Located in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, Tsu Castle was built in 1558. Originally home to Hosono Fujiatsu, Oda Nobunaga took control of the small castle ten years after it was constructed. Nobunaga ordered his younger brother, Nobukane, to reside at the castle in order to ensure the Oda control remained strong in the region.
Under Nobukane’s reign, Tsu Castle greatly expanded for almost 20 years. However, after Nobunaga’s death, his famed vassal, Hideyoshi, gave the castle to one of his loyal retainers. The castle once again transferred hands in 1600. After the Battle of Sekigahara, the Tomita clan was rewarded by the Shogunate for their performance and given the castle.
In 1662, the castle suffered from a fire and the donjon was destroyed, replaced by a two-story yagura (tower or turret). After being briefly owned by the Imperial Japanese Army, the castle returned to its former lord, Todo Takaiyo, in 1889. It fell into disrepair and was destroyed largely by 1912. Today the castle site is a city park and the castle was listed as one of Japan’s top 100 castles in 2017.
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A 12-minute walk from Tsushimmachi Station.