Naegi Castle Ruins

Naegi Castle was built in 1532 by Toyama Naokado atop Mount Takamori (432m) in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, overlooking the Kiso River and the Nakasendo highway. Known as "Red Wall Castle" (Akakabe-jo) for its unplastered reddish clay walls, the fortress uniquely incorporated massive natural boulders into its stone wall construction. The Toyama clan held the castle for 12 generations until it was dismantled in 1871 during the Meiji Restoration. Now a National Historic Site, only the extensive stonework and foundations remain.