Mikawa Bushi no Yakata Ieyasu-kan (Museum of the Mikawa Samurai)

Mikawa Bushi no Yakata Ieyasu-kan is a historical exhibition facility within Okazaki Park, adjacent to Okazaki Castle. It reopened after renovation on 23 March 2024. Located in Okazaki, the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it aims to present the life of Ieyasu and the Mikawa samurai who supported him.

Permanent Exhibition and the Mikawa Samurai

The permanent exhibition room is organized into eight corners that present Ieyasu's life from birth to the unification of the country, as well as the Mikawa samurai who supported him. Through valuable materials such as documents, paintings, and armor, it conveys the solidarity of the Mikawa samurai band and the progress of Ieyasu's unification campaign.

Sword Collection

The Japanese swords in the collection also include works by Mikawa smiths. Among them, the blade "Mei Masazane, ura-kin zōgan Inoshishigiri" (signed Masazane, with a gold inlay of Inoshishigiri on the reverse of the tang) is said to have been the favorite sword of Sakai Tadatsugu, one of the Four Guardian Generals of the Tokugawa, and is a representative piece in the collection. There is also a corner where matchlock guns and long spears are displayed as replicas, allowing visitors to feel their weight, which makes the armaments feel more familiar.

Highlights of an Experiential Museum

The experience corners also allow visitors to wear a helmet for a commemorative photo, and they can be enjoyed by everyone from children to adults. The special exhibition room also hosts seasonal themed exhibitions from time to time.

Cultural Significance

As a sightseeing base visited together with Okazaki Castle, it is a facility that conveys, through hands-on experience, the swords and armor associated with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Mikawa samurai band. It also serves as a central hub for presenting samurai culture in Okazaki, the birthplace of Ieyasu.