Tsuyama Castle is a castle in Sange, Tsuyama, Okayama prefecture, Japan. Tsuyama is home to one of Japan's three major hirayama style castles along with Himeji Castle and Matsuyama Castle, which were constructed around the same time. During the Edo period, Tsuyama castle served as the primary residence of the government official and Lord of the Tsuyama Domain. Tsuyama Castle once had a complex of 77 structures. The main attraction is the garden, also known as Kakuzan Park. The garden has approximately 5,000 cherrytrees, which attracts visitors when their flowers bloom.
In 1603 Mori Tadamasa moved from the Shinano Kawanakajima Domain, marking the foundation for the castle at 186,000 koku. When construction began, Tsuruyama was renamed to Tsuyama. In 1616 the construction of 77 turrets, castle towers and 5 floors was completed. In 1697 the Mori clan became extinct, leaving the castle under the control of feudal LordAsano Tsunanaga of Hiroshima Domain. In 1698 the lineage of the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Matsudaira Nobutomi moved 100,000 kokus from EchigoTakada Domain. In 1809 Honmaru Palace burned down.
Modern
Under the Meiji government, the Tsuyama domain was ended by the abolition of clans and the inauguration of the prefectural system. The castle was sold after coming under the management of the Ministry of Finance. The castle tower and all of its turrets were destroyed. Several gates were reconstructed. The stone walls of Koshimaki turret on the northwest side of the castle collapsed. In the wake of this event, conservation of the castle ensued. The castle ruins became the property of Tsuyama town and were transformed into a park. Many cherry blossom trees were planted. Han school Shudokan was relocated to Sannomaru and renamed Kakuzankan . A Regional Exposition was held, during which a mock castle tower was built. It was dismantled during the Pacific War to avoid becoming the target of an air raid. The castle was declared a national historic site. To celebrate the castle's 400-year anniversary, the Bitchū turret was restored. The Taiko fence, near the Bicchu turret, was repaired.
Legends
Glaring pine
Before Tadamasa decided where to build his castle, he went to the Mimasaka Province. He built a mansion, Kamae castle, in Innoshō, the centre of politics in the Mimasaka Province, and lived there with his family. Tadamasa had two servants, Ido Uemon and Nagoya Kyuemon. Ido had served Tadamasa's father before him and excelled in martial arts. Nagoya was a relatively new servant from the Shinano Kawanakajima domain. He was the younger brother of Tadamasa's wife and was informed above Ido. Nagoya and Ido were competing for the castle to be built on their land and soon were on bad terms with each other. Tadamasa did not approve of competition and sought to recruit an assassin to kill Ido. Nagoya volunteered, but Tadamasa denied him. He continued to volunteer, until eventually Tadamasa accepted him, and gave him a katana to kill Ido. Ido arrived later at Innosha with his colleagues. Upon arrival, Nagoya attacked Ido with the katana shouting, "The order of one's lord!". Ido was, however, a battle veteran, and killed Nagoya, suffering only a small wound. When his colleagues heard that Nagoya was attacking on "the order of one's lord", they killed Ido themselves and later killed his two younger brothers. After that incident, castle construction in Innoshō was cancelled and changed to Mount Tsuru. The tomb of Ido and his brothers was built on the south side of the road. The tomb of Nagoya was built on the north side. On top of their graves, a pine tree was planted. On the road between the graves, bizarre phenomenon began to occur. Therefore, the road was moved in 1655, passing north of both graves. After this, the north and south sides of the pine alternated between lush growth and wilting. People thought that Ido and Nagoya were still fighting after their deaths. The pine was given the name "pine glaring at each other".
Blueprint
was a famous castle in West Japan. Tadamasa sent a spy to Kokura to try to observe the fortification. Spies examined Kokura Castle from the sea. The castle stood by the sea. One night, light leaked out from the spies' ship, revealing their location to the castle. Taken into the castle, lord Hosokawa Tadaoki, heard their story and forgave them and gave them the castle blueprint and released them. Tadamasa constructed Tsuyama Castle by referencing the blueprints. After Tsuyama Castle was completed, Hosokawa Tadaoki sent a bell imported from Southeast Asian countries to Mori Tadamasa. The bell hung in the castle tower until the Meiji Restoration.
Fifth floor
When the Edo Period started, towers with five floors or more were banned. At the time, Tsuyama castle had five floors. To officially complete the castle, officials were dispatched from the shogunate to inspect the property. Castle with violations would be demolished. In an attempt to circumvent the ban, Tadamasa removed the roof of the fourth floor. When the officials came and claimed that the tower had five floors, Tadamasa insisted that since the fourth floor had no roofing, it did not count as a floor. The officials were eventually convinced by the lord and permission was granted. Therefore, the fourth floor had no tiled roof.
