Japanese Castle guide in Japan castle Historical site Statue Introduction.

[Castle name]
Karasawa mountain castle
the residence of Sano Masatsuna

[Description]
Karasawa Mountain Castle is located in Fuji Town and Tochimoto Town, Sano City, Tochigi Province. Jisho 4 year (1180), Fujihawa Naritoshi renovated the castle, and named it Mr. Sano. Naritoshi spent almost 30 years to finish the renovation.

During Sengoku Period, Mr. Sano was enclosed by Mr. Hojo and Mr. Uesugi and had lots of difficulties. Eiroku 2 year (1559), Sano Masatsuna was enclosed by Mr. Hojo Ujimasa’s army and thanks to the reinforcement from Uesugi Kensin he defeated the army.

Masatsuna gave his second son [Tora Matsumaru] to Uesugi Kensin, but his eldest son [Munetsuna] had conflict with [Tora Matsumaru]. Tensho 4 year (1576), [Uesugi Kensin] helped Tora Matsumaru with 15000 soldiers enclose Munetsuna in Karasawa Mountain Castle but the castle did not fall down.

After that, Mr. Yuki, Mr. Oyama and Mr. Minakawa helped Mr. Kensin to attack Mr. Sano, they attached Mr. Uesugi. Tensho 15 year (1587), Mr. Sano adopted the fifth son of Hojo Ujiyasu.
However, Tensho 18 year (1590), when the Battle of Odawara occurred, the master [Sano Ujitada (Hojo Ujitada)] stayed in Odawara Castle. When Mr. Hojo finished the battle, [Ujinao] moved to Takano Mountain.

On the other hand, when [Sano Fusatsuna] adopted Ujitada from Mr. Hojo, he left Mr. Sano and served [Toyotomi Hideyoshi]. Because of that, he was allowed to inherit Sano family after Hojo Battle. Bunroku 2 year (1593), in order to comfort Mr. Sano, Fusatsuna adopted [Nobutane], the second son of [Tomita Ippaku], who was the vasssal of Hideyoshi, and Hideyoshi named him [Sano Nobuyoshi].

Keicho 5 year (1600), Nobuyoshi belonged to Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara, and he established Sano Clan at 35000 stones. Keicho 7 year (1602), he built [Sano Castle] under the foot of Karasawa Mountain and moved his base here. [Karasawa Mountain Castle] was abandoned in Heian Period.

Nowadays, stones, soil, moats, well and other things are left on the current Karasawa Mountain Castle ruins. It is considered as the national historical treasure.

[Address,access]
〒327-0801 Fuji Town, Sano City, Tochigi Province

[Map]