Ruins of Tamanawa Castle

Tamanawa Castle is typical of the mountain castles often built in the Sengoku era. This castle enjoyed unrivaled power in this area, but little vestige remains of its former glory as you find the site now crowded with school buildings and private houses.

Since it was built in 1512 as a strategic point for attacking the Miura Peninsula, Tamanawa Castle received several attacks by powerful armies of the Sengoku era, but prevented their invasion until it finally surrendered to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590. Later it was dismantled in 1619.

<Structure of a castle>
Because it stands in the mountains, Tamanawa Castle featured many natural defenses, including the steep slopes now called Nanamagari and Fuanzaka, which may make you understand how difficult it was to take this castle. Now you will find school buildings near the center of the site of the castle, with little remaining of its former splendor.

* Nanamagari
Since the way bends repeatedly in the steep hill, it is referred to as Nanamagari. The both sides which went up to the top to the Tamanawa Castle side are banks. An attack and defense had come to be able to do the inner side of bank to the enemy by whom is Hiraba and it has been attacked from the bottom.

* Fuwan Hill
It can defend now by Hiraba who looks down on a slope on both sides on a steep slope.

* Suwadan
The bank which existed in the east side of Honmaru. It is a rectangular flat ground in the highest part of Tamanawa Castle. Suwadan is the highest place of the inside of a castle, and also became the place which acts as watch. Moreover, a daimyo with a castle is the place which finally defends, and it is told that Suwa Jinja which is the guardian deity of a castle was deified. Since it is in the site of Seisen High school now, permission of a school is required in advance to see the sights. (Saturday and Sunday, public holiday and a day with a school event is improper)