Kaneishi Castle

I took a plane to Tsushima island, and from the airport a taxi to my hotel, in Izuhara ward. The castle site was about 5 min walking from my hotel. When I visited the castle site, the garden was closed. It's open from friday to monday and on wednesday from 9h to 17h.

History

During an internal conflict, the Sou clan's Ike no yakata(fortified mansion) burned down. Sou Masamori built a new fortied mansion at the foot of the Southern side of Mount Shimizu, named Kaneishi yakata. In preperation of the invasion of Korea in 1592, Shimizuyama castle was built to the north of Kaneishi yakata. In 1607, Sou Yoshitoshi forged and altered official documents to restore diplomatic relations between Korea and the Shogunate. He died in 1615 and was buried in the Shouonji temple, which was renamed Banshouin, and became the clan's temple. In 1665 Sou Yoshizane expanded the mansion with stone walls , moats and several gates. When the Otemonyagura (main gate turret), which was used instead of a tenshu (donjon), was finished in 1669, the yakata became known as a castle. It was used as the main castle until the construction of Sajikihara castle in 1687. After that it was still used for diplomatic relations, and a garden with a pond was built in 1693, for this purpose. The castle was renovated in 1811, but was abandoned during the Meiji era. The deterioriated Otemonyagura was dismantled in 1911. It was reconstructed in 1990.

Field Notes

I took a plane to Tsushima island, and from the airport a taxi to my hotel, in Izuhara ward. The castle site was about 5 min walking from my hotel. When I visited the castle site, the garden was closed. It's open from friday to monday and on wednesday from 9h to 17h.

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Gallery

Reconstructed Otemonyagura
back of reconstructed Otemonyagura
Otemonyagura seen from the second bailey of Shimizuyama castle
Tsushima museum with some fortified stone wall
Castle site seen from the Tsushima museum
Mizubori (water moat) Kaneishi river
stone wall next to water moat
Explanation board
Map
Odaidokoromon gate ruins
Explanation board
Daikaidan
Goten (palace) site
Map of the garden
Garden seen from a hole in the hedge
Karametemon ruins
brigde over the water moat, seen from the Karametemon, Banshouin in the background

Castle Profile
English Name	Kaneishi Castle
Japanese Name	金石城
Alternate Names	Fu-jo
Founder	Sou Masamori
Year Founded	1528
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	No main keep but other buildings
Designations	National Historic Site
Historical Period	Pre Edo Period
Features	gates, turrets, bridges, water moats, stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	See 'field notes'
Hours	Grounds are open year round (except garden)
Time Required	30 min
URL	Castle Website
Location	Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture
Coordinates	34.20421, 129.28558
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2025
Contributor	Furinkazan
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

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