Tokushima Castle

Tokushima Castle is located in the center of Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, near the mouth of the Yoshino River. Built on Mount Shiroyama (61 meters above sea level) and the surrounding flatlands, it is a hirayamashiro—a castle that combines both hilltop and flatland styles with an interconnected layout. Today, the castle ruins are designated as a National Historic Site, while the Omote Goten Garden has been recognized as a Place of Scenic Beauty. The site serves as both a local recreation area and a popular tourist destination.

The area was first under the control of the Kōno clan from Iyo Province during the Kamakura period. In 1385, during the Muromachi period, Hosokawa Yoriyuki suppressed the Southern Court forces and built a small fortress on Mount Shiroyama, naming the place Itsu and the mountain Izan, inspired by the scenery of China’s Wei River. Later, Terashima Castle was also constructed nearby, and during the Sengoku period the two were merged, becoming an important stronghold. However, political instability in Awa Province caused frequent changes of lords, until Chōsokabe Motochika unified the region in 1582.

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s conquest of Shikoku in 1585, Hachisuka Iemasa was rewarded with Awa Province and its 186,000 koku of rice. He initially made Ichinomiya Castle his residence but soon began constructing Tokushima Castle on its current site, completing it in 1586. From then on, the Hachisuka clan ruled from Tokushima Castle, governing Awa and Awaji with a total of 257,000 koku, until the end of the Edo period.

Following the Meiji Restoration, the 1873 Castle Abolition Law designated Tokushima Castle for preservation. However, within two years, nearly all castle structures except Washinomon Gate were demolished. By 1906, most of the site was redeveloped into Tokushima Park (today’s Tokushima Central Park), which opened to the public in 1910. Some areas, such as Ohanabatake, were instead used as military training grounds and later as a prison, and thus were excluded from the park.

In 1941, the Omote Goten Garden was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty. However, during the 1945 Tokushima Air Raid, even the surviving Washinomon Gate was destroyed. It was not reconstructed until 1989.

Today, although the grandeur of Tokushima Castle is gone, its stone walls, moats, and garden still retain a sense of historical atmosphere. In 2006, Tokushima Castle was selected as one of the “100 Fine Castles of Japan” (No. 76).