This article was created using a translator. There may be expressions that are difficult to understand. If you have any questions, please check by yourself.
Hello~. This time, I visited Hanakura Castle Ruins, which is registered as a designated historical site in Fujieda City.
In Fujieda City, there are mainly castle historic sites such as Tanaka Castle, Asahina Castle, and Hanakura Castle, which we visited this time. There are still others, but these three are the main ones. Please see below for an article on Tanaka Castle (Shimoyashiki).
What is Hanakura Castle?
Hanakura Castle is known as the castle built by the Imagawa family and was the setting for the “Hanakura Rebellion,” a struggle for the Imagawa family’s governorship.
The Hanakura Rebellion is said to have broken out as a result of a battle between Yoshimoto Imagawa and his half-brother, Genko-Utaen, for control of the family. The Fukushima clan, a vassal of the Imagawa clan, supported Genko Uetan and resisted Yoshimoto using Hanakura Castle as their base of operations. It is said that Genko Eetan was an ascetic monk at Henshokoji Temple (present-day Henshoji Temple) in Hanakura and was called Hanakura-dono. That must be why it is called “Hanakura-no-ran.
However, this “Hanakura Rebellion” failed because Yoshimoto was blamed for it, and Genko Etsan committed suicide after fleeing, and the curtain fell on Yoshimoto’s succession to the family governor.
Hanakura no Sato
I know this is out of the blue, but it was quite a challenge this time. I could not get there by the way people thought it was possible to go, and after asking around, I was able to get there without any problems.
First of all, have you ever heard of a place called “Hanakura-no-sato”?
I went there because I thought I could reach Hanakura Castle Ruins from that area.
There is a signboard around the entrance of the area that reads, “Information on Hanakura.
You think you can go there, don’t you? LOL!
The Hanakura Hachiman Shrine is located right around the signboard above. I paid my respects to the shrine with the feeling of “I am going to visit Hanakura from now on.
The shrine looks like this
We left Hachiman Shrine and just kept going north, looking at google maps.
On the map, we were gradually approaching Hanakura Castle and the road was getting steeper and more mountainous, so we felt we were getting closer.
I had seen information that Hanakura Castle was a mountain castle located near the top of a 296-meter-high mountain, so it was no surprise 💦.
However, it started to feel too mountainous or unmaintained, which made me uneasy.
And my fears are right on target.
It’s a dead end. Tears.
Just around here ↓ (google map screencap)
The correct way to get to Hanakura Castle Ruins
We have no choice but to turn around and go home for the day, when we meet a local working on the slope of the mountain.
He is clearly looking at me with a quizzical look on his face. Is it any wonder?
I tell him about the situation and he informs me that it is no longer possible to go to Hanakura Castle from this side of the route. It seems that a few times a year, there are people who get lost like me.
I want such lost people to read this article.
If you want to go there, there seems to be a route to go up from a district called Kamikawa on the other side of the mountain. If it were Mt. Fuji, does that mean I have to go around to the Yamanashi side because the Shizuoka side is no good?
However, it didn’t sound like it would be that difficult, so we decided to go there anyway.
The key phrase I heard from this local was, “When you see a big pond, turn left.”
・・・・ Are you okay, me?
I proceeded to the Kamikawa area as I was told, and there is a sign~!
I wonder if the big pond is this “Kamikawa Pond”? It kind of increased the sense of exploration and fun.
And then, when you go all the way down the road, there’s a big puddle of something…
A pond!
…maybe.
It looks like just a swamp, but if you’re hoping it’s a keyword pond…
A sign appeared~.
If Kamigawa Pond is gone, then is that the Kamigawa Pond we just saw?
In the end it was, and still is, unknown until the end.
If you follow the sign above, the path is quite steep.
There is no dead end in the first half of the trail.
The road just continues on through the mountains where the slopes are quite steep and tea fields are spread out.
After a while, the road is cut off, and the google map says “Hanakura Castle Ruins, Oteguchi”.
What? Is this the Oteguchi?
No doubt. Is this the major entrance?
It looks like it is a hiking course. There is quite a difference in elevation, so I was quite tired even up to this point.
No, we should have come this way from the beginning, right?
