Okazaki Castle in the heart of Okazaki City, Aichi Prefecture, is the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo shogunate.
The origin of Okazaki Castle was a small castle built in the 15th century in the Okazaki area, a transportation crossroads from a long time ago. In 1531, Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, who was the grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu, built a full-scale castle a little away from the old one. The new one is present Okazaki Castle. Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in this castle in 1542 as the son of Matsudaira Hirotada, the son of Matsudaira Kiyoyasu. Throughout the 250-year Edo period, Okazaki Castle was revered as the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, consequently high-ranking daimyo feudal lords with close tie to the Tokugawa family were appointed as its lords. The Tokugawa samurai government came to an end, however, then most castles in Japan were demolished based on the so-called Haijorei, the castle abolition law, issued by the new authorities. The prestigious castle was also destroyed. In 1959, thereafter, the new castle tower was reconstructed in concrete thanks to the donations from the locals. The reconstructed castle tower in the photo was faithfully following the original external appearance in that the old photos and related documents of the original tower. The Otemon main gate and other affiliated buildings were reconstructed one after another, and the entire castle form was completed as it is today.
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