Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama Castle: Tsuyama Castle in Okayama Prefecture, now in ruins, is often considered the greatest of Edo era castles and certainly the most over-fortified.
Tsuyama Castle 津山城
Opinions are divided when it comes to saying which is the greatest Japanese castle. Himeji Castle is nowadays often so classified, but Kumamoto Castle, Matsuyama Castle, and sometimes even Osaka Castle also are high on the list, however if we go back to the Edo Period, the time of great castle construction, then Tsuyama Castle was considered the greatest of them all.
Tsuyama Castle, Okayama Prefecture
History of Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama, in northern Okayama Prefecture was the ancient capital of Mimasaka Province and was known at the time as Soja. Later it rose to prominence as a stop along the Izumo Kaido, the busy highway that connected the important Izumo region with the capital.
In the mid 15th century the Yamana clan built a castle here on Tsuruyama Hill and the castle was known as Tsuruyama Castle. It is thought that is where the name Tsuyama derived from. The Yamana were defeated and lost power and the castle was abandoned. In 1603 Mori Tadamasa was given the domain by Tokugawa Ieyasu and he began construction of a new castle.
It took 12 years to complete, and when finished Tsuyama Castle boasted a 5 story keep, reputedly modeled on the keep of Kokura Castle, surrounded by 31 turrets and 15 gates.
Surrounding the inner area was a further 12 turrets and 7 gates, around it was 17 further turrets and 11 gates, and the outer fortifications consisted of another 17 turrets. The massive number of defensive structures is what led to it being called the greatest castle, though perhaps most fortified would be the best superlative. It was very much a case of over-fortification. Osaka Castle, even though covering a much larger area, had only half the structures of Tsuyama Castle.
Tsuyama Castle, Okayama Prefecture
Stone Walls of Tsuyama Castle, Okayama Prefecture
The Mori stayed in control of the domain until the end of the 17th century when it passed to the Matsudaira who stayed until the castle was decommissioned and dismantled in 1873 at the beginning of the Meiji Period.
The grounds were turned into Kakuzen Park and over 5,000 cherry trees were planted and it is generally known as the best place in all of the Chugoku region for cherry blossom viewing. There is little information in English, though the History Museum near the entrance is worth a visit to see the scale model of what the castle looked like.
In 1936 a fake reproduction of a keep was built but it was dismantled after the start of U.S. Bombing of Japanese cities as it was feared it would be used as a target.
To mark the 400th anniversary of the castle the Bitchu Turret was reconstructed in 2005.
View from Tsuyama Castle over Tsuyama town, Okayama Prefecture
Tsuyama Castle, Okayama Prefecture
Tsuyama Castle Ruins & Kakuzen Park
Yamashita, Tsuyama City, Okayama 708-0022
Open 8:30am to 5pm, 7 days a week. Entrance 210 yen
Tsuyama History & Folklore Museum
92 Sange, Tsuyama, Okayama 708-0022
Tel: 0868 22 4567
Entrance 210 yen
Google map of Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama Castle, Okayama Prefecture
Tsuyama Castle Access
Tsuyama Castle is a 15 minute walk from Tsuyama Station on the Tsuyama Line to Okayama (67 minutes) and the Kishin Line to Niimi (1 hour, 40 minutes) and Himeji via Sayo.
Tsuyama Castle, Okayama Prefecture
