slippery.

The castle site on Mount Furushiro is marked by a single pale stone post inscribed with vertical characters, standing in grass among fallen leaves. It is easy to miss, but this marker identifies the former castle grounds.