* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Toba Castle
鳥羽城
Toba Castle is a historic castle in kinki dating from the Founded 1576 by Kuki Yoshitaka; developed as Japan's first purpose-built naval castle, whose lord was Kuki Yoshitaka → Kuki Moritaka → Naitō clan → Doi clan → Inagaki clan.
Overview
Toba Castle is a castle fortress located in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, also known as a "sea castle" (umi-shiro) or "floating castle" (uki-shiro) — one of the most original castle structures in Japanese history. The castle was built on a hill jutting into Toba Bay, with an exceptional layout that maximized its location surrounded by sea on three sides. It features a "ship-entry" (funaire) facility within its walls where ships could be moored, making it an extraordinarily rare example of a full-scale naval base fortress in Japanese castle history.
The castle was constructed by Kuki Yoshitaka (九鬼嘉隆), leader of the "Kuki Naval Forces." Yoshitaka was known as a pirate warlord who controlled the seas of Ise and Shima, serving both Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi through the provision of his naval forces. Most notably, at the Battle of Kizugawaguchi in Tenshō 6 (1578), he is credited with achieving victory against the Mōri naval forces (Murakami pirates) through the use of iron-plated vessels (tekkansen). This marks the first documented use of armored warships in Oriental military history and holds a place in world military history.
At the Battle of Sekigahara in Keichō 5 (1600), Kuki Yoshitaka sided with the Western Army (Ishida Mitsunari's faction). His son, Moritaka, sided with the Eastern Army, creating a father-son conflict. Following the Western Army's defeat, Yoshitaka committed suicide. Moritaka was recognized to continue as Toba domain lord due to his service to the Eastern Army. However, succession disputes arose in the next generation, and the Kuki clan was removed from Toba and transferred to Settsu Mita and Tanba Ayabe (losing their naval forces in the process).
Subsequently, Toba Castle came under the control of the Naitō, Doi, and Inagaki clans and continued to serve as the Toba domain headquarters until the Meiji Restoration. It should be noted that the "Toba" in the Boshin War's "Battle of Toba-Fushimi" (Keio 4 / 1868) refers to a place name south of Kyoto and is unrelated to this Toba Castle in Shima. The castle was abandoned and dismantled during the Meiji period, but its main bailey ruins and stone walls are preserved as a National Historic Site.
Connection to Swords
Toba Castle's sword heritage centers on Kuki Yoshitaka — one of the Sengoku period's most original military minds — and on the maritime trade networks he controlled. Yoshitaka was not merely a naval specialist; he was Oda Nobunaga's authorized commander of all sea forces, with status equivalent to the leading land generals. His final act — suicide after the defeat of the Western Army at Sekigahara, while his son served the other side — is one of the Sengoku period's most poignant expressions of the samurai code. The Kuki family heirlooms, including swords and armor passed through the Edo period, survive in Mie Prefecture shrines and museum collections, representing the warrior culture of Japan's most remarkable naval commanders. The seas controlled by the Kuki fleet — Ise Bay, Shima Peninsula, and the Kumano coast — were also regions associated with sacred swords and divine treasures. The Kumano coast is historically one of Japan's iron-sand (satetsu) producing areas, directly linked to the tamahagane steel used in swordsmithing. Several major shrines along this coast preserved ceremonial blades as divine offerings (shinken), adding another dimension to the region's sword heritage. The Battle of Toba-Fushimi (1868), fought in the castle's immediate environs, was one of the last large-scale confrontations in which Japanese swords met modern firearms — making Toba a significant site in the final chapter of the sword's role as a primary weapon of war. For visitors tracing the history of the Japanese blade from its medieval origins to its modern legacy, Toba Castle and its surroundings offer an invaluable endpoint.
Highlights
- Toba Castle main bailey and stone walls (National Historic Site) — surviving ramparts demonstrating the sea castle's unique layout
- Kuki Yoshitaka statue — bronze memorial to the inventor of the iron warship, erected on the castle grounds
- Funaire (ship-entry) site — traces of the harbor built within the castle walls, evidence of its naval fortress function
- Toba Aquarium and Mikimoto Pearl Island — Shima Peninsula marine heritage sites adjacent to the castle town
- Battle of Toba-Fushimi origin site — where the Boshin War opened in January 1868, a pivotal moment in modern Japanese history
- Kumano Coast iron-sand region — the tamahagane source coast controlled by Kuki naval power
* Opening hours and admission fees are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.