Kuwana Castle

Photos by Jcastle user RaymondW

History

In the Sengoku Period, three nearby castles (Higashi Castle, Nishi Castle, Misaki Castle) made up what was known as the Three Castles of Kuwana. After Nobunaga conquered the area, the three castles were ruled together under both Nobunaga and then Hideyoshi. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Honda Tadakatsu was given command of Kuwana and built present day Kuwana Castle roughly on the site of the Higashi Castle. Honda spent 10 years building up a prosperous castle town and a massive castle that made use of three rivers to create moats. At it's peak, the castle had 3 three level yagura, 24 two level yagura, 24 connected yagura, 12 tamon (one level) yagura and 46 gates. It sat at a vital point overseeing the Tokaido Road and the only section of waterway along the the course.

In 1617, Tadakatsu's son Tadamasa, the 2nd lord of Kuwana Castle, was transferred to Himeji and Matsudaira Sadashige became the new lord of Kuwana Castle. Matsudaira lords ruled over Kuwana Province from Kuwana Castle until the Meiji Resoration. After the Boshin War, the castle was dismantled and much of the stone walls were used to build the port at Yokkaichi.

Field Notes

Photos by Jcastle user RaymondW

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Gallery

• 

  Reconstructed Banryu Yagura
• 

  Reconstructed Banryu Yagura
• 

  Site of the Tatsumi Yagura
• 

  Outer Moat Western Side Ishigaki
• 

  Ninomaru and Ninomaru Moat
• 

  Site of Kanbe Yagura
• 

  Stone wall remains
• 

  View of water moat from Ougi Bridge looking north
• 

  Map
• 

  Outer Moat Ishigaki (ART)
• 

  Kanbe Tower Site (ART)
• 

  Southeast Sumiyagura Dorui (ART)
• 
• 

  Tower's stone base (ART)
• 

  Reconstructed Banryu Yagura (ART)
• 

  Entrance to tenshudai (ART)
• 

  Tenshudai (ART)
• 

  Relocated gate at Shouonji (ART)
• 

  Relocated gate, now a belfry, at Angyoji (ART)
• 

  Relocated gate at Ryojunji (ART)

Castle Profile
English Name	Kuwana Castle
Japanese Name	桑名城
Alternate Names	Ougi Castle
Founder	Hionda Tadakatsu
Year Founded	1601
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	No main keep but other buildings
Designations	Prefectural Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Features	turrets, water moats, stone walls, castle town
Visitor Information
Access	Kuwana Sta. (Kansai Line); 20 min walk
Hours	open any time
Time Required	30 mins
URL	Castle Website
Location	Kuwana, Mie Prefecture
Coordinates	35.06463, 136.69872
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	2013
Contributor	RaymondW
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

1.75

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