The museum focuses on the Battle of Nagashino, which is widely considered the first major engagement where firearms were decisive in Japanese combat.
The Shitaragahara battlefield, which the museum serves, was the location of the famous 'fence of wooden barricades' used by Oda Nobunaga to neutralize the Takeda cavalry.
The facility maintains a research archive dedicated to the specific weaponry used by the Oda-Tokugawa troops during the Sengoku period.
Several exhibits feature archaeological evidence excavated directly from the surrounding Shitaragahara defensive site.
The Shinshiro City Shitara Museum of History is located on the site of the 1575 Battle of Nagashino, a pivotal conflict in Japanese history. It is specifically designed to interpret the engagement between the Oda-Tokugawa alliance and the Takeda clan. The museum houses a significant collection of matchlock firearms, armor, and historical documents related to the conflict. It emphasizes the tactical use of teppo (muskets) which fundamentally changed samurai warfare. The exhibition layout tracks the chronological progression of the battle through dioramas and artifacts recovered from the Shitaragahara battlefield. Its architecture and grounds are integrated into the historical landscape of the former fortress area.
The reconstructed wooden fence barricades located on the museum grounds offer the most iconic historical context for photographs.
Walk the outdoor historical walking trail adjacent to the museum to see the reconstructed wooden barricade sites.
Pair your visit with a trip to the nearby Nagashino Castle Ruins and Museum for a complete context of the campaign.
Read the provided historical literature before entering to better understand the strategic complexity of the battle.
Do not mistake this museum for the separate Nagashino Castle Museum; they are two different locations covering different aspects of the same battle.
Closed on Mondays, or the following day if Monday is a national holiday; also closed during the end-of-year and New Year holidays.
Maintain silence in the exhibition halls; photography is restricted in specific galleries containing sensitive historical documents.
