Okazaki Castle

A friend of mine decided to give me a visit here in my place. My friend lives in Nagoya (名古屋)and compare to my place it is more rural with not so many places to go and hang out. Since my place is far from Nagoya, I told my friend to take Meitetsu (名鉄) Exp. limited via Toyohashi (豊橋), stopping at a limited stations and I will just meet him in Higashi Okazaki (東岡崎). Before we start our day trip in Okazaki, we ate first in Mc Donalds. Then from Higashi Okazaki (東岡崎) we walked all the way to Okazaki Park (岡崎公園 "Okazaki Koen"). We went to Okazaki Castle (岡崎城 "Okazaki Jyou"). The 2nd, 3rd, 4th floors of the castle tower have been converted into a museums. We decided to take a rest on top of the castle so, we can also enjoy the beautiful scenic view on top. After the castle we continued walking and decided to go to a game center near my place. From the park it took us 30 minutes to the game center. We spend our time playing video games and billiards. At the end of the day after walking for a long distance and doing activities, it's a good thing we never even felt tired.

OKAZAKI PARK (岡崎公園)

This park, spreading over 80,000 square meters around the Okazaki Castle, is known for its beautiful cherry blossoms. There is a Mikawa Samurai and Ieyasu Museum, which displays historical documents. There is a flower clock, a teahouse, a noh theatre, and a replica of Ieyasu dancing the noh dance (which is actually a clock.)

●561 Kosei-cho, Okazaki　TEL:0564-24-2204　a 10-minute walk from Meitetsu Higashi Okazaki Station.

Okazaki Castle (岡崎城)
THE HISTORY OF THE CASTLE

Tradition has it that the 1st Okazaki Castle was constructed at the present site in Sugo, Okazaki around 1455 by the Saigo family...In the 1st half on the 16th century, the Saigo family yielded possession of Okazaki Castle to Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, the 17th lord of the Matsudaira family (and the grandfather of Iyeyasu)..that had risen into power in northern Mikawa. The prevailing belief based on recent research work, however, is that the 1st half of the 15th century, and that Matsudaira Kiyoyasu moved it over to the present site in 1531..Incidentally, the original castle was most probably a fort of the main citadel today, on a small plot of land. In 1590, Tanaka Yoshimasa, then lord of the castle, enlarged the precincts surrounded with moats and Lord Honda Yasunori built a complex castle tower well worthy of the name. For 3 centuries, Okazaki Castle, honored as the birthplace of the deified Iyeyasu and cradle of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was guarded successively by the hereditary vassal daimyos. At the same time Okazaki was valued as a strategic point along the Tokaido Highway. In the Meiji Restoration Period, the feudal clans were abolished and in 1873-1874 , Okazaki castle was demolished, leaving only its moat and stone wall. In 1959, the triple-roofed , 5 story donjon, together with the annex and wellhouse , were reconstructed according to the original model.

OPEN 9am to 5pm
CLOSE Dec. 29-Jan. 1
FEE:
Okazaki castle -- adult 200 yen. / child 100 yen
Mikawa museum-- adult 350 yen / child 200 yen
Museum and Castle (combined) -- adult 500 yen / child 270 yen
Address: 561 Kousei-cho Okazaki, Aichi prefecture.