Tokushima Castle Museum

Tokushima Castle Museum opened in November 1992 within the ruins of Tokushima Castle (Tokushima Central Park), specializing in historical materials and art crafts related to the Tokushima domain and its lords, the Hachisuka family. Tokushima Castle was built in 1585 by Hachisuka Iemasa, and the Hachisuka family served as domain lords until the Meiji Restoration.

Hachisuka Family Armor and Sword Collection

The core of the museum's collection consists of armor, swords, and military equipment handed down through the Hachisuka family. It holds valuable armor pieces including the "Murasaki-ito Odoshi Oyoroi" (purple-laced great armor) worn by successive domain lords, conveying the prestige and samurai culture of the lord's household. The museum also collects old, new, and newer swords (koto, shinto, shinshinto) associated with Awa Province, and regularly hosts sword-themed special exhibitions such as "Swords That Reflect the Times: Old, New, and Newer Swords of Awa," systematically introducing the region's swordsmithing history and military culture.

Integrated Viewing with Tokushima Castle Ruins and Omote Palace Garden

The museum is adjacent to the nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty "Former Tokushima Castle Omote Palace Garden," and a combined admission ticket allows visitors to enjoy both the garden and the museum in one visit. The Tokushima Castle ruins themselves are a nationally designated historic site, preserving the historical value of the Hachisuka family's seat of power governing the entire province of Awa.

Permanent and Special Exhibitions

The permanent exhibition chronologically introduces the history of the Tokushima domain from the Hachisuka family's enfeoffment to the abolition of the domain system, along with materials on industries that supported domain finances, such as sankin-kotai (alternate attendance) and Awa indigo and Awa wasanbon sugar. Several special exhibitions per year delve into specialized themes such as armor, swords, and historical documents, making the museum a hub for samurai culture research in the Shikoku region.