Enshu, a vital point revered as “whoever wants to controls Takatenjin, controls Enshu first”
Takatenjin Castle was a mountain castle built on the 100-meter high ridge of Kakuo-zan (Mount Kōtenjin), which overlooks the eastern coast of Totomi Province (Shizuoka Prefecture). The castle, divided into two peaks, east and west, is surrounded by steep cliffs formed by deep valleys, boasting a naturally fortified position.
As a crucial stronghold situated at the entrance from Suruga to Totomi, this castle served as Tokugawa Ieyasu’s stronghold, in coordination with Kakegawa Castle to the north, to defend against threats from the east. However, it fell under the fierce attack of Takeda Katsuyori in 1574.
Ieyasu, waiting for reinforcements from Oda Nobunaga, intended to confront the Takeda forces in a decisive battle. However, due to Nobunaga being engaged in multiple operations and lacking the troops to spare, his support was delayed. As a result, the defending general of the Tokugawa forces, Ogasawara Nagatada, who were cut off from any hope of reinforcements, surrendered after a month-long siege.
Takanjin Castle, which is said to have been impregnable even to Takeda Shingen, Katsuyori’s father, now is taken down for Katsuyori. Therefore, “Takanjin” became a symbolic presence to showcase his military prowess, transforming it into a strategic base for the Takeda forces, overlooking Kakegawa Castle to the north and Hamamatsu Castle to the west.
Since then, Katsuyori has dedicated efforts to strengthen the castle’s defensive capabilities. He constructed new fortifications centered around the west castle on a higher ridge to the west of the existing castle.
The purpose was to prevent the enemy from seizing the high ground and enable coordinated attacks from the east and west, showering the enemy with arrows and gunfire from the sides. After suffering a major defeat against the combined forces of Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Battle of Nagashino the following year, Katsuyori sought to rebuild his forces. During this period, further renovations were carried out to withstand enemy attacks alone.
(To be continued in the next part)
This article is presented to you by
If you want to know
more about Samurai If you’re interested in Samurais and Japanese history, then you’re in for a real treat with these period dramas! SAMURAI VS NINJA’s subscription service offers unlimited access to shows featuring Zatoichi, Miyamoto Musashi, and other cool samurais!In the early Heian period when the samurai appeared, their main job was to protect important people such as the imperial family. Enjoy period dramas on SAMURAI VS NINJA that will surely satisfy samurai, ninja, and geisha lovers.
