Visit Karasawayama Shrine and Castle Ruins

Quiz Time!

What is the most common family name in Japan? Honda, Suzuki, or Satoh?

The answer comes from history! It goes back over 1,000 years to the powerful Fujiwara family. Do you want to know more? Keep reading and learn about a special place in Tochigi Prefecture!

A Wonderful Stop: Karasawayama Shrine

Are you visiting Nikko? Why not add a cultural place to your trip?

Karasawayama Shrine and the old castle ruins in Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture have lots of history and beautiful views.

From Tengu Iwa, visitors can see a great view. You can see tall buildings in Tokyo, the wide Kanto Plain, and famous mountains like Mt. Fuji, Mt. Asama, Mt. Akagi, Mt. Nantai, and Mt. Tsukuba.

A long time ago, samurai stood here to watch for enemies and protect their castle.

Karasawayama does not have a castle tower, but it is one of the best mountain castles in the Kanto region.

It is famous because Uesugi Kenshin attacked it ten times during the Warring States period (Sengoku Jidai), but the castle did not fall.

There are hiking trails in the area. The walk is beautiful and fun, but be careful! Bears do not come often, but sometimes they appear in the area.

History Lives Here

At the top of the 242-meter mountain, Karasawayama was the castle of the Sano family.

They were descendants of Fujiwara no Hidesato, a famous samurai leader from the 10th century.

A long time ago, people told a story about the strong warrior who fought a scary monster called Domeki. The demon had 100 eyes all over its body.

Because of this old story, many Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) fans visit this place. It is a special location in Tochigi Prefecture, like Ashikaga Flower Park, which is famous for its pretty wisteria flowers.

Wisteria is called 'Fuji' in Japanese. Did you notice? It is the same 'Fuji' as in the Fujiwara! Hidesato was in the Fujiwara family. A long time ago, they were very strong in Japan. They helped the emperor and worked in the court.

His story is also connected to Taira no Masakado, another historic samurai in Japan.

Samurai and Battles

Masakado was a samurai and a descendant of Emperor Kanmu. He wanted to make a new country in the Kanto area.

But his plan did not work. Fujiwara no Hidesato and Taira no Sadamori fought and defeated Masakado.

Even though Masakado's dream failed, people still respect him. Today, he is honored at Kanda Myoujin Shrine in Tokyo.

Anyway, Hidesato became famous, and his family spread all over Japan. Many samurai families came from his descendants.

More Fun: Cats and Nature

Around the parking lot and entrance gate halfway up the mountain, friendly cats will say hello to you! Many stray cats live in the area, but they are very friendly.

You can buy cat food at the rest house and feed them.

When you walk up to the shrine, you will see beautiful nature.

There are cherry blossoms in spring, azaleas in summer, and colorful autumn leaves in fall.

The Quiz Answer

The most common family name in Japan is "Satoh"! Almost 2 million people have this name.

It comes from Fujiwara no Hidesato—"Sa" from Sano City and "Toh" from Fujiwara.

Did you know? The kanji for "Fuji" can also be read as "Toh"!

Visit Karasawayama and learn stories from over 1,000 years ago.

This is not just a trip—it is a journey into history!

How to Get There

🚆 By Train:
Take the JR Ryomo Line from Oyama Station to Sano Station (26 minutes). There is one train every hour.

🚖 From Sano Station:
Take a taxi from the south exit (20 minutes).

🚖 Another Option:
Take a taxi directly from Oyama Station, but it costs more.