Sanada Honjō Castle

Architecture, patrimoine et histoire · Préfecture de Nagano

The main castle of the Sanada, known as Sanada Honjō or Sanada-shi Honjō, occupies a summit in the Chōjūrinji district of the Sanada area of Ueda. Also known as Matsuo Castle, Matsuo-shinjō, Sanada-yamajō or Jūrinji-jō, it is said to have been the heart of the Sanada domain in the 16th century, under Sanada Yukitaka, his son Nobutsuna and then Masayuki, before the family moved to Ueda Castle. According to Edo-period genealogies, Yukitaka, from the Unno clan, built Matsuo Castle here and took the name of the valley. The site was part of a complete system: the lord's residence at the foot of the mountain served as the seat of government, Toishi Castle opposite acted as a forward post, and the mountain castle served as a refuge in case of siege. Its enclosures are aligned along a north-south ridge and retain earthen ramparts and moats. From the main enclosure, the view takes in the Sanada valley, Toishi and the Ueda basin. The site is designated a cultural property of the city of Ueda.