Wakayama Castle

The Kishū Tokugawa Stronghold — Focal Point of the Southern Sea Road

Wakayama Castle traces its origins to 1585 (Tenshō 13), when Hashiba Hidenaga, brother of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, built a fortress atop Torafusu-yama ("Tiger-Crouching Mountain") following the conquest of Kishū. After extensive development under Asano Yoshinaga, the castle welcomed Tokugawa Yorinobu, the tenth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, as its lord in 1619 (Genna 5) with a domain of 555,000 koku. From that point onward, Wakayama Castle served as the seat of the Kishū Tokugawa family for over 250 years until the Meiji Restoration, remaining the center of the Southern Sea Road.

The Kishū Tokugawa family, as one of the Three Gosanke (Owari, Kii, and Mito), held the highest rank among the Tokugawa cadet houses and retained the status to succeed the main Tokugawa shōgunal line. Both the eighth shōgun Yoshimune and the fourteenth shōgun Iemochi rose from the Kishū Tokugawa line, with Yoshimune particularly remembered as a visionary administrator who enacted the Kyōhō Reforms and revitalized the Edo shogunate. Even after Yoshimune ascended to the position of shōgun, Wakayama Castle continued to embody Tokugawa authority as the seat of the Kishū domain, its keep commanding the Southern Sea landscape as viewed from the Kinokawa estuary.

The Keep's Transformations — The Majesty of Tiger-Crouching Mountain

Wakayama Castle's main keep underwent several transformations across its long history. The five-story keep erected during the Asano period was dismantled and rebuilt in the early Edo period under Tokugawa Yorinobu. The compound-style structure of the keep, linking the greater keep (Daitenshu), lesser keep (Shōtenshu), and connecting passage tower, was established during Yorinobu's tenure. However, a lightning fire in 1846 (Kōka 3) destroyed the keep, which was rebuilt in 1850 (Kaei 3) as a three-story, four-level structure. This Edo-period keep stood until the air raids of 1945 (Shōwa 20) reduced it to ash.

The present keep, reconstructed in 1958 (Shōwa 33) in reinforced concrete, faithfully recreates the compound-style configuration of the Edo period — its dignified silhouette set against the verdant Torafusu-yama visible from throughout the city. The castle is surrounded by the original moat, with auxiliary baileys such as Suna-no-maru, Ninomaru, and Nishi-no-maru preserving the layout of the original fortification.

The Celebrated Stone Walls — Nozurazumi and Ashlar Construction

One of Wakayama Castle's finest features is its stone walls, which display the masonry techniques of successive eras. The oldest layers exhibit the nozurazumi (rough-field masonry) technique of the Toyotomi period, in which natural stones are stacked without dressing. The Edo period saw the addition of more refined uchikomi-hagi (fitted ashlar) and kirikomi-hagi (precision-cut ashlar) construction. The stone walls near the Gokuraku Bridge are particularly celebrated for their exceptional craftsmanship, showcasing the mastery of Edo-period stonemasons and beloved by castle enthusiasts.

The Izumi sandstone used in the walls exhibits a distinctive warm reddish-brown hue unique to Wakayama Castle, lending the structure a welcoming quality. With the seasons, moss and flowering plants take root in the joints between stones, creating a landscape where the weight of history merges with the beauty of nature.

The Gosanke Sword Culture — The Kishū Tokugawa and Celebrated Blades

As one of the Three Gosanke, the Kishū Tokugawa family maintained a sword collection befitting their near-shōgunal status. The first lord, Yorinobu, was known for his refined judgment of swords and accumulated many celebrated blades during his tenure at the castle. It is also recorded that Yorinobu inherited numerous renowned swords as heirlooms from his father Ieyasu, and the Kishū Tokugawa sword collection was preserved and transmitted through successive generations.

Of particular significance is the connection to the sword policy of the eighth shōgun Yoshimune. During the Kyōhō era (1716–1736), Yoshimune ordered the compilation of the Kyōhō Meibutsu-chō (Kyōhō Catalogue of Celebrated Swords), a comprehensive record of celebrated swords throughout the realm. In this undertaking, the Kishū Tokugawa collection served as an important reference. Among the celebrated swords of Kishū lineage recorded in the Kyōhō catalogue are blades collected and preserved across the reigns of Yorinobu, Mitsusada, and Yoshimune, with Wakayama Castle serving as their repository.

Kishū also possessed a distinctive tradition as a sword-producing region. Notable swordsmiths of Kii province include Kii Sadamune and Nanki Shigekuni. Nanki Shigekuni in particular served Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hidetada as an officially sanctioned bakufu-kōnin kōjin (shogunal master smith) and was active during the early Edo period. Shigekuni's swords are known for their robust style drawing from the Sōshū tradition, and numerous fine examples, including Important Cultural Properties, survive to the present day. Wakayama Castle stands as the spiritual home of these celebrated Kishū blades.

Tourism and Nature — Castle and Park in Harmony

Wakayama Castle, centered on its keep and surrounded by extensive castle grounds, has become a beloved place of repose for the city's residents. In spring, approximately 600 Somei Yoshino cherry trees bloom spectacularly, establishing the castle as one of the city's most celebrated spring destinations. The combination of castle, cherry blossoms, and stone walls has become emblematic of Wakayama's spring landscape. The keep houses a museum with exhibits dedicated to the history and culture of the Kishū Tokugawa family.

The panoramic view from the castle grounds encompasses Wakayama city and the Kinokawa River, and on clear days extends to the mountain ranges of the Kii Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Visitors can experience anew the vantage that made this the "focal point of the Southern Sea Road" that the first lord Yorinobu once beheld. Wakayama Castle transcends its role as a mere historical monument, standing as a living cultural heritage that conveys both the culture of the Kishū Tokugawa family and the traditions of its celebrated swords to the present day.