CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Next 100 Fine Castles No. 125
What makes this castle distinctive
Long admired as a masterpiece of the Hojo clan, this earthwork castle turned out, once it was excavated, to have been built by the Uesugi before the Hojo ever arrived.
Why?
Sugiyama Castle's clever combination of earthen ramparts and dry moats earned it the nickname "the textbook of castle building." Its sophistication led people to assume it was built by the Hojo clan, though there was no proof. When Ranzan Town excavated it from fiscal 2002 to 2006, the pottery and other finds dated to the late 15th and early 16th centuries, showing it was built by the Yamanouchi Uesugi family instead.[1]
The route from the main entrance (ote-guchi) through the outer enclosure and the horse-gate enclosure (umadashi) to the South Third Enclosure.
What to look at
The tall rampart blocking the way ahead, the deep L-shaped dry moat, and the earthen bridge to the South Third Enclosure.
Why it's interesting
Once through the gate and up a narrow path, attackers faced a tall rampart in front and a deep dry moat to the left, and could be shot at from the side. The earthen bridge from the horse-gate enclosure to the South Third Enclosure was likewise built so that defenders could fire on anyone crossing it from the flank.[2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideThe castle site is open to walk.
02
The staggered gate between enclosures
Where
The entrance from the South Third Enclosure to the South Second Enclosure.
What to look at
The entrance that bends to the right instead of running straight, and the man-made cliffs (kirigishi) between the enclosures.
Why it's interesting
The entrance (koguchi) to the enclosure does not face you but turns to the right, so attackers were again exposed to fire from the side. The enclosures are ringed by kirigishi, slopes cut into steep artificial cliffs, so you cannot easily climb from one enclosure to the next.[2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideVisible from the walking paths.
03
The well that still holds water
Where
The well site within the castle, below the Well Enclosure.
What to look at
The well covered with large stones, and the Well Enclosure guarding it from above.
Why it's interesting
Drinking water was the most important thing in a siege. Sugiyama had two wells, with a dedicated enclosure above to protect them. The town says the well covered with large stones still holds water all year round.[2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideVisible from the walking paths.
At a glance for visitors
Nearest station
40 min walk from Musashi-Ranzan Station (Tobu Tojo Line)
Climb
Some climbing
Time neededEditors' estimate
About an hour to walk around the site.
Access
Open to visitors
The site is open to walk. The Continued Japan 100 Castles stamp is not at the site but in the entrance hall of Ranzan Town Hall (8:30–17:15, open every day).
Sugiyama Castle is a mountain castle with ten enclosures (kuruwa) laid out along a hill ridge overlooking the Kamakura Kaido road. In the early Warring States period, two branches of the Uesugi clan, the Yamanouchi and the Ogigayatsu, were at war in the Kanto region (the Chokyo War), and today's Ranzan sat midway between the Yamanouchi base of Hachigata Castle (Yorii) and the Ogigayatsu base of Kawagoe Castle. In 1488 a bloody battle was fought at Sugayagahara, in Ranzan.[1]
02
Scholarly interpretation
Probably built by the Yamanouchi Uesugi
Pottery and other finds from the site date to the late 15th or early 16th century, shortly after the Battle of Sugayagahara. From this the town concludes that the Yamanouchi Uesugi built the castle to counter the Ogigayatsu Uesugi. No record naming the lord or the year of construction has been found.[1]
03
Historical record
Designed to let a few hold off many
Second and third enclosures step down from the central enclosure in three directions, north, east and south, with an outer enclosure and horse-gate enclosure at the main entrance and a Well Enclosure above the well. The town explains that the tangle of terraces and dry moats was a maze to attackers but also served defenders as hidden passages between enclosures.[2]
04
Historical record
Excavation rewrote its history
Because of its advanced design, Sugiyama was long assumed to be a Hojo castle, but there was no scholarly evidence. Ranzan Town carried out five excavations from fiscal 2002 to 2006, finding stonework at the east entrance of the central enclosure along with imported ceramics, unglazed kawarake dishes and braziers, which showed the castle predated the Hojo.[1]
05
Scholarly interpretation
Abandoned after a fire
Large amounts of burned wall plaster and charred bamboo laths were found in the central enclosure, and burned soil and charcoal turned up in other enclosures too. The castle is thought to have been abandoned after a fire swept much of it. No buildings survive, but the ramparts and dry moats remain almost untouched.[1][3]
06
Historical record
A national historic site in the Hiki group
The Hiki area has 69 castle and residence sites, and four of them, Sugaya Yakata, Matsuyama, Sugiyama and Ogura, together form the national historic site "Hiki Castle Sites." Sugiyama was added in 2008 on the strength of its excavation results. The town has drawn up a conservation and use plan and continues to maintain the site.[1][4][5]
National Historic Site (Hiki Castle Sites: Sugiyama Castle Site) (2008)Editorial article
Selection
Next 100 Fine Castles No. 125Japan Castle Foundation
Visiting
Access
Open to visitors
The site is open to walk. The Continued Japan 100 Castles stamp is not at the site but in the entrance hall of Ranzan Town Hall (8:30–17:15, open every day).
Musashi-Ranzan Station (Tobu Tojo Line)Tobu Tojo Line
about 40 min walk · Some climbing
About 2.9 km, roughly 40 minutes on foot. The site is on a hill. Alternatively, take the Ogawa Park Hill bus from Ogawamachi Station on the Tobu Tojo Line to the Ogawa Park Hill stop, then walk about 1.5 km (20 minutes).[3]
Checked: 2026-10-03
By car / parking
About 2.6 km (5 minutes) from the Ranzan-Ogawa IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway. Use the car park on the north side of Tamanooka Junior High School.[3]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
Not confirmedChecked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
About an hour to walk around the site.
Steps, slopes and footing
A ridge-top site with dirt paths, slopes and steps.[2]
Another of the Hiki Castle Sites, said to be the residence of Hatakeyama Shigetada, with a prefectural museum inside. 13 minutes' walk from Musashi-Ranzan Station (West Exit).[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 anyone who wants to see how an earthwork castle, built by cutting and piling soil rather than stacking stone, was designed for defense. Ideal for walking through what castle fans call "the textbook of castle building."
What makes it interesting
Walk in order from the main entrance to the central enclosure, noticing everywhere you would be exposed to flanking fire. From the rear gate on the north you can see the Takami Castle site about 5 km away, and the two may have signaled each other with smoke.
Before you go
A site of woods and grassland with no buildings or stone walls. It is about a 40-minute walk from the station; drivers should use the car park north of Tamanooka Junior High School. The stamp is at the town hall, not the site.
Ways to enjoy it
Check the nine highlights from the main entrance to the rear gate on the town's official guide page before you set out. Pair it with Sugaya Yakata, also in Ranzan, to compare a medieval residence-fort with a mountain castle.
Photos
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Open questions
Attributing the castle to the Yamanouchi Uesugi is an inference from the dates of excavated finds; no record names its lord or construction year.
No individual associated with the castle could be confirmed from official sources, so no people are listed.
Only two reusable photos were found on Wikimedia Commons. Toilets, opening hours, accessibility and photo rules are unconfirmed.
PhototogisuCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons
