Mikatagahara Battlefield

Mikatagahara Battlefield

三方ヶ原古戦場 · Shizuoka Prefecture · Hamamatsu City

Photo: Saigen Jiro · CC0 1.0

The Mikatagahara plateau in the Kita-ku area of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture; today a set of scattered historic spots and viewpoints, not a single enclosed site, and pairable with Hamamatsu Castle on the same day.

Know before you go

  • Red lines: do not enter restricted museum areas or touch exhibits
  • do not make noise at graves or memorials. Taboos: do not make noise or linger photographing in front of houses in residential historic spots
  • do not state legendary night-raid kill counts as exact facts. Good manners: follow signs in order

This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.

Stories & people

Stories & people

Culture

Culture & customs

Background

In 1572 (lunar 22nd day of the 12th month, January 1573 Gregorian), Takeda Shingen, advancing west, defeated Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda reinforcements who came out to meet him at Mikatagahara; the Tokugawa army collapsed back to Hamamatsu Castle.

Local customs

  • (1) Walk around Mikatagahara Battlefield (三方ヶ原古戦場周辺散策) — plateau terrain and signs
  • (2) Saigagake Museum (犀ヶ崖資料館) — night-raid and battle exhibits
  • (3) Hamamatsu Castle (浜松城) — the castle Ieyasu retreated to
  • (4) Ieyasu walking-course area (家康散策コース周辺) — geography of retreat and night raid.

Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Don’t DON'T

  • Red lines: do not enter restricted museum areas or touch exhibits
  • do not make noise at graves or memorials. Taboos: do not make noise or linger photographing in front of houses in residential historic spots
  • do not state legendary night-raid kill counts as exact facts. Good manners: follow signs in order
  • mind hats and belongings in plateau wind. Common pitfalls: (1) expecting one large park — the spots are scattered, so allow travel time
  • (2) mistaking Hamamatsu Castle for the battlefield itself — the field is on the northern plateau, the castle was the retreat point.

Locals appreciate DO

Please respect local residents, open areas, and on-site rules.

Plan your visit

Practical info

Getting thereIntercity: Tokaido Shinkansen to Hamamatsu Station. Local: bus toward Mikatagahara and Saigagake, or rental car to link scattered spots, as rural and plateau buses are infrequent. Pay by IC card or cash; taxi and rental costs are short-to-medium urban amounts, per official fares.

Travel tips

  • Check the official notice for admission and opening hours
  • museum entry on the order of a few hundred yen, per official prices. Strong sun on the plateau — bring water and sun protection
  • combine with Hamamatsu eel dishes, but do not let meals eat into the last bus.

Maps & transport notes

  • The exact battle site remains uncertain. The supplied coordinate is not verified as the monument
  • search for the Mikatagahara battlefield marker instead.

People

People & stories

Sources & verification notes

Official tourism or heritage information

Map location or safety reference