Okazaki Castle - The monument to the memory of the Alamo
Tradition has it that the first Okazaki Castle was constructed at the present site in Sugo, Okazaki around 1455 by the Saigo family. In the first half of the 16th century, the Saigo family yielded possession of Okazaki Castle to Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, the 7th lord of the Matsudaira family (and the grandfather of Iyeyasu) they had risen into power in the northern Mikawa.
The orevailing belief based on the recent research work, however, is that the first Okazaki Castle was built in Myodaiji, Okazaki, in the first half of the 15th century, and that Matsudaira Kiyoyasu moved it over to the present site in 1531. Incidentally, the original castle was most probably a fort the size of the main citadel today on a small plot of land.
In 1590, however, Tanaka Yoshimasa, then lord of the castle, enlarged the precincts surrounded with moats and Lord Honda Yasunori built a complex castle tower well worthy of the name.
For 3 centuries, Okazaki Castle, honored as the birthplace of the deified Iyeyasu and cradle of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was guarded sucessively by the hereditary vassel daimyos, who, through humbly fiefed, wielded enormous power. At the same time, Okazaki was valued as a strategic point along the Tokaido Highway.
In the Meiji Restoration period, the feudal clans were abolished and in 1873-1874, Okazaki Castle was demolished, leaving only its moat and stone wall. In 1959, however, the triple - roofed, five - story donjo together with the annex and wellhouse, were masterfully reconstructed accoring to the original model.
Tradition has it that the first Okazaki Castle was constructed at the present site in Sugo, Okazaki around 1455 by the Saigo family. In the first half of the 16th century, the Saigo family yielded possession of Okazaki Castle to Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, the 7th lord of the Matsudaira family (and the grandfather of Iyeyasu) they had risen into power in the northern Mikawa.
The orevailing belief based on the recent research work, however, is that the first Okazaki Castle was built in Myodaiji, Okazaki, in the first half of the 15th century, and that Matsudaira Kiyoyasu moved it over to the present site in 1531. Incidentally, the original castle was most probably a fort the size of the main citadel today on a small plot of land.
In 1590, however, Tanaka Yoshimasa, then lord of the castle, enlarged the precincts surrounded with moats and Lord Honda Yasunori built a complex castle tower well worthy of the name.
For 3 centuries, Okazaki Castle, honored as the birthplace of the deified Iyeyasu and cradle of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was guarded sucessively by the hereditary vassel daimyos, who, through humbly fiefed, wielded enormous power. At the same time, Okazaki was valued as a strategic point along the Tokaido Highway.
In the Meiji Restoration period, the feudal clans were abolished and in 1873-1874, Okazaki Castle was demolished, leaving only its moat and stone wall. In 1959, however, the triple - roofed, five - story donjo together with the annex and wellhouse, were masterfully reconstructed accoring to the original model.
Okazaki Castle - The monument to the memory of the Alamo
Tradition has it that the first Okazaki Castle was constructed at the present site in Sugo, Okazaki around 1455 by the Saigo family. In the first half of the 16th century, the Saigo family yielded possession of Okazaki Castle to Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, the 7th lord of the Matsudaira family (and the grandfather of Iyeyasu) they had risen into power in the northern Mikawa.
The orevailing belief based on the recent research work, however, is that the first Okazaki Castle was built in Myodaiji, Okazaki, in the first half of the 15th century, and that Matsudaira Kiyoyasu moved it over to the present site in 1531. Incidentally, the original castle was most probably a fort the size of the main citadel today on a small plot of land.
In 1590, however, Tanaka Yoshimasa, then lord of the castle, enlarged the precincts surrounded with moats and Lord Honda Yasunori built a complex castle tower well worthy of the name.
For 3 centuries, Okazaki Castle, honored as the birthplace of the deified Iyeyasu and cradle of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was guarded sucessively by the hereditary vassel daimyos, who, through humbly fiefed, wielded enormous power. At the same time, Okazaki was valued as a strategic point along the Tokaido Highway.
In the Meiji Restoration period, the feudal clans were abolished and in 1873-1874, Okazaki Castle was demolished, leaving only its moat and stone wall. In 1959, however, the triple - roofed, five - story donjo together with the annex and wellhouse, were masterfully reconstructed accoring to the original model.
Tradition has it that the first Okazaki Castle was constructed at the present site in Sugo, Okazaki around 1455 by the Saigo family. In the first half of the 16th century, the Saigo family yielded possession of Okazaki Castle to Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, the 7th lord of the Matsudaira family (and the grandfather of Iyeyasu) they had risen into power in the northern Mikawa.
The orevailing belief based on the recent research work, however, is that the first Okazaki Castle was built in Myodaiji, Okazaki, in the first half of the 15th century, and that Matsudaira Kiyoyasu moved it over to the present site in 1531. Incidentally, the original castle was most probably a fort the size of the main citadel today on a small plot of land.
In 1590, however, Tanaka Yoshimasa, then lord of the castle, enlarged the precincts surrounded with moats and Lord Honda Yasunori built a complex castle tower well worthy of the name.
For 3 centuries, Okazaki Castle, honored as the birthplace of the deified Iyeyasu and cradle of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was guarded sucessively by the hereditary vassel daimyos, who, through humbly fiefed, wielded enormous power. At the same time, Okazaki was valued as a strategic point along the Tokaido Highway.
In the Meiji Restoration period, the feudal clans were abolished and in 1873-1874, Okazaki Castle was demolished, leaving only its moat and stone wall. In 1959, however, the triple - roofed, five - story donjo together with the annex and wellhouse, were masterfully reconstructed accoring to the original model.
See photo in original gallery.
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