Following Shingen's death, his son and successor, Takeda Katsuyori initially successfully expanded his territory into eastern Mino Province; however, suffered a major defeat against Oda Nobunaga's matchlock-armed forces at the Battle of Nagashino, losing four of his top generals.

The castle is located on a hill with steep cliffs which was created by an ancient lava flow from Mount Yatsugatake and erosion by the Kamanashi River.

South of the central area was a large third bailey, which was approximately 100 meters long and divided into two kuruwa enclosures by a clay wall.

In early 1582, before the castle or its jōkamachi were even complete, an alliance between Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu invaded the Takeda holdings in Shinano Province after the defection of Kiso Yoshimasa.

[2][3] Oda Nobunaga sent Kawajiri Hidetaka to take control of the castle while Tokugawa Ieyasu conducted mopping up operations against the remnants of the Takeda forces.