SilkCode LibraryCastles of Japan
No. 042Hokuriku & TokaiShizuoka

Kakegawa Castle

掛川城

Reconstructed buildings

Kakegawa pairs a reconstructed wooden keep with a surviving Edo-period palace. After looking at the tower, explore the rooms where the domain was governed and its lord lived.

The reconstructed timber keep of Kakegawa Castle on its hill
The reconstructed timber keep of Kakegawa Castle on its hillPhoto: ShizuokaSensei at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized and converted to WebP. Cards crop the display.This photograph shows the site at the time it was taken. Check the notes and official sources for current restoration work and access.

Get to know the castle

Castle at a glance

Site & layout
Hilltop castle
Origins
Early 16th-century origin; present keep 1994, surviving palace 1861
Builders & patrons
The Asahina family, Yamauchi Kazutoyo and later lords
Other names
Kumokirijo; Matsuo Castle
What remains today
Surviving palace and drum turret; reconstructed wooden keep

THE STORY

The story behind the walls

The castle developed under Imagawa rule during the Warring States period and later passed to Yamauchi Kazutoyo and other lords. An earthquake in 1854 badly damaged the keep and palace. The palace was rebuilt by 1861 and continued in domain use until the end of the Edo period. The lost keep was reconstructed in timber in 1994.

LAYOUT & ARCHITECTURE

Read the landscape and the buildings.

The hilltop keep and lower Ninomaru Palace served different purposes. Seven connected palace buildings provided rooms for audiences, living and administration. Together they contrast a tall defensive landmark with the broad, low spaces of government.

A CLOSER LOOK

Details worth a closer look.

01

A wooden reconstructed keep

The present keep was rebuilt in timber in 1994. It interprets a historic form but is distinct from a keep that has survived since the Edo period.

02

The surviving palace

The palace rebuilt in 1861 survives. Its arrangement explains how ceremonial rooms, government offices and the lord’s residence shared one complex.

03

Rooms connected by sliding doors

Tatami rooms and sliding partitions show the palace’s shoin-style design. The layout also reflects differences in rank and access.

THROUGH THE YEARS

A short timeline

  1. 1854

    The Ansei earthquake damaged the keep and palace.

  2. 1861

    The surviving palace was completed.

  3. 1994

    The keep was reconstructed in timber.

BEFORE YOU GO

A note before you go.

The keep and palace are separate buildings. Allow time for both the keep’s stairs and the palace rooms to understand the castle’s different functions.

Official visitor information ↗Find it on a map ↗

Information checked: 27 September 2026

Sources & official information

Some official sources are available in Japanese only.

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