Starting at Chofu's Jindaiji Castle Ruins: A "Castle Seal Tour" of Tama's Historic Fortresses Has Begun
Have you ever walked through castle ruins when you came to visit Jindaiji?
A "castle seal tour" of Tama's historic fortress sites — including the nationally designated historic site "Jindaiji Castle Ruins" in Chofu — has quietly begun.
As a fresh historical walking content option, residents now have one more way to spend their weekends.
What Kind of Place Are the Jindaiji Castle Ruins?
The Jindaiji Castle Ruins are a nationally designated historic site located within the water plant garden of the Tokyo Metropolitan Jindai Botanical Park.
Entry is free, and the dry moats and earthworks remain in nearly their original form.
Built by the Ogigayatsu Uesugi clan as a stronghold against the Hojo clan's base during the Sengoku period, the castle was rebuilt in 1537 (Tenbun 6).
It was designated a Tokyo Metropolitan historic site in 1998, and a national historic site in 2007.
The area around Jindaiji is known for its rows of soba restaurants, the Jindaiji temple itself, and shops selling Gegege no Kitaro goods.
Right alongside that well-known scenery, a genuine castle ruin quietly remains.
The "Castle Seal Tour" Has Started
A castle seal tour route connecting the Jindaiji Castle Ruins with other Tama fortress sites is said to have begun.
Castle seals (gojo-in) are commemorative stamps received when visiting castles, and they have gained nationwide attention in recent years alongside a broader interest in castles.
Jindaiji Castle's seal comes in multiple versions, including a standard edition, adding a collecting dimension to the experience.
The Tama area is home to several historic castle sites beyond Jindaiji Castle — including Hachioji Castle Ruins and Takiyama Castle Ruins in Hachioji City.
The new tour route is designed to connect these sites into a historical walking itinerary.
The Castle Ruins Change with the Seasons
The water plant garden, where the Jindaiji Castle Ruins are located, changes dramatically with the seasons.
In spring, kakitsubata irises bloom; in early summer, hana-shobu irises fill the landscape alongside the quiet moats and natural surroundings.
Castle ruins may bring to mind "historical site visits," but this is a place where you can enjoy both plants and history together.
The autumn foliage season is also beautiful, as the trees surrounding the castle earthworks turn shades of red and gold.
Every season offers its own way to enjoy this place.
How to Get to the Castle Ruins
There are several access routes to the Jindaiji Castle Ruins.
- Take a Keio Bus "Jindaiji-bound" bus from Keio Line Chofu Station → Get off at the "Jindaiji" bus stop
- Take an Odakyu Bus from JR Chuo Line Mitaka Station → Get off at the "Jindaiji" bus stop
- On foot, approximately 20 minutes from Fuda Station
The water plant garden is an annex of Jindai Botanical Park, and admission is free.
Opening hours are 9:30–16:30, and the garden is closed on Mondays (the following day if Monday is a holiday) and over the New Year period.
Incorporate Tama's Castle Sites Into Your Everyday Life
The Tama castle site route — starting from Jindaiji Castle Ruins and continuing to Takiyama Castle Ruins (Hachioji City) and Hachioji Castle Ruins — can be enjoyed over a half-day or full day, traveling between sites by public transport.
Collecting castle seals along the way keeps a record of your visits and motivates you to continue to the next site.
Even without in-depth historical knowledge, simply walking through the earthworks and dry moats is enough to feel the breath of the Sengoku era.
Stopping for soba at Jindaiji before heading to the castle ruins makes for a very local way to spend a day off.
For Tama residents, this is a course well worth walking at least once.
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