Takato Castle Ruins in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, is renowned as a stronghold of the Takeda clan where Nishina Morinobu, the fifth son of Takeda Shingen, became lord in 1572. In 1582, this was the stage of the heroic defense against Oda Nobunaga's massive army — the Battle of Takato Castle. Today the site is developed as Takato Castle Ruins Park, celebrated nationwide as one of Japan's premier c…

Takato Castle is said to have been renovated and developed by the warlord Takeda Shingen in 1547. It is traditionally believed to have originally served as the stronghold of the local Takato clan, later becoming a key base for the Takeda clan's control over the Ina region. In 1572, Nishina Morinobu,…