This page shares the information of the ruins of Nagashino Castle and historical sites located near the ruins of Nagashino Castle.

Back side of the main bailey, the moat is located between the second bailey located to the north. At Nagashino Battle, surrounding baileys were occupied by TAKEDA Army. So, the moat between the first bailey and the second bailey was the last defense for OKUDAIRA Sadamasa, the castle lord of Nagashino Castle. He was just twenty-one years old at Nagashino Battle.

To the east of Nagashino Castle, the Iida Line runs. Beyond the railway line. Toyogawa River flows from the north to the south.

To the south, the Kansagawa River flows.

At the Nagashino Battle, Nagashino Castle was completely surrounded by TAKEDA Army. The castle solders had almost no hope. The last hope was to ask TOKUGAWA Ieyasu for reinforcements. TOKUGAWA Ieyasu was located at Okazaki Castle. As Nagashino Castle was completely surrounded by their army, it was an impossible mission to escape from Nagashino Castle to Okazaki. But, TORII Suneemon(1540 - 1575) offered to do the mission.

Please refer the page of "Okazaki Castle" for more detailed description.
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Chubu/OkazakiCastle_E.html

He jumped into the river at night on May 14th, 1575. He swam a couple of kilometers to break out of the siege of TAKEDA Army. Then, he ran to Okazaki where 65 kilometers away from Nagashino Castle. TORII Suneemon met TOKUGAWA Ieyasu and ODA Nobunaga at OKAZAKI Castle on May 15th. ODA - TOKUGAWA Alliance with an army 38,000 strong was ready for the battle at Nagashino Castle.

TORII Suneemon rushed back to Nagashino Castle to tell his fellow that the reinforcements would come soon. Unfortunately, he was caught by TAKEDA Army just before he arrived at Nagashino Castle on May 16th. TAKEDA Katsuyori met TORII Suneemon and ordered to tell to castle solders that reinforcements would not come. TORII Suneemon agreed to do, but he shouted to castle soldiers that reinforcements would come within a couple of days.

The message of TORII Suneemon encouraged the castle soldiers a lot, but TORII Suneemon was crucified upside down and killed in front of castle soldiers. Nagashino Castle was withstood two more days against TAKEDA's Army, until May 18th. On the day, ODA-Tokugawa Alliance with an army 38,000 strong arrived at Shitaragahara, approximately four kilometers west of Nagashino Castle.

Please refer the page of "Shitaragahara Battle Field" for more detailed description of Shitaragahara Battle.
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Chubu/Shitaragahara_E.html

To the south from Nagashino Castle across the Kansagawa River, the monument which tells the place where TOTII Suneemon was crucified on the river terrace. The view of the river terrace is very peaceful, but this was a bloody place four hundred and fifty years ago.

The below picture shows the monument. Because of TORII Suneemon's bravery, his descendants were well employed by the OKUDAIRA Clan.

ODA Nobunaga made a grave for TORII Suneemon to bury TORII Sunnemon with proper and well mourning. The grave is located at Shinshoji Temple, six hundred meters west from the monument.

Thus, young castle lord, OKUDAIRA Sadamasa protected Nagashino Castle against TAKEDA Katsuyori. These results brought the great successes to OKUDAIRA Sadamada and his descendants. OKURAIRA Sadamasa became the feudal domain lord of "Kano" in present-say Gifu and his descendants were the castle lord of Nakatsu Castle and feudal domain lord in Nakatsu, until the end of the "Edo" Age(1603 - 1868).

Please refer the page of "Ruins of Nakatsu Castle" for more the detailed description of Nakatsu Castle.
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Kyushu/NakatsuCastle_E.html

Iouji Temple, Positions of TAKEDA Army

There are a couple of sites of TAKEDA Army's Positions, surrounding the ruins of Nagashino Castle. Approximately two-hundreds and fifty meters to the north, Daitsuji Temple is located. When TAKEDA Katsuyori attacked Nagashino Castle, TAKEDA Katsuyori placed the frontline base at Daitsuji Temple.

The Main Hall of Daitsuji Temple is located halfway of a small hill.

The view from the main hall of Daitsuji Temple to the south. The ruins of Nagashino Castle are located behind the trees shown in the middle of the below picture.

If you walk up the slope behind the main hall, you will see a well and spring water.

On May 19th in 1575, the night before the battle of Shitaragahara, TAKEDA Katsuyori hold a war council at Iouji Temple, where his headquarters were located. The purpose of the council was to break out battles against ODA-TOKUGAWA Alliance with an army 30,000 strong, while TAKEDA Army had an army 15,000 strong.

At the council, BABA Nobufusa(1515 - 1575), YAMAGATA Masakage(1515 or 1529 - 1575) and other senior vassals were against the battle against ODA-TOKUGAWA Alliance. But, TAKEDA Katsuyori (1546 - 1582) , the lord of TAKEDA Clan, did not listen and decided to break out the battle on the following day.

BABA Nobufusa, YAMAGATA Masakage, NAITO Masatoyo(1522 - 1575) and TSUCHIYA Masatsugu(1545 - 1575), those who were senior vassals of TAKEDA Katsuyori, steeled themself to die at the battle. After the war council, they shared the cup of water from the well.

In Japan, "Sharing the cup of water" is the ceremony for the final farewell in this life. These four senior vassals lost their lives at Shitaragahara Battle, broken out on the following day.

Approximately one kilometer north from Daitsuji Temple, Iouji Temple is located. The main gate of Iouji Temple is very impressive.

At Nagashino Siege, TAKEDA Katsuyori set up his headquarters at Iouji Temple. Iouji Temple was founded in 1514. He also had the war council at the night before Shitaragahara Battle, here in Iouji Temple.

After the war council held at Iouji Temple, TAKEDA Army marched to Shitaragahara, preparing the battle against ODA-TOKUGAWA Alliance.

Shitaragahara Battle broken out early in the morning on May 21, 1575. more than ten thousand soldiers of TAKEDA Army died at the battle and many escaped from the battle field, by noon on the day. TAKEDA Katsuyori made a retreat with only hundreds of direct soldiers.

BABA Nobufusa also assisted the retreat of TAKEDA Katsuyori and saw TAKEDA Katsuyori off along TOYOGAWA River, approximately 4.5 kilometers to the north from the Shitaragahara Battle Field.

The above picture shows the place where BABA Nobufusa saw TAKEDA Katsuyori off after the battle. TAKEDA Katsuyori retreated all the way to present-day, Kofu City in Yamanashi Prefecture where his headquarters were located.

BABA Nobufusa was killed by a soldier of ODA Army who chased TAKEDA Katsuyori. In a mountain near the place where BABA Nobufusa saw TAKEDA Katsuyori off, a guide plate shows the place where BABA Nobufusa died. It is said that BABA Nobufusa was surrounded by the enemy and was deliberately killed by an enemy soldier without resisting.

The grave of BABA Nobufusa is located approximately 3.5 kilometers to the south from the place where he died.

"They die well that live well."
I think this proverb is for BABA Nobufusa.

As TAKEDA Army lost many senior vassals and soldiers, they kept losing their power after at the battle in Shitaragahara. The TAKEDA Clan finally went ruin in 1582.

How to get there
From Tokyo and Osaka, take a bullet train on the Tokaido Shinkansen to Toyohashi. Change to a local train on the Iida Line at Toyohashi. Take off the train at Nagashinojyo Station. The ruins of Nagashino Castle is located approximately 0.6 kilometers to the south-west. Rent-a-cycle is available at the ruins of Nagashino Castle.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Shitaragahara Battle Field
Ruins of Old Castles in Tsukude
Ruins of Okazaki Castle