CastleMountain castle (yamajiro)Next 100 Fine Castles No. 149
What makes this castle distinctive
Its giant crescent-moat gateways were long held up as textbook Takeda engineering, until excavation showed most of them were built by Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Why?
Takeda Katsuyori built Suwahara Castle, and Tokugawa Ieyasu captured it two years later. Its layout, with huge moats and maru-umadashi (crescent-shaped moats and banks guarding the gateways) facing the level side of the plateau, was long considered typical of Takeda castles. Excavations from 2009 to 2015, however, made it all but certain that nearly everything from the second enclosure westward was Ieyasu's rebuilding.[1][2]
West of the second enclosure, in front of the central gate bastion (naka-umadashi).
What to look at
The deep, curving crescent-shaped dry moat and the earthen bank of the bastion behind it.
Why it's interesting
Round gate bastions like this have long been called a hallmark of Takeda castle building. Excavation found this crescent moat is 10.5 m deep from the ground outside. On clear days Mount Fuji is visible from this area.[1][2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideThe site is open to explore.
02
The rebuilt gate of the north gate bastion
Where
The north gate bastion of the second enclosure.
What to look at
The shape of the gate, and Mount Fuji framed by it from the right angle.
Why it's interesting
Based on foundation stones found in excavation, a yakuimon-style gate was rebuilt here in fiscal 2016. It is the one place in the castle where you can see a structure standing.[1]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideVisible and can be walked through.
Outside the second enclosure, on the side facing the open plateau.
What to look at
The width of the dry moat and the thickness of the earthen bank inside the enclosure.
Why it's interesting
Excavation found an earthen bank about 20 m wide along the outer moat of the second enclosure. Since the enclosure is only about 50 m across, the bank took up some 40 percent of it, probably because of the huge volume of earth dug out of the moat.[2]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideVisible from paths along the moat.
At a glance for visitors
Nearest station
from JR Kanaya Station (community bus to Suwaharajo-ato)
Climb
No climb
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1 to 1.5 hours to walk the site and visit the center.
Admission
Free
Hours
10:00–16:00
Access
Open to visitors
The site is open to explore. The Next 100 Castles stamp is beside the office entrance in the visitor center, and in a metal box next to the pamphlet stand at the south outer moat of the main gate area, usable even when the center is closed.
Suwahara Castle stands at 212–220 m on the northern edge of the Makinohara Plateau, on the right bank of the Oi River. In the Warring States period it controlled the point where the Tokaido highway climbed from Kikugawa onto the plateau. The east side of the main enclosure is a sheer cliff, and the Oi River then flowed along the foot of the plateau, so the castle's back was protected by nature.[1][5]
02
Tradition
A border castle built by Takeda Katsuyori
According to Shimada City, Takeda Katsuyori had his retainer Baba Nobuharu build the castle in 1573. It stood on the border between Suruga and Totomi provinces, and both the Takeda and the Tokugawa used it as a base for their campaigns. The name is said to come from the Suwa deity enshrined inside.[1]
03
Historical record
Taken by Ieyasu and renamed Makino
In 1575, after the Battle of Nagashino, Tokugawa Ieyasu captured the castle and used it under the name Makino Castle. The diary of his retainer Matsudaira Ietada frequently mentions construction work here. When the castle was finally abandoned is unknown.[1][2]
04
Scholarly interpretation
Excavation rewrites the story
Suwahara was long seen as a classic Takeda-style castle, with huge moats along the level side of the plateau and large crescent-moat gate bastions in front. But surveys from 2009 to 2015 showed that, apart from the main enclosure and a small bastion south of the second enclosure, almost everything was new construction by the Tokugawa. The castle now shows that the Tokugawa side used techniques once credited to the Takeda.[2][1]
05
Historical record
An earthen castle left almost intact
No buildings survive, but the crescent moats with their gate bastions and the long moats remain in good condition, showing the features of a Warring States mountain castle. Excavations also found gate foundations at the entrance to the second enclosure, traces of walls on either side of the gate, and the abutments of wooden bridges.[1][2]
06
Historical record
A national site under restoration
It was designated a National Historic Site in 1975, with the area extended in 2002. Full-scale restoration began in fiscal 2013, and the gate of the north gate bastion was rebuilt in fiscal 2016. A visitor center stands at the first parking lot, and the castle was chosen for the Next 100 Fine Castles of Japan in 2017. Since 2023, QR codes on the signboards offer an audio guide.[1][2][3][5]
National Historic Site (Suwahara Castle ruins) (1975)Editorial article
Selection
Next 100 Fine Castles No. 149Japan Castle Foundation
Visiting
Access
Open to visitors
The site is open to explore. The Next 100 Castles stamp is beside the office entrance in the visitor center, and in a metal box next to the pamphlet stand at the south outer moat of the main gate area, usable even when the center is closed.
JR Kanaya Station (community bus to Suwaharajo-ato)JR Tokaido Line, Oigawa Railway
No climb
Take the Shimada City community bus Kikugawa-Kamiyajo Line from Kanaya Station to Suwaharajo-ato, about 14 minutes. Five runs on weekdays, three on weekends and holidays; no service over New Year.[4]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Hours and admission
Suwahara Castle Visitor Center
Hours
10:00–16:00
Closed
Mondays (or the next day if a holiday) and New Year holidays; may change with the Shimada City Museum's closing days
The castle's first parking lot is beside the visitor center.[1]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
Not confirmedChecked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1 to 1.5 hours to walk the site and visit the center.
Steps, slopes and footing
A plateau-top castle with ups and downs around the moats; the east side of the main enclosure is a cliff.[1]
Wheelchairs and strollers
Not confirmedChecked: 2026-10-03
Toilets and rest
Not confirmed
English signs / audio guide
No official English guide was found. A Japanese audio guide is available via QR codes on the signboards.[3]
Seasons
Mount Fuji is visible on clear days. Every August a limited Makino Castle seal card is sold.[1]
Photography
Not confirmed
Works, closures and restrictions
None found as of October 3, 2026.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 earthen castle features like moats and gate bastions, and anyone interested in the Takeda–Tokugawa wars.
What makes it interesting
Start with the depth of the crescent moat and walk through the rebuilt gate. Then explore asking yourself 'Takeda or Tokugawa?' to appreciate how excavation overturned the castle's reputation.
Before you go
The visitor center is open 10:00–16:00 and closed Mondays. Buses are few, so check the timetable.
Ways to enjoy it
Look at the reconstruction drawings and diorama in the visitor center before you walk, and the moats hidden among trees and tea fields become easier to read. The signboard QR codes also offer an audio guide.
Photos
Visitor reviews
Be the first to review
Have you visited this castle? We'd love to hear from you.
Write a review
Open questions
Shimada City says Takeda Katsuyori had Baba Nobuharu build the castle in 1573, while the Agency for Cultural Affairs says Takeda Shingen first built it in 1569.
The view that most of the gate bastions are Tokugawa work comes from analysis in the 2009–2015 excavation report by a member of the restoration committee.
The origin of the name Makino and the date the castle was abandoned are unclear.
Walking time from the bus stop, toilet locations and the number of parking spaces could not be confirmed.
MonadoCC BY-SA 2.5Wikimedia Commons
