Hamamatsu Castle

History of Hamamatsu Castle
Hamamatsu Castle, built by Tokugawa Ieyasu, is known as the "Success Castle," which served as a foothold for the unification of Japan.
▶ Background of the Castle's Construction
In 1568, Tokugawa Ieyasu began his advance from Mikawa and started to suppress the Imagawa territory. Anticipating an invasion by Takeda Shingen, who was attacking Suruga, Ieyasu focused on the Mikatahara plateau, which overlooked the entire Enshu area. Concluding that he must defeat Shingen to achieve his ambitions of ruling the land, Ieyasu ceded Okazaki Castle to his eldest son Nobuyasu in 1570 and built Hamamatsu Castle at the southeastern tip of the Mikatahara plateau as the base for managing Suruga and Enshu.
▶ Style of Construction
The castle complex of Hamamatsu Castle measures about 500 meters north to south and about 450 meters east to west. Following the slope of the Mikatahara plateau, the main keep is located at the highest point to the northwest, with the honmaru (main bailey), ninomaru (secondary bailey), and sanmaru (third bailey) arranged in a near-straight line to the east. This construction method is known as the "terraced style," where each bailey is adjacent to one another and built in a step-like fashion, with the back of the honmaru serving as a natural defense.
▶ Battles During Ieyasu's Time
Tokugawa Ieyasu spent 17 years living in Hamamatsu Castle from the age of 29 to 45. Notable battles such as the Battle of Anegawa, the Battle of Nagashino, and the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute occurred during this period, particularly the Battle of Mikatahara in 1572, which is said to have been more intense than the Battle of Sekigahara. The 17 years that Ieyasu spent residing in Hamamatsu were a challenging period that laid the groundwork for the 300 years of Tokugawa rule.
▶ The Battle of Mikatahara
The Battle of Mikatahara took place in 1572, when Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces clashed with Takeda Shingen's troops on the Mikatahara plateau, marking Ieyasu's greatest defeat in his life. Facing Takeda's 30,000 men, Ieyasu had fewer than 10,000 troops. Realizing he could not win, Ieyasu removed his helmet and fled back to Hamamatsu Castle disguised as a retainer. After returning to the castle, he had a picture painted of his dejected face immediately after the defeat, and it is said that he cherished this painting throughout his life as a reminder of his loss. During the night after the battle, Ieyasu attempted to retaliate by launching a surprise attack on the Takeda forces camped at Saigagake on the southern edge of the Mikatahara plateau. By draping a white cloth over a cliff to create the illusion of a bridge, the geographically unfamiliar Takeda troops fell one after another to the valley below. This area is still known as "Nuno-bashi" (Cloth Bridge). To this day, a local performance called "Enshu Dainenbutsu" is held every July 15 at Saigagake to honor the fallen from the Battle of Mikatahara, which has been designated as an intangible cultural asset of the city.
Azuki Mochi and Zenitori
In Hamamatsu, place names related to the Battle of Mikatahara remain. For example, it is said that after his army was defeated, Ieyasu felt hunger while fleeing and stopped at a tea house to eat azuki mochi. The Takeda troops pursued him, and Ieyasu panicked and ran out without paying. The shocked old woman who ran the tea house managed to pursue him for several kilometers to collect her payment. This incident led to the tea house's location being named "Azuki Mochi," and the place where the old woman collected the money was called "Zenitori."
▶ Hamamatsu Castle After Ieyasu's Departure
Following Tokugawa Ieyasu's move to Sunpu Castle, Hamamatsu Castle was guarded by successive daimyōs closely associated with the Tokugawa clan. Many of the castle lords held important positions in the shogunate, resulting in the castle later being referred to as the "Success Castle." After the Meiji Restoration, the castle was destroyed and fell into disrepair. However, in 1958, a new main keep was rebuilt on the old stone foundation, and the following year it was designated a historic site of Hamamatsu City.
▶ The Significance of the Success Castle
Over the course of 260 years of domain rule, 25 lords were born at Hamamatsu Castle. Many took high positions in the shogunate during their time there (including five shōgun, two Osaka castle lords, two Kyoto governors, and four temple and shrine officials, including concurrent positions), which contributed to the castle's reputation as the "Success Castle." Among them, the most notable was Mizuno Tadafumi, who implemented the Tempo Reforms. It is said that he proactively became the lord of Hamamatsu Castle, inspired by Ieyasu's achievements in unifying Japan.