Tsutsujigasaki Castle (Tsutsujigasaki Yakata) served as the fortified residence of the last three generations of the Takeda clan and is located in the heart of Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Unlike traditional Japanese castles, it was not referred to as a "castle" in Japanese, as the Takeda clan famously believed in relying on their warriors as their true fortifications, stating, "Make men your castle, men your walls, men your moats." Designated a National Historic Site in 1938, the ruins are now open to the public and house the Takeda Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of the Takeda clan.
The Takeda clan, a cadet branch of the Minamoto clan, gradually gained control of Kai Province during the late Heian period, originally fortifying themselves at Hakusan Castle and Yato Castle. By the Sengoku period, they held the position of shugo (governor) of Kai, and in 1519, Takeda Nobutora chose a central location in the province to establish a fortified residence and castle town. Unlike the common practice of building castles on mountains for defense, Nobutora constructed Tsutsujigasaki on a gentle slope in the Kofu Basin. To compensate for its exposed position, he also built a mountain fortress, Yogaiyama Castle, as a strategic backup stronghold.
The complex was one of the largest residential fortifications in eastern Japan during the Sengoku period. It featured two main enclosures surrounded by a combination of flooded and dry moats. The central enclosure housed the Takeda ruler’s private residence, while the western enclosure served as the administrative center, featuring heavily fortified "umadashi"-style gates. Additionally, two secondary enclosures, Miso-guruwa and Baio-guruwa, provided extra layers of defense. Today, the site retains some of its original water moats and minor stonework, with the Takeda Shrine, built in 1919, standing at its center. A museum, guarded by a stone Hello Kitty, is located to the right of the shrine.
Tsutsujigasaki remained Takeda Shingen’s primary residence after he overthrew his father in 1540. However, in 1581, his son, Takeda Katsuyori, moved to the newly constructed Shinpu Castle in Nirasaki. The Takeda clan met its downfall in 1582 when it was annihilated by the combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Following this, Nobunaga's general, Kawajiri Hidetaka, briefly ruled Kai Province from Tsutsujigasaki until Nobunaga’s assassination later that year. With the completion of Kofu Castle in 1594, Tsutsujigasaki was ultimately abandoned.
See also
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Nagoya Castle
Nagoya Castle, originally built by the Owari Domain in 1612 during the Edo period, stands on the site of an earlier Oda clan castle from the Sengoku period. It became the centerpiece of Nagoya-juku, a significant castle town on the Minoji road, which connected two major Edo Five Routes: the Tokaido and the Nakasendo. In 1930, ownership of the castle was transferred to the city by the Imperial Household Ministry, establishing it as the focal point of modern Nagoya. Although partially destroyed in the Pacific War in 1945, the castle has undergone continuous restoration and preservation efforts since 1957.
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Matsushiro Castle
Matsushiro Castle, originally known as Kaizu Castle, is located in what was once Matsushiro town, now part of Nagano City. The site is recognized as a National Historic Site of Japan. Situated on the northern Shinano flatlands between the Chikuma River and a former riverbed that serves as a natural outer moat to the north, the castle and its surrounding town were prone to flooding due to their location.
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Fushimi Castle
Fushimi Castle, also known as Momoyama Castle or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto. Originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592 and 1594 as his retirement residence, the castle was destroyed by the 1596 Keichō–Fushimi earthquake and later rebuilt. However, it was demolished again in 1623, and its site now houses the tomb of Emperor Meiji. A replica of the castle was constructed nearby in 1964.
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Odawara Castle
Odawara Castle, located in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is a reconstructed historical site with roots dating back to the Kamakura period (1185–1333). The current donjon (main keep) was rebuilt using reinforced concrete in 1960 on the stone foundation of the original structure, which was dismantled between 1870 and 1872 during the Meiji Restoration.
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Shinpu Castle
Shinpu Castle was a Japanese hirayama-style fortress from the Sengoku period, situated in what is now Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture. It served as the main stronghold of warlord Takeda Katsuyori. Designated as a National Historic Site in 1973, the castle occupies a strategic position on a mountain with steep cliffs, overlooking the Kamanashi River to the west of Kofu, where Takeda Shingen’s Tsutsujigasaki Castle once stood.
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Takato Castle
Takato Castle, located in the city of Ina in southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, was a notable stronghold during the Sengoku period. By the end of the Edo period, it was the residence of a cadet branch of the Naito clan, the daimyo of the Takato Domain. Also known as Kabuto Castle, it was originally constructed in the 16th century and is now mostly in ruins.
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Takatenjin Castle
Takatenjin Castle was a yamashiro-style fortress from Japan's Sengoku period, situated in the Kamihijikata and Shimohijikata districts of Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. Designated a National Historic Site in 1975, with an expanded protected area in 2007, its ruins remain a significant historical landmark.
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Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
