Kakegawa Castle

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Kakegawa3.jpg

History

Imagawa Yoshitada had his retainer Asahina Yasuhiro build Kakegawa Castle about 0.5km to the northeast of the present castle to help control this vital point of the Tokaido road. In 1569, his descendent, Asahina Yasutomo, lost the castle to Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces. In 1590, the area was absorbed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi who stationed Yamanouchi Kazutoyo here when Tokugawa moved to Edo (Tokyo).

Yamanouchi built the main keep on the current site and renovated the castle and town into a more modern castle. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Yamanouchi was moved to Kochi. Yamanouchi's main keep was destroyed in an earthquake in 1604 but was soon rebuilt. The new keep lasted until 1854 when it destroyed by another earthquake. It was not rebuilt and the castle was dismantled in 1869.


Visit Notes

The museum in the main keep does not have many artifacts but the displays are very well done. The combination of a nicely reconstructed main keep, an original palace and a few other gates and buildings really make this castle a must see for castle fans.


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Gallery
  • Donjon and walls
  • donjon, gate, walls
  • gate, walls, and donjon
  • Otemon Gate
  • Taiko Yagura
  • palace
  • inside the oalace
  • interior of the palace
  • Fuki Gate
  • inside of the main keep
  • map
  • ôteninomarumon (main gate to the second bailey), 1659, relocated to Yuusanji in 1873
  • relocated ôteninomarumon
  • relocated ôteninomarumon
  • Relocated Gate, Ryūunji Uramon


Castle Profile
English Name Kakegawa Castle
Japanese Name 掛川城
Alternate Names Kumokiri
Founder Asahina Yasuhiro
Year Founded 1497
Castle Type Hilltop
Castle Condition Reconstructed main keep
Designations Top 100 Castles, has Important Cultural Properties, Local Historic Site
Historical Period Edo Period
Main Keep Structure 3 levels, 4 stories
Year Reconstructed 1993 (wood)
Artifacts Yusanji Sanmon Gate, goten
Features main keep, gates, turrets, palace, stone walls, walls
Visitor Information
Access Kakegawa Station (Tokaido Honsen), 10 minute walk
Visitor Information
Time Required
Website http://www.city.kakegawa.shizuoka.jp/kanko/siro.htm
Location Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture
Coordinates 34° 46' 31.66" N, 138° 0' 53.50" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 1999
Contributor Eric
Admin Year Visited 1999, 2009
Admin Visits May 1999; October 15, 2009


4.04
(23 votes)
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ARTShogun

9 months ago
Score 0++
Added relocated gates to gallery with co-ords.
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ARTShogun

62 months ago
Score 1++

Kakegawa Castle's main keep's historically accurate reconstruction from wood in 1994 was applauded by historians. Kakegawajō is that grade of castle that I will recommend castle fans visit no matter where they are based in the country. Kakegawa is located between Tōkyō and Nagoya on the Tōkaidō shinkansen line, so it’s quite accessible. Allow me to list the desirable features of this castle site:

1. An Edo-era go’ten palace is located in the Ninomaru bailey of the castle complex. The go’ten had its own wall, which was rare for a castle palace. The go’ten is built from wood in single storey shoin-zukuri style. It has 20 rooms with tatami matting. It is divied into 3 parts: shointo, for ceremonial functions, including rooms go’shoin kaminoma, where the lord interviewed visitors, tsuginoma, where retainers met with their lord, and sannoma, a waiting room for guests (most visitors did not go in the go’shoin room but stayed in sannoma); Koshointo, where the lord had his official residence, including the nagairorinoma living quarters; and Shoyakusho, which hosted government offices for administrators, police officers, the financial department of the daimyate, and document archives. The gable over the entranceway to the palace is in the makuri-hafu style. When I visited they were making a movie there so some parts were off limits, but I got to see samurai walking around, smoking cigarettes and checking their phones!

2. The Meiji-era grand residence in Bamboo bailey. An industrial-era manor combines traditional Japanese and foreign architecture in exquisite style. Located in takenomaru (bailey of bamboo), “Lantern Art” is also on display here.

3. The architecture of the tenshu. The tenshu is reproduced from wood to be historically accurate. If medieval warriors were available now they could move in and be able to defend this castle immediately, making use of the structure’s defensive features: Sama, out of which arrows and firearms are fired, and the ishi-otoshi, an overhang on the first floor from which rocks could be dropped and spears thrust. The donjon’s architectural features include a katomado window on the second floor in the style of zen temples, and the kara-hafu (“Tang-style”) arched gable around it. The keep’s balacony is black-lacquered, a yagura adorns the entrance, and the tenshu is flanked by east and west projections which add a sense of imposing grandeur to a keep which is not otherwise a large one. The tenshudai is 3.6m in height and the tenshukaku is 16.2m.

History:

Imagawa Yoshitada ordered Asahina Yasuhiro to construct Kakegawajō around 1515. In 1569, Asahina Yasutomo was defeated and, acting from their powerbase in Kantō, the Tokugawa supplanted the Imagawa. After this the Toyotomi vassal, Yamauchi Kazutoyo, became the local lord. He constructed the tenshukaku in 1590 and grew up the castle town. The castle tower was destroyed by an earthquake which struck in 1854.
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SuupaahiirooAshigaru

66 months ago
Score 1++
Fantastic castle site. The keep is the second I have visited of the tenshukaku rebuilt with original materials/techniques, the other being Shiroishi Castle in Miyagi. But the real highlight here, of course, is the original goten. The roof is yosemune-dzukuri (寄棟造り) rather than irimoya-dzukuri (入母屋造り), a relatively rare sight for buildings from this era. I got the same 900 yen kyōtsū-ken as Furinkazan, which I would highly recommend. The tea room and its adjoining garden are gorgeous and the 900 yen ticket includes green tea and a Japanese sweet. Takenomaru, the Meiji era building, is a nice extra. Especially the second floor is a great example of wayō-setchū (和洋折衷), a mix of Japanese and Western style, with a katō-mado (火灯窓) but also stained glass.
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FurinkazanHatamoto

73 months ago
Score 1++

On my last day in Japan this year, i revisited this castle en route to Tôkyô. I went first to the Fukinomon and then to the Otemon. After that i went to the bridge which leads to the castle. In front of that bridge there is a shop selling all stuff a would be samurai wants. Since i'm in a little group, which provides samurai or geishas on japanese tinted events, i bought some objects. I was like Alice in Wonderland. Then i went to the castle. You can buy a ticket for 900¥, giving access to the tenshu, the gôten, the ninomaru tea house, where you receive green tea, and to the Takenomaru(=the mansion mentioned by Art). This last building was build in 1903, but is architecturally very interesting.

If your luggage is too large to put in a coin locker, which was my case, go to the Tourist information office in the station. They'll take care of your luggage for a 500¥ fee, which is the amount for the biggest coin locker in the station.
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ARTShogun

90 months ago
Score 0++
oh my god oh my god. This castle! It's the palace especially which is so awesome. And when I went they were filming a period drama show, so there were samurai walking around all over the place! I was there, maaaan, I was transported to the bygone Edo-jidai. The palace is well worth seeing and the castle itself is very scenic and pretty. The nearby structures are also of great interest. The Meiji Era mansion in the outer bailey is a composite of Japanese and Western architecture - an absolute must-see if you're interested in Meiji history. I gush.
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Kiddus i2003Gunshi

110 months ago
Score 0++
Great looking little castle and the premises below were excellent.
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DiegoDeManilaAshigaru

111 months ago
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Visited 04 February 2014. Easy 10-15 minute walk almost due north from Kakegawa Station (a Kodama stop so very convenient for JR Pass users). The faithful reconstruction using traditional materials easily won me over and it's now one of my favourite castles. Clearly deserves a 4-star rating for the buildings, though I've added an extra half-star for the great staff and a memorable experience I had in the castle's tea house.

http://withi...bruary-2014/
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BryanbaierPeasant

137 months ago
Score 0++
Hard to believe that it's a reconstruction but it is and a very good one. The hall is way cool. The tea ceremony is nice too.
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RaymondWDaimyo

139 months ago
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This is a great reconstructed castle to revisit. Access is quite easy. It is just a 10 minute walk from JR Kakegawa Station. From the top of the castle keep, you can clearly see where Suwahara Castle Ruin is located to the east and Takatenjin Castle Ruin to the south. There is a helpful and friendly volunteer on the top floor who is quite happy to answer visitors’ questions. There isn’t much to see inside the castle keep. On the ground floor, there are some banners, a bronze statue of Yamanouchi, and some armour and weapons. At night, it was nicely lit up, too. Apart from the reconstructed wooden keep, there is an original palace which was rebuilt in 1861 after an earthquake. For me, this castle site is definitely worth four stars because of the wooden castle keep, the original palace rebuilt near the end of the Edo Period, and some original relocated castle structures nearby.
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Frank T.Gunshi

141 months ago
Score 0++
Another reconstruction done the way it should be. Conveniently located on the way between Tokyo and Nagoya, this site is well worth a visit.
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Anonymous user #1

150 months ago
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This is one of the better castles we have seen so far, it was a wooden reconstruction and felt more genuine. The structures, grounds and township are all very interesting and well worth the effort.
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Anonymous user #1

152 months ago
Score 0++
I went there on my way to Futamata and Hamamatsu; by chance it was also the day of a local Fire Service matsuri. There were about 30 fire engines parading past the castle and various brass bands, so as I toured the castle I had my own theme music. The staff at the gate offered to take my photo, mind my baggage for free and gave me some of the local produce. Kakegawa is a recent reconstruction and a lot of work has gone into it; it makes you realise how good reconstructions can be. The displays are in Japanese but they do have nice pictures and furigana for everything which helps. In the palace there was a computerised quiz to find out which famous Sengoku era man or woman you would be. Out of Oichi, Nene, Cha-Cha and Chiyo I found out I was most like Chiyo-hime. (Sadly a Chiyo-hime who is never going to be able to buy her boyfriend a horse. Oh well.) There were plenty of Chiyo and Kazutoyo souvenirs around, including some 'Komyo ga Tsuji' relics.
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RaymondWDaimyo

164 months ago
Score 0++
I went and visited this castle today. For a reconstructed castle, it is brilliant. It's so nice to go inside a castle that has a wooden construction as opposite to just bland concrete walls and pillars. The palace is an original one from the late Edo Period, which is a bonus while visiting this castle. The palace was rebuilt in the late Edo Period after it was destroyed by either a fire or earthquake (sorry, can't remember exactly.) This castle site certainly deserves its 4-star rating on this website. If you go, make sure you get the combo ticket for 400yen as this gets you into the castle keep, the palace, and the art musuem on the grounds. It's easy to get to the castle. You can see it as you pull into the station. This is definitely one of the better castle sites to visit between Tokyo and Nagoya.
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FurinkazanHatamoto

168 months ago
Score 0++
This is a realy nice castle. I encountered a japanese man reading the panels of some battles in the tenshu. These are unfortunately only in japanese. But i recognized the battles and ask him if i wasn't mistaken. He was so impressed by my knowledge that, when i encountered him back at the goten, he bought me the book of the reconstuction of the castle(alas only in japanese). The maps in the book are very interesting. I can tell that the base of the foundation of the castle has been reconstructed with a concrete core. The tower was completely reconstructed with classical materials. In the tenshu and the goten are a lot of interesting artifacts.