Hachiōji Castle

About the castle

 Hachiōji Castle is in Hachiōji city, Tōkyō. The lord of the castle was Hōjō Ujiteru and it was built around Mt.Fukasawa, 460m above sea level, by him. It is believed that the castle was built between 1584 and 1587.

 In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked the castle to take control of Kantō Region. Ujiteru's vassal struggled but the castle fell to Hideyoshi’s troops in a day. The lord Ujiteru was absent then because he was at Odawara Castle.

 The most important places in the castle is the main enclosure, but it is thought that there was no large building like a main tower (keep) there, because the plain is not very large.

  • Some stone walls
    There are some stone walls in Hachiōji Castle.
  • A enclosure near the foot.
    A enclosure near the foot. It is called Kaneko Kuruwa.
  • The scenery seen from near the top.
    The scenery seen from near the top.
  • The third enclosure.
    The third enclosure. It is called Komiya Kuruwa.
  • The second enclosure.
    The second enclosure. It is called Matsuki Kuruwa.
  • The main enclosure.
    The main enclosure. It is called Sanchō Kuruwa.
↑TOP

Main Palace of the Castle

 Hachiōji Castle had a main palace. It is called Gosyuden. The castle was built on a steep mountain but they did not always defend near the top. They usually lived in the main palace at the foot of the mountain.

 Part of the foundation of Hachiōji Castle is in very good condition now. It is good to visit. First, there was a front gate. It is called ōte-mon. Next, there is an old path ahead. There is a bridge on the way and there is entrance across the bridge. When we climbed the stone steps, there was a gate. It is called kabuki-mon. Finally, go through the gate and we will arrive at the ruins of the main palace.

  • A front gate ruin.
    When we climbed the stone steps (center of picture), there was a front gate.
  • The old path.
    The old path.
  • The restored bridge was at the end of the old path.
    The restored bridge was at the end of the old path. When I went to the castle, there was not the bridge because it had a problem.
  • The restored entrance.
    The restored entrance.
  • The restored gate called Kabuki-mon.
    The restored Kabuki-mon gate is in front of the ruins of the main palace.
  • A ruin of a garden
    A ruin of a garden was in the northeast of the meeting place (It's called kaisyo: a place where a banquet was held).
  • A ruin of paved stone passage
    A ruin of paved stone passage was next to the meeting place (Kaisho).
  • A ruin of the meeting place
    A ruin of the meeting place with the floor restored.
↑TOP

Hachiōji-jinja Shrine

 Ruins of Hachiōji castle are close to JR Hachiōji station. I have been to there twice. I could get there in about 15 minutes.

 The castle has Hachiōji-jinja Shrine. There was an entrance when I took a walk for about 3 minutes from the guidance facility at the foot of the mountain. The entrance had shrine’s gate (torii). When I climbed a little from there, there was a second gate of the shrine.

 When I could get to the top of the mountain, there were some small shrine’s buildings. It is Hachiōji-jinja Shrine. On the stone it was written “the top of the mountain”, but there was a little more way up. The highest point is the castle's main enclosure.

  • Shrine’s gate
    Shrine’s gate, it's called torii, is close to guidance facility.
  • Second of the shrine’s gate
    Second of the shrine’s gate that we climbed a little from the entrance.
  • On the stone it was written “the top of the mountain”.
    On the stone it was written “the top of the mountain”.
  • A stone statue.
    A stone statue.
  • A small shrine’s building.
    A small shrine’s building. (1)
  • A small shrine’s building.
    A small shrine’s building. (2)
↑TOP
↑TOP