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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Fukuyama Castle
After the defeat of Toyotomi Hideyori’s supporters in the Osaka Campaigns of 1614–1615, many clans in Japan still remained not fully loyal to the Tokugawa shogunate, especially in the western Chūgoku region. Mizuno Katsunari (1564–1651), a cousin of Tokugawa Ieyasu, became the first of the Tokugawa house’s close retainers, the so-called fudai daimyō, to be relocated to this strategically important area.
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Tiba Castle
The founder of the Chiba clan is considered to be Chiba Tsunesige (1083–1180), who in 1126 moved his residence to the Inohana area and built a strongly fortified stronghold there. Although Tsunesige himself came from the Taira clan, the Chiba clan later supported Minamoto no Yoritomo, the future founder of the first shogunate.
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Sunomata Castle
Oda Nobunaga, as part of his “final solution” to the conflict with the Saitō clan, conceived the construction of a fort in the Sunomata area, which was intended to serve as a forward base for an attack on Inabayama Castle (later renamed Gifu). Sunomata was a swampy area located between Ogaki Castle, a stronghold of the Oda clan, and Inabayama, the main fortress of the Saitō clan. Earlier attempts to build fortifications in this area, carried out by Oda generals Sakuma Nobumori and Shibata Katsuie, had all ended in failure. After that, the task was entrusted to the young vassal Kinoshita Tokichirō, who later became known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
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Shibata Castle
The exact time when structures first appeared on the site of the present-day castle is unknown; however, it is generally believed that the first fortified buildings were constructed here during the Muromachi period, when these lands were controlled by the Shibata clan.
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Okayama Castle
According to a number of accounts, the earliest fortifications on the site of present-day Okayama Castle appeared as early as the 14th century and were built by the Nawa clan. The Asahigawa River was used as a natural defensive barrier, protecting one side of the fortifications.
In the early 16th century, the Kanamitsu clan constructed a new castle here, which at the time was known as Ishiyama. In 1573, it came under the control of the Ukita clan, after which Ukita Naoie (1529–1582) launched large-scale reconstruction efforts. He did not live to see the work completed, and construction was continued by his son Hideie. -
Nagahama Castle
Hashiba, later known as Toyotomi Hideyoshi, received Odani Castle and the surrounding lands from Oda Nobunaga after the defeat of the Azai clan. However, Odani Castle was located high in the mountains, which made it poorly suited for the effective administration of the territory. For this reason, in 1575 Hideyoshi began constructing a new castle in the village of Imahama on the shore of Lake Biwa. Taking the character naga from Nobunaga’s name, he renamed both the village and the new castle Nagahama.
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Kokura Castle
Kokura Castle is traditionally considered to have been founded by Hosokawa Tadaoki (1563–1645), although by the time the Hosokawa clan came to control these lands, the fortification had already existed since at least 1569 and was most likely built by members of the Mori clan.
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Ikeda Castle
In 1334, Ikeda Noriyoshi built a small fort on this site, which over time was repeatedly expanded and rebuilt. During the Ōnin War of 1467–1477, the Ikeda clan supported the Western Coalition. As a result, Ikeda Castle was attacked and captured by the forces of the Eastern Coalition, but it was soon recaptured, allowing it to avoid serious destruction.
