* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Sunpu Castle
駿府城
Sunpu Castle is a historic castle in Chūbu dating from the Renovated by Ieyasu 1585 (Tenshō 13); rebuilt 1607 (Keichō 12), whose lord was Imagawa clan / Toyotomi Ujitsugu / Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Overview
Ieyasu's Final Residence: The History of Sunpu Castle
Sunpu Castle stands in present-day Shizuoka City (formerly Suruga Province), the fortress Tokugawa Ieyasu developed as his retirement castle in his later years. Ieyasu's bond with Sunpu ran deep—as a youth, he spent years here as a hostage under Imagawa Yoshimoto (1547–1560). Following Imagawa's decline, Ieyasu developed Sunpu in 1585 (Tenshō 13) as his main base, laying the foundations of national unification through fierce campaigns at Mikatagahara and Nagashino.
Following his victory at Sekigahara (1600), Ieyasu was appointed shōgun in Edo in 1603 (Keicho 8), then abdicated in 1605 (Keicho 10) to pass the title to Hidetada. Yet rather than retiring to Edo, he returned to Sunpu and exercised "Ōgosho politics" (rule as Grand Minister) until his final days. In 1607 (Keicho 12) he rebuilt Sunpu Castle on a grand scale, completing a magnificent five-story, seven-level tower that rivaled Edo Castle in grandeur (later destroyed by fire).
Sunpu O-wakemono: Ieyasu's Vast Sword Collection
From the perspective of sword culture, Sunpu Castle holds extraordinary significance. During his years at Sunpu, Ieyasu accumulated an immense collection of property, art, and swords. After his death, this estate was distributed to daimyō across the country as the Sunpu O-wakemono ("Sunpu Division of Goods"), becoming the origin of famous blades now held in daimyō collections nationwide.
The Sunpu O-wakemono included numerous outstanding swords by the greatest smiths—Masamune, Yoshimitsu, and Yoshihiro—that became the founding treasures of daimyō families throughout the country. By distributing his estate strategically, Ieyasu simultaneously secured daimyō loyalty and spread the sword culture cultivated by the Tokugawa throughout Japan. This system was one of the most important reasons why high-quality swords are found in daimyō collections across Japan.
Among the swords Ieyasu gathered at Sunpu were numerous masterpieces by renowned smiths of the Kamakura through Nanbokucho periods. Moreover, Ieyasu patronized leading new-sword smiths such as Nagasone Kotetsu, demonstrating his knowledge and refined aesthetic sensibility in both old and new sword traditions.
Tokugawa Ieyasu: Seventy-Three Years and the Japanese Sword
Born in 1542 (Tenbun 11) in Mikawa Province (present-day Okazaki, Aichi), Ieyasu experienced a harsh youth, sent as a hostage to the Imagawa clan at age six and remaining under their rule until he turned nineteen. Yet this period forged him into a man of extraordinary patience and strategic acumen. The verse "Should the nightingale not sing, I will wait for it to sing" captures his character precisely.
During his hostage years at Sunpu, Ieyasu was exposed to the Imagawa family's cultural sophistication, developing a deep appreciation for swords and the arts. As an adult, he fought in numerous campaigns under Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, understanding through firsthand experience the practical significance of swords in warfare. Many of the swords Ieyasu possessed bear marks of battle use—chips at the kissaki—testifying that these were true combat weapons, not mere ornaments.
After destroying the Toyotomi at the Osaka Summer Campaign in 1615 (Keicho 20), Ieyasu returned to Sunpu and died there in 1616 (Genna 2) at age seventy-five. Sunpu Castle, where he spent his final years, holds special historical weight as the place where the founder of the 265-year Tokugawa shogunate completed his life's work.
Sunpu Castle Today: Excavations and Park Development
Today Sunpu Castle stands as Sunpu Castle Park, with numerous precious remains discovered through excavation. Particularly notable are the stone walls from Ieyasu's era, revealed in excellent condition during excavations that began in 2016, earning high academic recognition. Portions of the excavation site are open to visitors, offering the rare experience of facing the stonework of four hundred years past.
The reconstructed Higashi Gomon gate and Tatsumi Yagura turret are open as visitor facilities, presenting the history and structure of Sunpu Castle in accessible form. Within the grounds stands "Aoi no I," a well associated with Ieyasu, preserving the atmosphere of the space where he spent his final years. Shizuoka City Museum also houses numerous objects connected to Ieyasu and his legacy.
Connection to Swords
The core of Sunpu Castle's sword culture is the Sunpu O-wakemono. When Ieyasu died at age 75 on April 17, 1616 (Genna 2), the vast wealth accumulated at Sunpu was distributed to Shōgun Hidetada, the three Tokugawa branch houses (Owari, Kii, and Mito), and daimyō throughout the country. The distribution record, the Sunpu O-wakemono O-dōgu-chō, contains detailed records of Japanese swords, including appraisal signatures, names, dimensions, and the recipient of each piece. This document ranks alongside the Kyōho Meibutsuchō as one of the two most essential primary sources in sword scholarship today and is indispensable for clarifying the provenance of each daimyō house's sword collections. Ieyasu's sword collection was outstanding in both quality and quantity among the Tokugawa shōguns, with many blades obtained directly through military campaigns and diplomacy. When Imagawa Yoshimoto was defeated at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, the Imagawa collection dispersed, and some pieces are said to have reached Ieyasu's hands. Following the deaths of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, their treasures also scattered, and Ieyasu's collection accumulated no small number of celebrated blades. Particularly noteworthy is the group of Masamune swords in Ieyasu's collection. Such swords as the Kanze Masamune and the Nakatsukasa Masamune are both celebrated masterpieces whose names indicate deep connections to Ieyasu or the Tokugawa family, and the provenance of these pieces as they passed among various daimyō houses forms a microcosm of Japanese sword circulation history. The Date clan of Sendai also benefited through the Sunpu O-wakemono. Although Date Masamune maintained a complex relationship with Ieyasu, he engaged deeply in sword culture. It is highly likely that some of the swords in Masamune's collection were obtained through connections with the Tokugawa family, making Sunpu Castle one of the sources of Sendai's sword culture. Furthermore, Ieyasu devoted himself to the protection of swordsmiths and licensed Echizen Yasutshugu—a swordsmith who was later permitted to use the signature "Yasutshugu"—to work as an official smith for the Tokugawa family. The aoi mon (hollyhock crest) was engraved on Yasutshugu's tangs, representing one of the most explicit examples of the unity of Tokugawa authority and the Japanese sword.
Highlights
- Tower base excavation (open to public) — ongoing excavation of Ieyasu-era stone walls in excellent condition
- Reconstructed Higashi Gomon gate and Tatsumi Yagura turret — visitor facilities with detailed historical exhibits
- Sunpu Castle Park — vast historic site park with surviving Ninomaru moats, stone walls, and the 'Aoi no I' well
- Shizuoka City Sunpu Museum — exhibits of objects connected to Ieyasu and the Sunpu O-wakemono
- Statues of Tokugawa Ieyasu — scattered throughout Sunpu celebrating Ieyasu's legacy
- Shizuoka local cuisine (Shizuoka oden, Abekawa mochi) — food culture loved by Ieyasu
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.