Kakegawa Castle was a familiar landmark for travelers on the old Tokaido, the major route connecting the samurai-era government center in Edo (Tokyo) with the capital, Kyoto. Along this highway, travelers would pass through 53 checkpoints and post towns, stopping only at government-approved inns.
Kakegawa served as the 26th stop from Edo's Nihonbashi, the renowned bridge used as the reference point for measuring national distances. Kakegawa also served as a stop on the salt road running through Shinano Province (Nagano Prefecture). Overseeing this important post town, the salt route, and the strategically vital Tokaido route was Kakegawa Castle. In fact, the Tokaido crossed through the eastern section of the castle grounds, requiring travelers to cross a moat, enter the castle grounds, and then exit again, ensuring the route's security.
The initial version of Kakegawa Castle was built around the 1470s by Asahina Yasuhiro, a samurai under the powerful Imagawa clan of Suruga (Shizuoka Prefecture). Following the fall of the Imagawa clan at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560 at the hands of Oda Nobunaga, the lands of the Imagawa were divided between the rival Tokugawa and Takeda clans. Although Kakegawa was within Takeda territory, it was peacefully surrendered to the Tokugawa in 1568. Tokugawa Ieyasu controlled the castle until 1590, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi, having gained control of most of the nation, forced Ieyasu to accept domains in the Kanto region, based in Edo, and cede his other provinces.
Kakegawa was then commanded by Toyotomi retainer Yamanouchi Kazutoyo (Yamauchi Katsutomo), who completely redesigned and improved the castle. The remaining stone walls, moats, and the basic layout of the castle date from Yamanouchi’s time. The keep built by Yamanouchi was destroyed by an earthquake in 1604 and was not rebuilt until 1621.
The Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 saw control of the nation fall into the hands of the victorious Tokugawa Ieyasu. Yamanouchi was transferred to Kochi in Shikoku, and Hisamatsu Sadakatsu, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s half-brother, became the first in a line of mostly Tokugawa-related lords who ruled until 1746.The Ota clan then held the fortress for seven generations until the end of the Edo period.
The castle was well maintained until the great Ansei Earthquakes of 1854 caused extensive damage. Apart from the keep, many of the buildings were repaired by 1861, and following the end of Tokugawa rule, were used as regional administrative offices.
The original Otemon guardhouse still stands, although in a different location, as Kakegawa City Hall was built on the site of the Otemon Yagura, which was relocated to its current position. Six gates once guarded the central precinct. The Otemon has been reconstructed, although about 50 meters west of its original position. The third gate, Fuki-no-Mon, is now part of Enman-ji Temple. The gate was transferred there at the beginning of the Meiji Period but was lowered by 70 cm. Likewise, the Ote-San-Mon was given to the nearby Yusan-ji Temple in Fukuroi, where it remains.
The Ni-no-Maru Goten, a simple yet elegant palace on the flatlands below the hill, remains intact to this day. Built by Daimyo Ota Sukekatsu after the 1854 earthquake and before the collapse of the shogunate, it is among the last truly original Edo period castle structures and is registered as a National Important Property. The land and a substantial amount of money to finance the castle's rebuilding were left to the city by a wealthy resident. With local donations, the keep, some yagura watchtowers, and walled sections were rebuilt in 1994 in the traditional manner, making Kakegawa the first post-war castle to be constructed in wood.
See also
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Arato Castle
Arato Castle was built in 1524 by the Yamada clan under the orders of their overlord, Murakami, as a small mountain fort. Over time, it gained strategic importance and became a focal point in the conflict between two famous daimyō of the Sengoku period — Takeda Shingen and Murakami Yoshikiyo. This conflict turned the castle into one of the key fortifications in the struggle for control over Shinano Province.
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Tatsuno Castle
Tatsuno Castle is not a single fortification but rather a complex consisting of two parts: a mountain fortress located at the summit of Mount Keirozan and a flatland-mountain castle situated at its base. The mountain stronghold was built around 1499 by Akamatsu Murahide. During the Muromachi period, the Akamatsu clan was an influential family that, at the height of its power, controlled the provinces of Settsu, Harima, Bizen, and Mimasaka. Murahide’s ancestors were directly involved in the events of the Genkō War in the 14th century and in the subsequent establishment of the Ashikaga shogunate. However, by the 15th century, due to the process of gekokujō, the clan began to lose its position under pressure from rising families, including their former vassals—the Urakami and Bessho clans. In addition, the Akamatsu faced constant pressure from the Amago clan of Izumo Province.
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Takamatsu Castle
Takamatsu Castle was founded by Ikoma Chikamasa (1526–1603), who was appointed ruler of Takamatsu by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587. The following year, Chikamasa began construction of the castle on the coast of the Inland Sea (Setonaikai), completing it by 1590.
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Sawayama Castle
During the Kamakura period, Sabo Tokitsuna, the sixth son of Sasaki Sadatsuna, built a fort on Mount Sawayama. This fort occupied a strategically important position because it allowed control over traffic along the important Tōsandō route, which was later known as Nakasendō. This road connected the capital, Kyoto, with the eastern regions of the country. Due to its location, the fortification held great military importance, and during periods of civil war it repeatedly became the site of fierce battles.
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Nadzima Castle
It is believed that the first structures on this site were built by Tachibana Akitoshi (?-1568), head of the Tachibana clan, a branch family of the Ōtomo clan, as auxiliary fortifications for Tachibanayama Castle. In 1587, Toyotomi Hideyoshi established control over the island of Kyushu and granted Chikuzen Province to Kobayakawa Takakage, one of the leading vassals of the Mori clan. Takakage began construction of a new castle on the site of the existing fortifications in 1588. The exact date of completion is unknown, but by the time the invasion of Korea began in 1592, the castle had already been finished, as records note that Toyotomi Hideyoshi stayed there overnight on his way to Hizen Nagoya Castle, which served as the headquarters of the invasion forces.
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Kubota Castle
The founder of the castle is considered to be Satake Yoshinobu (1570–1633). Yoshinobu was one of the six great generals of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. During the Odawara Campaign of 1590, he took part in the siege of Oshi Castle under the command of Ishida Mitsunari, with whom Yoshinobu developed a good relationship.
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Kavanhoe Castle
Kawanoe Castle is located on the small Wasi-yama hill near the port area of the Kawanoe district in the city of Shikokuchuo, occupying a central position along the northern coast of Shikoku Island. Kawanoe was also known as Butsuden Castle. The term “butsuden” in Japan refers to temple halls, and for this reason it is believed that a Buddhist temple once stood on the site before the castle was built. Due to its location at the junction of four provinces on Shikoku Island, Kawanoe held significant strategic importance and was repeatedly targeted by rival forces seeking military control over the region.
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Yokote Castle
The founder of the castle is considered to be the Onodera clan. The Onodera were originally a minor clan from Shimotsuke Province and served Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199), the founder of the first shogunate. The Onodera distinguished themselves in battle against the Fujiwara clan of the Ōshū branch and were rewarded with lands around Yokote. Around the 14th century, the Onodera moved to Yokote as their permanent residence. Their original stronghold was Numadate Castle, but after a series of clashes with the powerful Nambu clan, they relocated their base to the site of present-day Yokote Castle. It was likely during this time that the first fortifications appeared at the castle.
