戦国時代に隣の坂城町に北信を守る村上義清という郷士がおった。彼のお城が戸倉上山田温泉から千曲川の向こう側の五里ヶ峰の方にあった葛尾城でした。
武田信玄が一度、甲府から攻めてきはった時に、上田ヶ原で戦争しました。村上の人数が少なかった割りに、上手くやったが最後はあかんかったので葛尾城に逃げました。信玄が山城におる人達に水や食べ物が行かれへんようにブロックする戦略しました。それでも攻め切れへんで、真田の方と交渉したやと。真田が村上と仲良しのはずでしたが、その交渉に応じて裏切りしたと。
真田も攻めて来たのを見た村上が「ここまでなればもうあかんやな」と分かりました。まず、自分の嫁はんを逃げさせました。戸倉上山田温泉の上の荒砥城に逃げるように指示を出しました。姫様が五里ヶ峰から降りて、まずは千曲川を渡らんとあかん。当時は橋があらへんかった。どうやって渡ったかというと、ボートのおじさんに頼んで、乗せてもらとった。姫様はその優しいおじさんにお礼したかったが慌てて逃げていたからお金も何もあらへんかった。代わりに、当時の髪の毛の飾り、笄というのをあげました。いまだに、五里ヶ峰が千曲川に当たる所が「笄渡し」という地名が付いっとる。
今度、姫様が荒砥城へ行く途中で知識寺という十一面観音で有名なお寺さんで休みはった。後ろを見ると、五里ヶ峰の鉄片から黒い煙が出とるのを見て、「あっ、うちのだんなが駄目や」と、泣きました。その知識寺の前の坂がいまだに「女涙坂」という地名です。実は村上氏が生き残りはったので逃げて逃げて上越まで逃げて、上杉謙信の手伝いを依頼して、川中島合戦の1つが行われました。
という言い伝えがあります。今日、京都から来はったお客様を荒砥城に連れて行き、笄渡しを上から眺めながらその言い伝えを話しました。
During the Warring States Era, the neighboring lord, Murakami Yoshikiyo, was charged with defending northern Nagano. Murakami's mountain fortress was called Katsurao Castle, and was located on the shoulder of Gorigamine Mountain, on the other side of the Chikuma River from Togura Kamiyamada Onsen.
One time when Takeda Shingen invaded from Kofu, they did battle at Ueda-ga-hara. Murakami's men were few, but they fought valiently. In the end, Murakami had to draw back to his fortress. Shingen tried to blockade Murakami's fortress, but needed to enlist the help of neighboring Sanada forces. Sanada was supposed to be Murakami's ally, but he succumbed to Shingen's negotiations and turned sides.
When Murakami saw Sanada's forces join the blockade, he realized there was no way he could win. So first he had his wife escape. He ordered her to the safety of Arato Castle, the mountain fortress above us here at Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. After sneaking down Gorigamine, the princess had to cross the Chikuma River. Back then, there weren't any bridges. So she asked an old man to ferry her across in his boat. The princess was touched by the old man's kindness and wanted to repay him, but she was on the run and so didn't have any money to give him. Instead, she gave him one of her hair ornaments, a traditional one called a 'kougai'. Even today, the place where Gorigamine meets the Chikuma River is called 'Kougai-Watashi' (watashi means crossing or handing over).
After the princess continued for a bit, she took a rest at Chishiki Temple, famous for its 11-Faced Buddha statue. When she glanced back, she saw black smoke billowing up from the top of Gorigamine. "Ah, my beloved husband is doomed," she thought, and started crying in anguish. Today, the place is known by the name of "Onnamizaka" which means the slope of the woman's tears.
Murakami was able to escape and made it Joetsu in neighboring Niigata Prefecture, where he entreated the help of Uesugi Kenshin, Shingen's arch-rival. The two then held on of their series of clashes at Kawanakajima.
...that is a tale handed down through the generations around here. And that is the tale I told some guests from Kyoto as we enjoyed the view from Arato Castle, looking down over the Chikuma River and the Kougai Watashi.