Sunpu Castle 駿府城

Fortified Shizuoka

Ieyasu Tokugawa had spent his youth in Sunpu, present-day Shizuoka, as a hostage of the daimyo Imagawa. He chose this site to spend the last part of his life there as the retired leader of the new shogunate . He ordered all the daimyo in the country to participate in the construction of the castle. It included in 1607 a keep, a palace (or honmaru ) and three moats . After a fire, it was rebuilt in 1610, this time with a seven-storey keep.

Read also: The Edo period

The Spirit of Tokugawa

Sunpu Castle, often nicknamed "the floating castle" because of its many moats, is located right next to Shizuoka Station. All that remains of the castle are the moats and walls, and on the southeast corner the main exit and its Higashigo-mon bridge and the Tatsumi-yagura lookout tower.

History is all around this castle. So if you venture into the Tatsumi-yagura tower, you will come across a small exhibition of archaeological finds related to the castle, a model and paintings of Sunpu Castle. Then go down and go for a walk in the park that has become the site of Sunpu, admire its traditional garden. In the center, you will come across a statue of Ieyasu as well as a mandarin tree . Legend has it that it was the founder of the shogunal dynasty himself who planted it.

For a specific date to visit, try the beginning of November. Indeed, every year, a street performance world cup is organized in Shizuoka, the biggest event in Asia bringing together actors, acrobats, jugglers, magicians... And Sunpu Castle is the nerve center of this competition.

Ieyasus under a marquee!