What's new

Castle Jindaiji Castle

This article is in the series Walking the Japanese Castles
Leave a rating
28256


Jindaiji Castle (深大寺城 Jindaiji-jō) is adjacent to Jindai-ji temple (深大寺) in Chōfu, Tōkyō, on the northern banks of Tama River. It is unknown when the castle was constructed. Still, according to excavations conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Chōfu City Board of Education, Jindaiji Castle was built in the 15th century.

History


When the Hōjō advanced into Sagami Province (modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture) in the 16th century, the Ogigayatsu Uesugi clan integrated the castle into their line of defensive fortresses in southern Musashi. However, it lost its strategic importance after Hōjō Ujiyasu won the Battle of Kawagoe in 1545, annihilating the allied forces of the Uesugi and Ashikaga Haruuji. The castle was later abandoned. As it had never been reconstructed, it had never been affected by later developments in castle construction and therefore remained a valuable example of medieval Japanese castle architecture.

The castle:


The site of the former castle is located southeast of Jindai-ji temple, just south of Jindai Botanical Garden (神代植物公園 Jindai shokubutsu kōen). At the entrance of the garden, I turned right and walked towards the hill.

28257


Further up the hill was the second enclosure. Stones had been placed in its open space to indicate the outline of the former walls and earthwork surrounded the enclosure.

28259


Dried moats spanned between the first and the second enclosure. Originally, the moats were deeper, but they were covered with soil to protect the remains.

28260


The first enclosure was overgrown by thick vegetation. The castle must have been a rather simple structure.

28261


In contrast with the deserted castle site, the Jindai-ji temple close by was full of worshipers.

28262


On the day of my visit, Hozuki (ground cherry) Fair was held in the precincts of the temple.

28263


Date of visit: 20 July 2013

Access:

  • Address: Jindaiji-motomachi, Chofu-shi, Tokyo
  • Transportation: Jindaiji-mae bus stop from Keio line Chofu station by bus, 3 kilometres from Chuo Expressway Chofu Interchange via Prefectural Route 12
  • Other sights: Jindaiji Temple - Jindaiji Sightseeing Course(Japanese: Choufu Sightseeing Association Website)
Next article in the series 'Walking the Japanese Castles': Kururi Castle
Previous article in the series 'Walking the Japanese Castles': Ueshi Castle
About author
Hiroto Uehara
Hiroto is an ordinary Japanese office worker, but his true mission is searching for castles on the weekend.

Comments

There are no comments to display.

Series table of contents

Iwatsuki Castle Shakujii Castle Oda Castle Tsuchiura Castle Miharu Castle Inohana Castle Setagaya Castle Konodai Castle Usui Castle Sakura Castle Kozukue Castle Masugata Castle Koga Castle Tenjinyama Castle Ogura Castle Sugaya Castle Sugiyama Castle Kogane Castle Kokokuji Castle Nagahama Castle (Izu) Nirayama Castle Hachigata Castle Futagamiyama Castle Edo Castle Kawahara Castle Kageishi Castle Wakasa-Onigajo Castle Tenjinyama Castle (Tottori) Tsuzurao Castle Ueshi Castle Jindaiji Castle Kururi Castle Mariyatsu Castle Narukami Castle Ryozen Castle Kori-Nishiyama Castle Tsutsujigasaki Residence Yogai Castle Kofu Castle Iwadono Castle Hachioji Castle Takiyama Castle Suemori Castle Nagoya Castle Inuyama Castle Kiyosu Castle Tatebayashi Castle Sano Castle Karasawayama Castle Ueda Castle Sanada Residence Sanada Honjo Toishi Castle Katsurao Castle Uchiyama Castle Hiraga Clan Castle Taguchi Castle Tatsuoka Castle Komoro Castle Matsushiro Castle Kajiki Castle Kakuto Castle Hitoyoshi Castle Ichiuji Castle Izaku Castle Chiran Castle Kiyoshiki Castle Kamo Castle Miyakono Castle Obi Castle Shibushi Castle Koyama Castle Mukasa Castle Sadowara Castle Tonokoori Castle Taka Castle Nerima Castle Kawagoe Castle Ashikaga Residence Koizumi Castle Kanayama Castle Shinagawa Battery (Odaiba) Tamba Kameyama Castle Yagi Castle Sonobe Castle Fushimi Castle Yodo Castle Shoryuji Castle Yamazaki Castle Tsukui Castle Katakura Castle Hirayama Castle Site Park Yamanaka Castle Sanuki Castle Sunpu Castle Koyama Castle (Shizuoka) Ryugenzan Castle Sagara Castle Tanaka Castle (Shizuoka) Ishiwaki Castle Hanazawa Castle Mochifune Castle Moriyama Castle (Aichi) Obata Castle (Aichi) Ryusenji Castle Gakuden Castle Komakiyama Castle Iwakura Castle (Aichi) Kano Castle Gifu Castle Kitagata Castle Sone Castle Ōgaki Castle Ōtaki Castle Obata Castle (Ibaraki) Mito Castle Kasama Castle Tanagura Castle Akadate Castle Inawashiro Castle Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle Mukai-Haguroyama Castle

Article information

Author
Hiroto Uehara
Article read time
2 min read
Views
1,967
Last update
Location
深大寺城

More in Tokyo

More from Hiroto Uehara

Back
Top Bottom