Takatori: From the Tosa Kaido Castle Town, Climbing to the Takatori Castle Ruins and Descending to Tsubosaka-dera Temple

This mountain walking course begins at Tsubosakayama Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line, taking you through the castle town along Tosa Kaido. Ascend the mountain trail to the Takatori Castle Ruins, counted as one of Japan's three great mountain castles. From the ruins where stone walls still remain, descend the mountain to visit Tsubosaka-dera Temple (Minami-Hokke-ji Temple) and return to the station.

History and Local Charm

Takatori flourished as the castle town of the 25,000-koku Takatori Domain. The castle was built at the summit of Mount Takatori (583.6 meters above sea level), which rises in the southern corner of the Yamato Plain. The castle is said to have originated in 1332 (Genko 2). In 1640 (Kanei 17 of the Edo period), Uemura Iemasa became the castle lord, and descendants of the Uemura clan retained control until the Meiji Restoration.

Because living in a castle atop a mountain was inconvenient, the residences of the feudal lord and retainers were relocated along the highway during the Uemura era. In this way, an elongated castle town developed, directly facing Mount Takatori. Its main street was Tosa Kaido, where as many as 500 merchant houses are said to have stood side by side back then. The name "Tosa" is said to have originated at the beginning of the Asuka period, when people from Tosa (present-day Kochi) who were summoned to build the capital could not return to their homeland and settled here.

On the mountain west-southwest of the castle stands Tsubosaka-dera Temple. It is said to have been founded in 703 (Taiho 3) by the monk Benki of Gango-ji Temple, and is the sixth temple on the Saigoku Sanjusansho (33-temple Kannon pilgrimage). Its principal image, the Eleven-faced Thousand-armed Kannon, has long drawn faith as a Kannon that heals eye ailments. The tale recounting this divine favor, "Tsubosaka Reigenki," tells the story of Osato and Sawaichi, a married couple from Tosa town. The castle town, the castle, and the temple are all connected by a single road.

Key Highlights

• ​Tosa Kaido​​: Old streetscapes with low eaves and renjimado (wooden-latticed windows) continue along the street. Many of the townhouses are "tsushi-nikai-date" (two-story structures where the upper floor is kept to an attic-like space), and mushikomado (eaves-level barred windows) were installed so residents would not look down on the feudal lord. Water channels run along both sides of the road, and tiles depicting nine types of medicinal herbs are embedded at various spots in the cobblestones. Fudanotsuji is the intersection where the Tsubosaka-michi road branches off from Tosa Kaido; a signpost inscribed with "Right: to Tsubosaka" still stands there.
• ​Takatori Castle Ruins​​: While none of the buildings remain, the sites of the main keep base (tenshudai), gates, and watchtowers preserve nearly their original scale alongside sturdy stone walls. At the junction of the Otesuji and Okaguchimon paths stands the Saru-ishi Stone, presumed to have been made around the 7th century during the Asuka period. Near the former Otemon Gate, the stone walls become increasingly formidable, and from the Kunimi Yagura watchtower site at a dead end, you can overlook the Yamato Plain. From the honmaru (main bailey) ruins, the mountains of Yoshino can be viewed to the south.
• ​Tsubosaka-dera Temple (Minami-Hokke-ji Temple)​​: The main hall housing the principal image is an octagonal hall (Hakkaku-endo). Both the Reido (worship hall) and the three-story pagoda are designated as national Important Cultural Properties. Next to the main hall is the "Toshin-no-tani" (Valley of the Leap), where Osato and Sawaichi are said to have thrown themselves, and statues of the couple stand above it. Within the temple grounds, there is also the Tenjiku-tokai Great Kannon Stone Statue, which was carved in India in 66 separate pieces, transported to Japan, and assembled here.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The estimated total time is about 6 hours. After getting off at Tsubosakayama Station, use the Musokan tourist information center as a base to stroll along Tosa Kaido. Continuing along the road, it takes about 50 minutes to walk from the station to the Kamikoshimasawa Sabo Park. From here, the route becomes the mountainous Otesuji trail, ascending past the Saru-ishi Stone and the Ninomon Gate for about 70 minutes to the Takatori Castle Ruins. From the station to the castle ruins is about a 2-hour walk one way (4.5 km).

From the castle ruins, descend toward the west-southwest to Tsubosaka-dera Temple, which takes about 1 hour on foot. Visiting the temple takes about 50 minutes. For the return trip, it takes about 60 minutes to walk back to Tsubosakayama Station. Adding up the estimated walking intervals, the walking time is about 4 hours in total.

Takatori Castle Ruins is a mountain castle site; there are no shops, vending machines, or flush toilets within the grounds. Please prepare all supplies in the castle town beforehand. Wear clothing suited for mountain hiking, including sneakers and long-sleeved shirts. Because many parts of the stone walls along the castle trail are at risk of collapsing, do not approach them unnecessarily. The sun sets early in the mountains, so please keep your descent time in mind.

Experience Summary

From a castle town lined with low-eaved townhouses, head up to the stone ruins of a mountain castle, then descend to a temple dedicated to the Kannon of eye healing. When you find the marker reading "Right: to Tsubosaka" at Fudanotsuji in the castle town, call to mind Tsubosaka-dera Temple and the tale of the couple Osato and Sawaichi. At the end of your day, you will be able to see the statues of the two standing above the valley.