We have planned a “Takeda Shingen history tour”
Hello everyone! This is Kofu City’s Student Reporter Noel.
On Sunday, December 17th, 2023, I had the chance to participate in a historic tour of Takeda Shrine (known as Takeda Jinja). Thanks to Yamanashi Prefectural College, the teacher and students gave our group a guided tour through Takeda Shrine.
I’ve been living in Kofu for almost two years and have been to Takeda Shrine but had no idea that the grounds behind the shrine had a lot of history to it!
Takeda Shrine dates to the Sengoku Period (Sengoku Jidai). This period, also known as the Warring States Period (1467-1568 CE) was a very tumultuous and violent time for Japan. Takeda Shrine was dedicated to the warlord Takeda Shingen, the famous leader of when the Kofu area was known as Kai Province.
The shrine grounds house ruins of the castle, ruins of the Takeda family residence, as well as a museum which displays numerous artifacts pertaining to Takeda Shingen. Those artifacts include weapons, armor, battle standards, and some personal effects of Takeda Shingen. You can even try on the helmet (kabuto) that they have displayed!
Behind the main shrine area is where you can find the ruins of the castle. Towards the west, there are the ruins of the enclosure where you can find many remnants of signs around.
A
bit north from there, you can find the Tiger’s Mouth ruins. Why is
it called the Tiger’s Mouth? This is due to the defense that was
set up around a moat that would protect the castle where the
Tsutsujigasakiya (the three generations of Takeda, Nobutora, Shingen,
and Katsuyori) resided.
This path was created with the entrance and exit misaligned from each other. This obscured the interior view and slowed the advancing enemy troops making them the perfect targets of a shower of arrows from the moat walls.
We were even given the chance to experience what it would’ve been like during that time as one of Takeda’s troops shooting at the enemy! With toy bows and arrows, of course!
Slightly north of the Tiger’s mouth, there is an excavation site. This is where the war horses would wait in preparation for any movement. As it is an active excavation site, it is blocked off from the public. But they are looking to reconstruct this area in the future.
From here, it is also possible to see the mountain in which Takeda Shingen was born, near Yogaiyama Castle. His father had ordered a retreat once the castle became compromised. From there, his wife and mother fled to the mountains where he was born. Later he would overthrow his father and take control of the clan and the surrounding area.
The group had the chance to experience, through VR, what the stables possibly may have been designed as, as well as the water well that is said to have been where Takeda Shingen was born.
We ended the tour at the Ryuuga Pond’s Observation Deck. There was yet another view of Takeda shrine and a beautiful view of Kofu City!
There is a cemetery near the foot of the mountain. It is said the cemetery was placed there as a pathway to the afterlife. Some spirits return to Earth and reside in many different parts of nature.
For those familiar with Japanese anime: the black and white forest spirits from Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke; Digimon’s Palmon; Blue Exorcist (Ao no Exorcist)’s Shiemi Moriyama’s Nii-chan are all taken after the image of Kodama, or forest spirits.
Takeda Shrine is a common place tourists like to stop but I believe the ruins are unfortunately not seen as much as the shrine itself.
History buffs, feel free to take a stroll around the grounds and gain a feel for the historic side of Kofu!
Click here for the Japanese report!
