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.
Constructed in 1505 on the western bank of the Toyokawa, Yoshida Castle was strategically placed to guard an important river crossing along the vital Tokaido highway. It was designed to protect the eastern Mikawa (now central Aichi Prefecture) lands of warlord Imagawa Ujichika from the encroachments of the Matsudaira Clan of western Mikawa Province. Utilizing the river as a natural defense, the castle’s main citadel, or Honmaru, was enclosed by a moat. Unlike many Japanese castles that feature a large multi-story tower donjon, Yoshida Castle boasted three three-story yagura (watchtowers), a single two-story yagura, and three large fortified gates. The second and third citadels were also encircled by moats and fortified with smaller yagura and robust gates.
Due to its strategic importance, Yoshida Castle was the site of numerous battles and sieges during the civil war period. One notable siege occurred in 1575, led by Takeda Katsuyori before the Battle of Nagashino. Despite being besieged by over 15,000 Takeda forces, the castle’s small garrison of 500 samurai held out, causing Katsuyori to abandon the siege and attack nearby Nagashino Castle instead. This delay allowed the allied forces of the Tokugawa and Oda clans to prepare for the decisive battle that led to the Takeda clan's downfall.
From 1600 onwards, under Tokugawa rule, Yoshida Castle remained a significant stronghold and a key sentinel over the Tokaido. Throughout the Edo Period, various daimyo oversaw the castle, many of whom expanded and fortified its structure. However, with the fall of the Shogunate in 1868 and the abolition of feudalism, Japan returned to imperial rule. The castle was peacefully surrendered to the new Meiji government but was destroyed by fire in 1873 after being handed over to the Imperial army.
After World War II, the castle site was transformed into a park. Toyohashi City Hall was constructed on part of the old castle grounds, beside the main citadel. In 1954, the three-story Kurogane Yagura, one of the original larger turrets, was rebuilt. The castle walls surrounding the inner bailey remain in good condition, giving visitors a sense of the castle's original size. However, many of the old moat systems have been filled in to make way for roadways. An art gallery and a sports complex now occupy the site of the second and third citadels. One of the best views of the castle is from the opposite (eastern) riverbank, where the reconstructed turret and riverside stone walls can be fully appreciated.
Despite its small size, Yoshida Castle played a significant role in Japan's turbulent history. Today, it stands as a picturesque reminder of the past, offering visitors a glimpse into its storied legacy.
See also
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Wakayama Castle
Wakayama Castle was built in 1585, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi ordered his uterine brother, Hashiba (Toyotomi) Hidenaga, to construct a castle on the site of the recently captured Ota Castle. The purpose of this construction was to secure control over the likewise newly conquered Province of Kii. Following an already established tradition, Hidenaga entrusted the project to his castle-building expert, Todo Takatora. Takatora carefully inspected the future castle site, personally drew up several designs, created a model of the planned castle, and took part in the work of laying out the grounds (nawabari). For the construction he brought in more than 10,000 workers and completed the large-scale project within a single year, which was considered extremely fast by the standards of the time.
Toyama Castle
Toyama Castle is located almost in the very center of the former province of Etchū and is surrounded by a wide plain with a large number of rivers. The very first castle on the banks of the Jinzu River was built in 1543 by Jimbo Nagamoto. The Jimbo clan were vassals of the Hatakeyama clan and governed the western part of Etchū Province. The eastern part of the province belonged to their rivals, the Shiina clan, who were also Hatakeyama vassals. Beginning in the 15th century, the influence of the ancient Hatakeyama clan gradually weakened, and as a result, the Jimbo and the Shiina fought constant wars for control of the province. Meanwhile, the forces of the Ikkō-ikki movement periodically intervened, helping first one side and then the other.
Takada Castle
During the Sengoku period, the lands where Takada Castle would later be built were part of Echigo Province and were controlled by the Uesugi clan.
Kishiwada Castle
The celebrated 14th-century military commander Kusunoki Masashige (1294–1336), who owned extensive lands south of what is now the city of Osaka, ordered one of his vassals, Kishiwada Osamu, to build a fortified residence. This order was carried out around 1336. These fortifications became the first structures on the site of what would later become Kishiwada Castle. From the beginning, the castle stood in a strategically important location—roughly halfway between the cities of Wakayama and Osaka, south of the key port of Sakai. Because of this position, it changed hands several times during periods of warfare.
Kaminoyama Castle
Kamino-yama Castle stood at the center of an important logistics hub, in the middle of the Yonezawa Plain, which served as the gateway to the western part of the Tohoku region. Roads connecting the Aizu, Fukushima, and Yamagata areas intersected here.
Imabari Castle
Tōdō Takatora (1556–1630) served at different times as a vassal of several famous clans—Azai, Oda, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa. He took part in the Battle of Anegawa (1570), the Battle of Shizugatake (1583), the invasions of Kyushu and Korea, the Sekigahara campaign (1600), and the Siege of Osaka (1614–1615).
Iwakuni Castle
Kikkawa Hiroie (1561–1625) was the grandson of the famous daimyo Mori Motonari and a vassal of the Mori clan. Under Mori Terumoto, he fought in both Korean campaigns and took part in the defense of Ulsan Castle. During the Battle of Sekigahara, Hiroie stood with his 3,000-man force on the side of the Western Coalition; however, even before the battle began, he sent Tokugawa Ieyasu a secret message stating that he did not intend to fight Tokugawa’s troops. As a result of his inaction, 15,000 soldiers under Mori Hidemoto were also unable to enter the battle, since Hiroie blocked their path.
Gujo Hachiman Castle
Gujo Hachiman Castle is located on 350-meter Mount Hachiman, near the confluence of the Yoshidagawa and Kodaragava rivers, and not far from the Nagaragawa River. During the Sengoku period, this area was of great strategic importance: it stood at a key crossroads of routes connecting Mino Province in the south with the Sea of Japan in the north, and Hida Province in the east with Echizen Province in the west.
