I have been appreciating swords and Ieyasu's hot water at 'Okazaki Castle', the birthplace of Ieyasu Tokugawa
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/00_m.jpg)
It is said that Tokugawa Ieyasu was born at Okazaki Castle in Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture. At the time of writing this article, the castle tower of Okazaki Castle was rebuilt in the Showa period, but there are many items on display inside the castle that convey the history of Okazaki Castle. After visiting '
Okazaki Castle Top Page | Okazaki Castle (Castle Tower) | Special Features | Okazaki Park |
https://okazaki-kanko.jp/okazaki-park/feature/okazakijo/top
The area around Okazaki Castle is maintained as Okazaki Park. If you go by public transportation, take the train to Meitetsu 'Higashiokazaki Station' or Aichi Loop Railway 'Nakaokazaki Station' and walk about 15 minutes to reach the entrance of Okazaki Park.
I found a clock tower on the way to the Okazaki castle tower.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/01_m.jpg)
The clock tower is equipped with a mechanism that moves every 30 minutes from 9:00 to 18:00. I was curious about what kind of karakuri was in it, so I waited until it started to move.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/02_m.jpg)
Below is a picture of how the karakuri moves. The puppets were performing Noh for more than 3 minutes.
On the way from the clock tower to the castle tower of Okazaki Castle, I discovered a well that is said to have been the place where Ieyasu was born.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/03_m.jpg)
Looking from above it looks like this.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/04_m.jpg)
The water in the well was actually tangible.
It was a hot day, over 30 degrees, so the water was lukewarm.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/06_m.jpg)
You can see stone walls on the road leading to the entrance of the castle tower. Some of the stone walls remain from the Edo period, and the stone wall seen in the background of this photo is from the late Edo period.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/07_m.jpg)
This is from the early Edo period, and compared to stone walls from the late Edo period, the size and shape are different.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/08_m.jpg)
The stone walls piled up to the northwest of the castle keep of Okazaki Castle are uniform in size and shape, and the corners were finished in a straight line called 'Edo-kiri'.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/09_m.jpg)
Arrived at the entrance of Tenshu.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/10_m.jpg)
You need to purchase a ticket to enter the castle tower. This time we have already purchased a ticket common to the two halls with the drama hall, so there is no need to purchase a new one.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/12_m.jpg)
Follow the directions from the entrance and enter. Photography is allowed inside the castle.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/13_m.jpg)
When I handed over the ticket, I got a leaflet.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/14_m.jpg)
When I entered and went up to the second floor, a model of Okazaki Castle was on display.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/15_m.jpg)
Okazaki Castle was demolished in the early Meiji period, and this model was created with reference to records and testimonies before the demolition.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/16_m.jpg)
It introduces the history of the castle, from its construction through the times when Ieyasu was the lord of the castle, to when it is considered sacred as the 'castle of the birth of a god.'
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/17_m.jpg)
Edo period roof tiles.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/18_m.jpg)
In the corner of the exhibition hall, there was a corner where you could experience the weight of one bale of rice (about 60 kg). One bale is very heavy, and you can feel the physical difference between modern people and old people.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/19_m.jpg)
The armor of Tadanao Honda, who served as the lord of the castle from 1869 to 1871, and the spear of Nobumasa Nagasaka, who called himself ``Chiyari Kuro''.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/20_m.jpg)
There is also a sword corner that everyone loves.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/21_m.jpg)
``Masayoshi Tsuchihosokawa, the masterpiece of Yomakushita'' (top) and ``Kaneari Fujiwara, the signature of Sanshuju'' (bottom).
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/22_m.jpg)
'Signed Echizen Kunizumi Kenpo'
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/23_m.jpg)
``Inscription Nanki Shigekuni Tsukushi''
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/24_m.jpg)
``Genkyu Fujiwara, the residence of Gamagori in Mikawa Province'' (above) and ``Kazunori Fujiwara, the residence of Sanyo Mayumi Sanroku, the fine training of Fujiwara'' (below).
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/25_m.jpg)
A matchlock gun was also on display.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/26_m.jpg)
Head up the stairs to the 3rd floor.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/27_m.jpg)
On the 3rd floor, the life of the citizens of Okazaki castle town is displayed. This is a model of a castle town.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/28_m.jpg)
During the Edo period, the production and storage of gunpowder was limited to Mikawa, while fireworks were actively produced in Okazaki.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/29_m.jpg)
The tools used to make the Okazaki specialty 'Haccho Miso' were also on display.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/30_m.jpg)
Cotton has been produced in Mikawa since the 16th century, and it continues to be loved as '
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/31_m.jpg)
A comparison of the castle keep of Okazaki Castle rebuilt in the Showa period and the castle keep of Okazaki Castle in the early Edo period.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/32_m.jpg)
I have some pictures of the reconstruction.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/33_m.jpg)
Go up the stairs to the top floor.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/34_m.jpg)
The top floor is an observatory.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/35_m.jpg)
The view from the top floor is like this. Okazaki Castle is not located on top of a mountain, but the surrounding area is flat, so you can see very far.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/36_m.jpg)
There was an experience corner for Ukiyo-e printing in the observatory, so I tried it.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/37_m.jpg)
Ink is applied onto the woodblock.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/38_m.jpg)
Place a piece of paper on the woodblock and rub it.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/40_m.jpg)
The ukiyo-e completed by repeating the above operations is as follows. The design is probably based on the legend of the dragon god passed down at Okazaki Castle.
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/27/okazakijo-ieyasu/41_m.jpg)
In addition, near Okazaki Park, where the castle tower of Okazaki Castle is located, there is also a restaurant called 'Ichikawa' where you can enjoy parfaits with motifs of military commanders such as Ieyasu Tokugawa and Tadakatsu Honda. The details of the parfait and Haccho miso dishes that you can eat at Ichikawa are summarized in the article below.
I ate a parfait with Ieyasu's gold pika as a motif and Oden with plenty of Hatcho miso sauce at a restaurant 'Ichikawa' near Okazaki Castle - GIGAZINE
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/17/ichikawa-parfait-ieyasu/00.jpg)
In addition, at the Dosuru Ieyasu Okazaki Taiga Drama Hall in Okazaki Park, the costumes used in the filming of Dosuru Ieyasu and historical facts related to Ieyasu are on display. The details of the exhibition are summarized in the following article.
I went to ``Ieyasu Okazaki Taiga Drama Museum'' where you can enjoy the costumes worn by Jun Matsumoto of ``Ieyasu Tokugawa'' and the historical facts of Ieyasu Tokugawa-GIGAZINE
![](https://i.gzn.jp/img/2023/07/26/dousuru-ieyasu-okazaki/00.jpg)
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in Coverage, Posted by log1o_hf