Yamagata Castle Ruins (Kajo Park)

山形県

Yamagata Castle was the seat of Mogami Yoshiaki…

Founded

1357

Type

Castle

Visited

Want to go

Access

About 10 min walk from JR Yamagata Station

1-7 Kajocho, Yamagata

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Info

Castle

Founded 1357

669 years

Overview

Yamagata Castle was the seat of Mogami Yoshiaki, a leading warlord of the Tohoku region and uncle of Date Masamune. After siding with the Eastern Army at Sekigahara, the Mogami rose to rule 570,000 koku. The ruins are preserved as Kajo Park, with reconstructed gates and surviving stone walls, and serve as a celebrated spot for cherry blossoms.

Origins

Yamagata Castle is traditionally said to have been founded in 1357, when Shiba Kaneyori entered Dewa Province and established his residence. His clan later adopted the name Mogami and ruled the region for roughly 250 years. During the Sengoku period, Mogami Yoshiaki (1546–1614) consolidated the clan…

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句
Haiku Composed Here
— 1

五月雨を集めて早し最上川

Matsuo Bashō 1689年

Seasonal word

五月雨（夏）

奥の細道、最上川下り。

五月雨を集めて激流となる最上川の迫力を詠んだ奥の細道中の名句。芭蕉の自然描写の頂点の一つ。

史
Related Historical Events
— 1

1600

慶長出羽合戦

1600年（慶長5年）、関ヶ原の戦いと同時期に出羽国（現在の山形県）で展開された「北の関ヶ原」とも呼ばれる合戦。東軍の最上義光と西軍の上杉景勝（直江兼続指揮）の間で展開した一連の戦いで、上杉軍は最上領に侵攻し長谷堂城（山形県山形市）を包囲した。最上軍は伊達政宗の援軍を得て善戦し、関ヶ原での西軍敗報を受けた上杉軍は撤退を余儀なくされた。この撤退戦で直江兼続は見事な殿軍（しんがり）を指揮したことで知られ、「直江の退き口」として語り継がれている。

人
Related Figures
— 2

Mogami Yoshiaki

Warlord of Dewa

›

Yamagata Castle was the residence of the warlord Mogami Yoshiaki, one of Tohoku's leading strongholds; its ruins are now preserved as Kajo Park.

Date Masamune

One-Eyed Dragon

›

Mogami Yoshiaki was the elder brother of Masamune's mother Yoshihime. The Date and Mogami clans shifted between alliance and conflict; at the Keicho Dewa Campaign they jointly fought the Uesugi.

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Visiting Information

Hours

Kajo Park itself is free to enter and open year-round: 5:00 AM–10:00 PM (Apr 1–Oct 31) or 5:30 AM–10:00 PM (Nov 1–Mar 31). The restored gate turret inside is open only during its public season (roughly early April–early November), 9:30 AM–4:00 PM (until 5:00 PM in Jul–Aug).

Admission

Both park entry and turret admission are free.

As of 2026-07-17. Subject to change.

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