* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Shingu Castle (Tanzuru-jō)
新宮城（丹鶴城）
Shingu Castle (Tanzuru-jō) is a historic castle in Kansai dating from the Edo period (first begun in 1601 by Asano Tadayoshi; demolished under the one-castle edict, rebuilt from 1618, completed in 1667), whose lord was Asano Tadayoshi (founder); Mizuno Shigenaka and 10 generations of the Mizuno clan thereafter.
Overview
Founding
Shingu Castle was first begun in 1601 (Keicho 6) on Mount Tanzuru, on the right bank at the mouth of the Kumano River, by Asano Tadayoshi, who had been granted the 28,000-koku Shingu fief as a senior retainer of Asano Yoshinaga, lord of Kii Province, after the Battle of Sekigahara. The castle was demolished under the 1615 (Genna 1) One Castle per Province Edict, and construction resumed in 1618 (Genna 4) under Asano Nagaakira, by then lord of Kii. It is also known by the alternate names Tanzuru-jō and Okimi-jō.
Succession of Lords
The Asano clan was transferred to Mihara in Bingo Province in 1619, and in their place Mizuno Shigenaka, a chief retainer (tsuke-garō) serving Tokugawa Yorinobu, founder of the Kii-Tokugawa house, became lord of Shingu. The Mizuno clan then governed Shingu for 10 generations until the Meiji Restoration. The castle first reached completion in 1633 (Kan'ei 10), and further stonework continued under the third-generation lord, Mizuno Shigetaka, until the early-modern fortress was completed in its present form in 1667.
Structure
The layout comprised the main bailey (honmaru), an outer bailey (demaru), Kane-no-maru, Matsu-no-maru, the second bailey (ninomaru), and a riverside landing area called Mizu-no-te. The main bailey was crowned with a three-story, five-level watchtower-style keep (bōrō-gata). A notable feature was the Mizu-no-te landing facing the Kumano River on the castle's north side, which linked the fortress directly to river shipping on the Kumano River.
Present State
On August 27, 2003, the castle site was designated a National Historic Site together with the Mizuno family cemetery, as "Shingu Castle Ruins and the Mizuno Family Cemetery." Today it is maintained as Tanzuru-jō Park, where the keep foundation and stone walls survive in good condition. In 2017, it was selected among the Continuation of Japan's Top 100 Castles (No. 167).
Connection to Swords
Highlights
- Early-modern castle built on Mount Tanzuru at the mouth of the Kumano River, also known as Tanzuru-jō
- Designated a National Historic Site in 2003 together with the Mizuno family cemetery
- Featured a three-story, five-level watchtower-style keep and a riverside landing (Mizu-no-te) linked to Kumano River shipping
- Selected among the Continuation of Japan's Top 100 Castles (No. 167) in 2017
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.