The Kai Genji Clan was based in the plateau at the southern foot of the Yatsugatake Mountains, where roads leading to Suwa and Saku developed along Kamanashi River and Shiokawa River since ancient times. Many mountain castles were also built along these roads, including Wakamiko-jo Castle, Yato-jo Castle, and Gentaga-jo Castle, as the area frequently became a battlefield for battles with armies from Shinano.
Wakamiko-jo Castle consists of three castles—Old Castle, South Castle, and North Castle. The Old Castle retains the old style of the Middle Ages, and is said to have been built by Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu, founder of the Kai Genji Clan. North Castle was built by Hojo Ujinao in 1582 as his base in the Battle of Tenshojingo in which he fought against Tokugawa Ieyasu over the territory of Kai Province after the decline of the Takeda Clan. It is said that a number of castles that were built in the main battlefield in Hokuto City were refurbished by the Hojo Clan.
Wakamiko-jo Castle consists of three castles—Old Castle, South Castle, and North Castle. The Old Castle retains the old style of the Middle Ages, and is said to have been built by Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu, founder of the Kai Genji Clan. North Castle was built by Hojo Ujinao in 1582 as his base in the Battle of Tenshojingo in which he fought against Tokugawa Ieyasu over the territory of Kai Province after the decline of the Takeda Clan. It is said that a number of castles that were built in the main battlefield in Hokuto City were refurbished by the Hojo Clan.
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Visiting the birthplace of the Takeda Clan
Visiting sites related to Takeda Nobuyoshi, the founder of Takeda Clan
Minamoto-no Kiyomitsu, founder of Kai-Minamoto Clan in the Kai Region lived at the southern foot of Mount Yatsugatake and was blessed with male children. They lived in different areas of present-day Yamanashi Prefecture and expanded the clan’s power. The coming of age (genpuku) ceremony of one of the children, Nobuyoshi, took place at Takeda Hachiman-gu Shrine in Takeda (present-day Kamiyama Town in Nirasaki City) located to the south of Hemi. He took the name Takeda, and this marked the beginning of the Takeda Clan, which went on to become a distinguished family and produce Takeda Shingen.
Takeda Nobuyoshi played an active role in the Genpei War, and once served as a commander of samurai along with Minamoto-no Yoritomo and Yoshinaka. However, as Yoritomo sought to consolidate his power, he concluded that the Kai-Minamoto Clan was too independent to control, and decided to eliminate them. Ichijo Tadayori was killed, and Takeda Nobuyoshi resigned his position. Perhaps due to Nobuyoshi’s loss of power, the temple that takes care of Takeda Hachiman-gu Shrine, where Nobuyoshi’s genpuku took place, was not Ganjo-ji Temple, which was located nearby and deeply related to Nobuyoshi, but Hozen-ji Temple (Minami-Alps City), which was restored by Kagami Tomitsu, who was Nobuyoshi’s brother and who received favorable treatment from Minamoto-no Yoritomo.
In Kamiyama Town, Nirasaki City where Takeda Clan started, there are many historic sites related to Takeda Clan such as ruins of a castle, residence, temples and shrines where Nobuyoshi worshipped. Although they are away from the Bomichi road, these historic sites tell stories that connect the Kai-Minamoto Clan with the Takeda Clan. The landscape with Mount Yatsugatake to the north, Mount Kayagatake to the east, the Chichibu Mountain Range beyond, and Mount Fuji to the southeast.
Takeda Nobuyoshi played an active role in the Genpei War, and once served as a commander of samurai along with Minamoto-no Yoritomo and Yoshinaka. However, as Yoritomo sought to consolidate his power, he concluded that the Kai-Minamoto Clan was too independent to control, and decided to eliminate them. Ichijo Tadayori was killed, and Takeda Nobuyoshi resigned his position. Perhaps due to Nobuyoshi’s loss of power, the temple that takes care of Takeda Hachiman-gu Shrine, where Nobuyoshi’s genpuku took place, was not Ganjo-ji Temple, which was located nearby and deeply related to Nobuyoshi, but Hozen-ji Temple (Minami-Alps City), which was restored by Kagami Tomitsu, who was Nobuyoshi’s brother and who received favorable treatment from Minamoto-no Yoritomo.
In Kamiyama Town, Nirasaki City where Takeda Clan started, there are many historic sites related to Takeda Clan such as ruins of a castle, residence, temples and shrines where Nobuyoshi worshipped. Although they are away from the Bomichi road, these historic sites tell stories that connect the Kai-Minamoto Clan with the Takeda Clan. The landscape with Mount Yatsugatake to the north, Mount Kayagatake to the east, the Chichibu Mountain Range beyond, and Mount Fuji to the southeast.
About 9km / About 4 Hours / On foot