Kakegawa Castle
The main keep as we see it today is a modern reconstruction, but the nice
feature with it is that the tower is rebuilt using mainly wood, which gives it a
certain original appearance on the inside. Other castles that were reconstructed
after WW2 were done so with concrete, like for instance Ôsaka Castle. The
original Tenshukaku was built by the Yamanouchi family at the end of the
16th century, but large parts of the castle was
destroyed in the earthquake of November 4th 1854, including the main keep which
finally collapsed in 1869.
It is a little unclear when there first appeared a castle at this cite, but
during the rule of Imagawa Yoshitada (1436-1476), the area commander, Asahina
Yasuhiro (?-1512), was transferred to Kakegawa. He was ordered to start a
large-scale expansion of the castle, and it would from then on serve as the
Asahina family's administrative and military center. Exactly when this expansion
took place is a bit uncertain, but it most likely took place sometime during the
later years of Yoshitada's lifetime. As for the early history of Kakegawa
Castle, it is to believe that before the transformation of Kakegawa by Yasuhiro
the actual castle was merely a small fortress or a fortified mansion. In Japan
most castles were located on a mountain or a hill, but this castle was known as
a lowland castle which made it more vulnerable to all out attacks. Fortunately a
river flows pass the castle walls, thereby forming a natural moat on the inner
compounds - the honmaru and ni no maru.
During most of the 16th century the Asahina clan ruled areas of Tôtômi province,
and they became a powerful family within the Imagawa military organization. All
things have to come to an end though, and in 1569 the Imagawa family were
destroyed, and soon after the Asahina family's castle was under siege by the
Tokugawa army. In Mai 1569 the Asahina family surrendered, and handed, what was
left of the castle, over to Ieyasu. Ieyasu appointed his general Ishikawa Hyûga
no Kami Ienari (1534-1609) to castle commander. More information on the downfall
of Imagawa, Asahina, and Kakegawa Castle in volume 5 and 6 in the series, Saga
of the Samurai, which will be published in the near future.
In 1590 Tokugawa Ieyasu was transferred to the Kantô area, and Yamanouchi
Kazutoyo (1546-1605), a Oda and Toyotomi general, was appointed castle
commander. It was Kazutoyo that started the great expansion work that we can see
traces of today. He also built the first great Tenshukaku of Kakegawa.
The Yamanouchi family was replaced by other families under the Edo period and in
all something like 26 lords ruled over this castle. For most of these later
lords their period as commanders were rather peaceful, and it is clear that it
was under the Sengoku period that Kakegawa Castle had its most eventful days.