The site covers an area of 340,000 square meters, making it one of the largest castle ruins in the Tōhoku region.

The entrance to the south was protected by a wide dry moat, and the area of the enclosures was over 500 square meters.

The Nanbu clan was originally a branch of the Takeda clan from Kai Province and was awarded estates in the far northern Tōhoku region during the Kamakura period, but actively began controlling the area after the start of the Muromachi period.

In the Kunohe Rebellion of 1591, the greatly outnumbered defenders of the castle surrendered to an army led by Gamō Ujisato; however, the peace terms were a ruse, and after surrendering the defenders were all massacred in the second bailey of the castle.

On June 7, 1935, the ruins were proclaimed a National Historic Site by the Japanese government.