A Castle Built by Order of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Takasaki Castle was constructed in 1598 by Ii Naomasa, the lord of Minowa Castle, under the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Naomasa developed a modern early-modern castle at this strategically important location and established the foundations of the surrounding castle town.
Takasaki stood at an important junction where the Nakasendo Road and Mikuni Kaido Road divided. Because of its strategic position, the area was also important for the defense of Edo, the political center of the Tokugawa shogunate. The castle was therefore built as a base for monitoring and governing the surrounding region.
When Naomasa moved into the new castle, he is said to have named the area Takasaki. According to tradition, the name was inspired by words spoken by Ryuzan Eitan, a monk of Eitokuji Temple in the former Minowa Castle town: even if a pine tree eventually withers, there is no limit to height.
A Vast Castle with a Distinctive Defensive Layout
Takasaki Castle was a large flatland castle built with the Karikuru-Tekikaku complex layout, using the Tone River tributary Karasugawa as a natural defensive feature behind the castle. The inner castle grounds alone covered more than 50,000 tsubo, an area of roughly 165,000 square meters.
The main compound contained the Gosan-kai Yagura, a three-story turret that served a role similar to a keep. Four additional turrets were positioned at the four corners of the castle, traditionally known as Kannon, Kon, Tatsu, and Hitsuji directions.
Unlike many famous Japanese castles, Takasaki Castle made relatively little use of stone walls. Instead, earthen embankments and water-filled moats formed the main defensive system. The castle is believed to have had 16 gates.
Today, the East Gate has been relocated and restored and is designated as an important cultural property by Takasaki City. The Dry Turret (Inui Yagura) is another particularly valuable surviving structure and is regarded as the only existing castle building of its kind remaining in Gunma Prefecture.
From Wada Castle to Takasaki Castle
The site had already been fortified long before Takasaki Castle was built. A castle known as Wada Castle is traditionally said to have been established by Wada Yoshinobu toward the end of the Heian period.
During the Sengoku period, the area became caught between the competing powers of the Uesugi, Takeda, and Hojo clans. Wada Castle fell and was abandoned during the Odawara Campaign of 1590. Following Tokugawa Ieyasu’s entry into the Kanto region, the site was redeveloped as the new Takasaki Castle.
Takasaki Castle During the Edo Period
During the Edo period, Takasaki Castle was governed by a succession of fudai daimyo, feudal lords who had long-standing ties to the Tokugawa family. The Matsudaira (Okōchi) family ruled Takasaki for approximately 150 years.
One of the castle’s most notable historical episodes occurred in 1633, when Tokugawa Tadanaga, the younger brother of Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, was confined at Takasaki Castle and later died by suicide there.
The Castle’s Demolition and Preservation of Its Remains
Takasaki Castle was officially abolished in 1873 following the government’s Castle Abolition Edict. Many of its buildings were dismantled, and the former castle grounds were subsequently converted for military and other uses.
Fortunately, some structures survived. The Dry Turret and East Gate were sold to private farmers and later relocated and restored during the 20th century. Today, they provide visitors with a glimpse of what Takasaki Castle looked like in the past.
Takasaki Castle Ruins Park and Seasonal Scenery
The area around the former castle has been developed as Takasaki Castle Ruins Park, a pleasant green space where local residents and visitors can enjoy walking and relaxing.
The park covers approximately 4.9 hectares and retains sections of the former moat and earthen embankments. These historic features help visitors imagine the scale and atmosphere of the original castle.
Spring is one of the most beautiful seasons to visit. Approximately 300 Somei Yoshino cherry trees bloom along the moat, creating an attractive combination of cherry blossoms, water, and the historic Dry Turret. The area is also illuminated at night during the cherry blossom season, creating a beautiful atmosphere for an evening stroll.
In autumn, the surrounding trees take on vivid colors. Throughout the year, the park offers an opportunity to enjoy both seasonal nature and the history of Takasaki.
A Castle Without a Traditional Main Keep
Unlike famous castles such as Osaka Castle and Himeji Castle, Takasaki Castle did not have a magnificent traditional castle keep.
This reflects the changing role of Japanese castles during the period when Takasaki Castle was constructed. As Japan moved toward political unification, castles increasingly served as centers of government and administration rather than simply military strongholds.
Instead of a conventional keep, Takasaki Castle had the Gosan-kai Yagura, a three-story turret that served as both a defensive facility and a symbol of the castle’s administrative authority.
Access and Visitor Information
Takasaki Castle Ruins are located around Takasaki City Hall in central Takasaki.
From JR Takasaki Station, the site is approximately 15 minutes on foot or about 5 minutes by bus. By car, it takes approximately 15 minutes from the Takasaki Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway.
Experience the History of Takasaki Castle
Takasaki Castle is an important historic site that tells the story of early-modern castle construction and the development of Takasaki as a castle town. Although much of the original castle has disappeared beneath the modern city, the surviving Dry Turret, East Gate, moat, and earthen embankments preserve traces of a castle that played an important role in the history of the region.
A visit in spring offers the added pleasure of cherry blossoms reflected in the moat, while the quiet scenery of the castle ruins provides an opportunity to imagine Takasaki as it was more than 400 years ago.