Okazaki Castle

It was more than 20 years since I revisited this castle and I'm glad I finally did. I had seriously underestimated how great of a site it is based on only visiting the main keep and being unable to take any good pictures of it the first time I went. The stonework around this castle is amazing. This

History

Saigo Tsugiyori built the original fortification on this site in 1455. Matsudaira Kiyoyasu captured the castle in 1524 and his famous grandson Matsudaira Motoyasu (Tokugawa Ieyasu) was born here on December 16, 1542. Ieyasu succeeded to lord of the castle in 1560 and left his eldest son Nobuyasu in charge when he moved to Hamamatsu Castle in 1570. The castle was left to the Tanaka clan when the Tokugawa moved to Edo (Tokyo) in 1590. The Tanaka worked to expand the castle and build out the castle town. When the Okazaki Domain was established the loyal retainer Honda Yasushige was made lord of the Okazaki Domain. The domain changed hands a few times during the Edo Period and was abolished in 1873.

Field Notes

It was more than 20 years since I revisited this castle and I'm glad I finally did. I had seriously underestimated how great of a site it is based on only visiting the main keep and being unable to take any good pictures of it the first time I went. The stonework around this castle is amazing. This was a bit of a rushed trip after visiting Asuke Castle and on the way back to Tokyo, so I would actually like to visit again and spend more time exploring the castle and checking out the stone walls. There is the castle museum inside the main keep and then another Tokugawa museum on the site. I probably spent too much time in the first Tokugawa museum and had to cut short the rest of the castle exploring and the main keep museum. Plan for plenty of time when you visit or prioritize each area accordingly.

Loading map...

Gallery

Tenshu as of spring 2024, without pines (ART)
Relocated drum tower (ART)
Relocated gate at site of Kajiya Castle (ART)
Relocated gate, Akamon (ART)
Relocated gate at Shukuenji (ART)

Castle Profile
English Name	Okazaki Castle
Japanese Name	岡崎城
Alternate Names	Ryu-jo
Founder	Saigo Tsugiyori
Year Founded	1455
Castle Type	Hilltop
Castle Condition	Reconstructed main keep
Designations	Top 100 Castles
Historical Period	Edo Period
Main Keep Structure	3 levels, 5 stories
Year Reconstructed	1959 (concrete)
Features	main keep, stone walls
Visitor Information
Access	HIgashi Okazaki Station (Meitetsu Line), 15 minute walk
Hours	Open 9am-5pm; closed 12/29-12/31; 200 yen for main keep museum, 510 for both museums
Time Required	150 mins
URL	Castle Website
Location	Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture
Coordinates	34.95625, 137.15872
Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"auto","height":"200px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"Castlemarker.png","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":6,"defzoom":14,"layers":["CartoDB.Positron"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":34.95625,"lon":137.15872,"icon":"../images/1/1e/Castlemarker.png"}],"imageoverlays":null}
Admin
Added to Jcastle	1999
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	1996, 2019
Admin Visits	March 1996; August 4, 2019
Friends of JCastle
Shirobito - Okazaki Castle
Kojodan - Okazaki Castle
Jokaku Horoki - Okazaki Castle
Oshiro Meguri Fan - Okazaki Castle
Japanese Castle Explorer - Okazaki Castle

3.21

(19 votes)

Loading comments...