CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Next 100 Fine Castles No. 129
What makes this castle distinctive
Takeda Katsuyori built it as his new capital, then set it on fire himself only about 70 days after moving in.
Why?
In 1581 Takeda Katsuyori moved his seat here from the Tsutsujigasaki residence in Kofu. "Shinpu" means "new capital." But in March 1582, with Oda forces closing in, Katsuyori set fire to the unfinished castle and fled, and he died by his own hand days later, ending the Takeda clan.[1][2][4]
The round barbican and crescent moat at the main gate
Where
The southern tip of the castle, at the main entrance (ote).
What to look at
The semicircular earthwork (maru-umadashi) in front of the gate and the crescent-shaped moat around it.
Why it's interesting
Placing a small earthen fort in front of the gate let defenders sally out while keeping attackers back. The round barbican and crescent moat are seen as trademarks of Takeda castle building, and Shinpu preserves them well.[1][4]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideThe site is open to walk around freely.
The foot of the castle's north side, in the moat outside the encircling terrace.
What to look at
Long earthen projections reaching out into the moat (the East and West Degamae).
Why it's interesting
The tourism association lists the degamae alongside the barbican and crescent moat as examples of Takeda engineering. They are thought to have let defenders fire sideways along the moat, though their exact purpose is debated.[4]
The square masugata entrance enclosed by earthen banks, and the Shichiri-iwa cliff dropping away just to the west.
Why it's interesting
The Inui Gate sits between a cliff on the west and a water moat on the east, reached by an earthen causeway. Excavations found the gate's foundation stones along with charred timber and iron nails thought to come from the fire of March 3, 1582, the day Katsuyori burned the castle.[1]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideRestored and open to view; keep away from the cliff edge.
At a glance for visitors
Nearest station
15 min walk from JR Shinpu Station
Climb
Some climbing
Time neededEditors' estimate
1 to 1.5 hours to walk the main parts of the site.
Admission
Free
Hours
9:00–16:30 (enter by about 16:00); Thursdays from 13:00
Access
Open to visitors
The site is free to walk around. The Continued Japan 100 Castles stamp and the castle seal are not at the site but at the Nirasaki City Folk Museum (786-3 Minamishimojo, Fujii-machi, Nirasaki), which also displays a model of Shinpu Castle.
The castle stands on Shichiri-iwa, a long, narrow plateau formed when debris from a collapse of Mount Yatsugatake was cut away by the Kamanashi and Shio rivers on either side. Its western cliff runs for about 30 km. Shinpu Castle was built on Nishinomori, a small hill about 524 m above sea level at the plateau's southern tip, with a sheer drop to the Kamanashi River on the west.[1]
02
Historical record
Takeda Katsuyori's "new capital"
Shinpu Castle was built by Takeda Katsuyori in 1581. Though unfinished, it was announced to allied states around September, and on December 24 Katsuyori moved in from the Tsutsujigasaki residence in Kofu. The name "Shinpu" reflects his aim of creating a new provincial capital.[1][4]
03
Historical record
A Takeda-style castle made of earth
The castle used no stone walls; it was shaped by cutting and piling earth. Around the main enclosure (honmaru) on the summit were the second enclosure to the west and two third enclosures to the south, with a terrace guarded by moats and earthen banks wrapping around the foot of the hill. The main gate with its barbican and crescent moat lay to the south and the back gate to the northwest, so the whole hill was the castle.[1]
04
Historical record
Burned by its own lord
On March 3, 1582, just before Oda forces arrived, Katsuyori set fire to the castle and withdrew. On March 11, at Tano (in today's Koshu City), he took his own life along with his wife and his son Nobukatsu, and the Takeda clan came to an end. Later that year, when the Tokugawa and Hojo fought over Kai Province in the Tensho-Jingo War, Tokugawa Ieyasu used this castle as his headquarters.[1]
05
Historical record
Excavated and restored
The site became a National Historic Site in 1973. Nirasaki City bought up the land, began excavations in 1998 and has used the findings to restore the site. The first phase of work, focused on the north side, was completed in March 2016, and a second phase is under way. Fujitake Shrine, dedicated to Katsuyori, stands near the old main enclosure.[1][2][4]
The Japan Castle Foundation lists no keep. The buildings burned in 1582 and nothing remains.
The site today
The whole hill is a historic site, with earthen banks, moats and enclosures in the woods. Restoration based on excavations has progressed mainly on the north side, and Fujitake Shrine stands at the old main enclosure. No buildings survive.
Main buildings
Lost
Gates, halls and other buildings
Burned on March 3, 1582. Foundation stones, charred timber and iron nails have been found at the back-gate site.[1]
Key facts
Type
Castle
Setting
Hilltop castle (hirayamajiro)built on a low hill rising from the plainEditorial article
Period
Medieval (c.1185–1570s)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Keep lostthe castle had a keep, but it no longer stands (its stone base may remain)Editorial article
Built by
Takeda KatsuyoriJapan Castle Foundation
Built
1581Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords
Takeda Katsuyori, Tokugawa clanJapan Castle Foundation
National Historic Site (Shinpu Castle ruins) (1973)Editorial article
Selection
Next 100 Fine Castles No. 129Japan Castle Foundation
Visiting
Access
Open to visitors
The site is free to walk around. The Continued Japan 100 Castles stamp and the castle seal are not at the site but at the Nirasaki City Folk Museum (786-3 Minamishimojo, Fujii-machi, Nirasaki), which also displays a model of Shinpu Castle.
A free museum of local folk and archaeological material with a model of Shinpu Castle, and the place to get the Continued Japan 100 Castles stamp. A waterwheel and a storehouse parlor have been moved next to it.[3]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Editors' guide
An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.
Who will enjoy it
Good for fans of Takeda history and anyone who wants to study a castle built of earth rather than stone. Classic Takeda features like the round barbican and the degamae are all here in one place.
What makes it interesting
Visit three spots: the round barbican and crescent moat at the south gate, the degamae in the north moat, and the masugata at the northwest Inui Gate. Together they show how the castle was defended. From the main enclosure, take in the views of Yatsugatake and Mount Fuji.
Before you go
No buildings survive, and you will walk up and down dirt paths in the woods, so wear good shoes. The stamp is at the Folk Museum, not the site, and the museum is closed Mondays and Thursday mornings. The toilet at the main enclosure is closed from winter to early April.
Ways to enjoy it
Look at the model in the Folk Museum first to get the overall layout, and the banks and moats in the woods will make more sense. Time a spring visit for peach blossom season to enjoy the castle and the orchards together.
Photos
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Open questions
Nirasaki City's map page says Katsuyori stayed "just over 70 days," while the tourism association says 68 days.
How the degamae were used (for example, whether they were firing positions) is debated.
The story that Anayama Nobukimi (Baisetsu) urged Katsuyori to build the castle comes from sources such as the Koyo Gunkan, and its timing is disputed (according to secondary sources).
The terrain classification (hill-and-plain castle) follows the Japan Castle Foundation's list. The exact entrance location, park hours, accessibility and English information could not be confirmed.
monadoCC BY-SA 2.5Wikimedia Commons
