Feature
The term "castle ruins" may not be familiar to most people, but it refers to the ruins of a castle where some remains, such as foundations or stone walls, remain. It is said that there were once around 2 to 3 castles in Japan, and there are castle ruins in various places in Shima City.
In fact, there are many castle ruins in the land surrounded by the sea and mountains of Shima, including castle ruins related to Kuki Yoshitaka, who led the Kuki Navy during the Sengoku period, and the Shima Thirteen, who had influence in Shima. In this special feature, we will introduce the castle ruins of Shima City while touching on the topography and history where traces of the castle ruins still remain!
*About the spelling of "castle ruins" and "castle ruins"
In this special feature, those that still have remains are referred to as "castle ruins," and those that no longer exist are referred to as "castle ruins."
When you hear Shima city, many people may think of beautiful seas and nature, but in the past, this area was dotted with castles. The Shima Thirteen, a group of 13 land lords who held sway in the Shima region, and the Kuki Navy, a navy of Shima Province that was active during the Sengoku period, each had their own castle here.
Anori Castle (Asenori Castle) is in Shima City.Anori shrineThe castle is located on a hill about 25 meters above sea level within the temple grounds and is said to have been built by Miura Shinsuke (Kokufu Naizen) during the Sengoku period.
Shinsuke Miura was one of the Shima Thirteen and a vassal of the Kitabatake clan, the governor of Ise Province. During the Battle of Sekigahara, the lord of Toba Domain in Shima Province, Moritaka Kuki, temporarily used Anori Castle as his base.
It is possible that it was an important base for maritime traffic, as it overlooks the entrance to the bay from the north. All that remains of the castle are a few earthworks in the mountains directly behind the shrine. Please note that it is in an area that is off-limits to the public.
Every September, the Anori Shrine grounds, which are on the site of Anori Castle,Anori Puppet ShowAnno Puppet Theater is a traditional performing art with over 400 years of history, and the performances by local volunteers are a must-see.
It is said that Anori Puppet Theater began when the feudal lord of Shima Province, Kuki Moritaka, visited Anori Shrine to give thanks and allowed the villagers to perform puppet theater. Within the shrine grounds, there is also an iron gun barrel that was donated by the lord of Toba Domain and is a city-designated tangible cultural property, which is also worth seeing.
| Address | 844 Anori, Agocho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture |
| Phone | Anori shrine 0599-47-3423 Opening hours 9: 30 to 16: 30 |
| Access | 【public transport】 From Kintetsu Ugata Station, take the bus bound for Anori for about 20 minutes, get off at "Anori" and walk for about 20 minutes. Or get off at "Anorizaki Todaiguchi" and walk for about 10 minutes. 【car】 Approximately 167 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 514 and Prefectural Route 30 |
| Parking Lot | None |
Kojo Castle is a hill castle about 20m above sea level that was built by Miura Shinsuke (Kokufu Naizen), one of the XNUMX Shima Jito (Lord Head of the Shima Domain) during the Sengoku period. It has a rare structure for a castle in Shima City facing the sea, with multiple earthworks surrounding the main bailey (an important flat area for a castle).
Even now, earthworks remain on three sides, north, west, and south, and Miura Inari Daimyojin is enshrined at the castle site, giving a sense of history in a quiet atmosphere. There are also information boards set up, so you can learn about the history of Kokufu Castle.
To get to the castle ruins, go past Kokufu Elementary School and there you will come to a hill where you can see a red torii gate. Then climb up this hill.
The highlight is the earthworks that still exist on three sides, giving a glimpse of the castle. Kokufu Shrine, located a short distance from the Kokufu Castle ruins, is where the grave of the castle lord, Shinsuke Miura, is located.
There are rows of cherry trees at the Kokufu Castle ruins, so if you visit during cherry blossom season you can enjoy the scenery even more.
| Address | Kokufu, Agocho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture |
| Access | 【public transport】 From Kintetsu Ugata Station, take the bus bound for Anjo for about 10 minutes, get off at the Golf Course stop, then walk for about 5 minutes. Or, get off at Kokufu Jinja-mae stop, then walk for about 10 minutes. 【car】 Approximately 167 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 514 and Prefectural Route 25 |
| Parking Lot | None |
Satonaka Castle was built on the tip of a hill overlooking the Satonaka area in the northeast back of Ago Bay. The castle is small, measuring about 35m east to west and 75m north to south, but it is located on a hill overlooking the town of Shinmei.
It is unclear when Satonaka Castle was built or who the lord of the castle was, but it is said to have been a secondary castle (a castle built outside the main castle) for Takeda Saemonsuke, the lord of Koga Castle. Currently, the area is a cemetery and forest, and no remains can be confirmed.
Opposite the castle ruins is Shozenji Temple.
| Address | 80 Shinmei, Agocho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture |
| Access | 【public transport】 About 12 minutes walk from Kintetsu Shima Shinmei Station 【car】 Approximately 167 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 25 |
| Parking Lot | None |
Koga Castle is said to have been built south of Kokufu Shirahama.
Because the castle is located on a long, narrow cape jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, no remains can currently be seen due to wave erosion, but a single tree remaining at Koka Fishing Port is said to be the site where the castle once stood.
*There are some areas that are off-limits to anyone other than those involved, so please be careful not to enter these areas.
The lord of the castle is said to have been Takeda Samanosuke, one of the Shima Thirteen.
There are many mysteries surrounding the castle and its lord, but it is said that Takeda Shintora, who was exiled from Kai by Takeda Shingen, was looked after by the people of the domain and gave the surname Takeda to Takeda Samanosuke. At the entrance to Kenshu-ji Temple in Koga village, there is a stone monument engraved with "Koga Castle Site," quietly telling us of the castle's former existence.
We recommend visiting the stone monument that reads "Koga Castle Site" at the entrance to Kenshuji Temple.
Although no remains of the castle remain, the rocky terrain and surrounding scenery give you an idea of what it once looked like. Feel free to visit this spot to trace the history of Shima, along with the tranquil scenery around the fishing port.
| Address | Koga, Ago-cho, Shima City, Mie Prefecture |
| Access | 【public transport】 From Kintetsu Ugata Station, take the Shijima Loop Bus for about 25 minutes, get off at "Koka" and walk for about 5 minutes 【car】 Approximately 167 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 514 and Prefectural Route 30 |
| Parking Lot | None |
Nakiri Castle is a seaside hill castle built in the area around Cape Daiozaki, where the Daiozaki Lighthouse is located.
No clear remains remain of Namikiri Castle, which was built by the fourth head of the Kuki clan, Kuki Takayoshi. However, in Yahata Park, where a stone monument marking the site of Namikiri Kuki Castle stands, there is a rampart-like formation reminiscent of the site of a castle.
The graves of the Kuki clan still remain at the nearby Senyuji Temple.Hachiman san ParkIf you look around at the same time, you can really feel the history.
We recommend that you start by visiting Hachiman Park.
Halfway up the stairs leading to the park, you will find a monument reading "Nakiri Kuki Castle Site," and the park at the top has a great view of the ocean. The nearby Daiosaki Lighthouse is also a must-see. Why not take a stroll through the town of Nakiri, where nature and history blend together, and let your thoughts wander back to the Sengoku period?
| Address | 52 Daiōchō Nakiri, Shima, Mie XNUMX-XNUMX |
| Access | 【public transport】 From Kintetsu Ugata Station, take the bus bound for Oza for about 20 minutes, get off at "Daiouzaki Lighthouse" and walk for 20 minutes 【car】 167 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 33 |
| Parking Lot | Paid parking available nearby (300 yen per car) |
Wagu Castle was the castle of Wagu (Aoyama) Buzen, one of the Shima Thirteen.
Wagu Buzen cooperated with the lord of Koshiga Castle and fought against the Kuki clan, who tried to unify Shima. After the war, Wagu Buzen served the Kuki clan and is said to have been active in many battles.
Currently, the castle is covered with brush and only a few earthworks remain, but it is said that the fields and residential areas around the castle were also part of the castle grounds, so it is possible that it was originally a castle with a vast amount of land. There are private homes in the surrounding area, so when you visit, please be considerate of the residents and try to trace the vestiges of history.
What is noteworthy about Wagu Castle ruins is the natural topography that makes use of the surrounding cliffs.
The stone walls that remain today give an idea of how sturdy the structure was at the time. On the western cliff remains a small shrine to Myojin, who was worshipped as the guardian deity of the castle, and you can sense that the faith of the local people is still alive today.
The hill on the east side, which served as a lookout post, is called "Tome no Oka" (Tome Hill) and from there you can look out over the town of Wagu, making you feel like you're standing on a lookout post.
| Address | Mie Prefecture, Shima City, Shima Town, Wagu, Shiroyama |
| Access | 【public transport】 From Kintetsu Ugata Station, take the bus bound for Oza for about 50 minutes, get off at "Wagu" and walk for 5 minutes. 【car】 Approximately 260 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 45 |
| Parking Lot | None |
Koshiga Castle is a hill castle built on Shiroyama Cape, which juts out from the center of Koshiga village into the Pacific Ocean. The lord of the castle was Koshiga Hayato, who boasted power on a par with Wagu Buzen among the Shima Thirteen, and fought alongside Wagu Buzen against Kuki Yoshitaka. Koshiga Castle fell in a battle with the Kuki clan, and today all that remains at the top of the cape is a square enclosure surrounded by earthworks. The entrance is up a mountain path from the back of a private home, but you can spend some time experiencing Shima's naval culture while feeling the vestiges of history.
The highlight of the Koshiga Castle ruins is its location on the top of a cape surrounded by the sea on three sides, making it an ideal location for a naval castle. Earthworks and square enclosures still remain, giving the impression that it was the base of the Shima navy during the Warring States period. The former Koshiga Village Storehouse, a Mie Prefecture designated historic site, is also located near the Koshiga Castle ruins, and is another hidden gem.
| Address | Mie Prefecture Shima City Shima Town Koshiga Shiroyama |
| Access | 【public transport】 From Kintetsu Ugata Station, take the bus bound for Oza for about 55 minutes, get off at "Echigo" and walk for 5 minutes. 【car】 Approximately 260 minutes from Shiraki IC on the Daini Ise Road via National Route 47 |
| Parking Lot | None |
The castle ruins scattered throughout Shima City are important places that tell the story of the city's past and the activities of its people. Each of the seven castle ruins introduced here has its own story, and you can discover a little-known side of Shima. Some of the ruins have almost no remains, but one of the joys of visiting them is imagining what it was like in the past based on the topography and surrounding place names. Many castle ruins have temples nearby, so it is recommended to visit both. However, there are cases where the ruins are in dangerous places, such as in the mountains or near residential areas, or come into contact with private property. Please be considerate of the local people and always put safety first when walking around.
