Yoshida Castle

From Jcastle.info

Yoshida4.jpg

History

The castle was originally built in 1505 by Makino Kohaku and was called Imahashi Castle. It was involved in several conflicts in the region during the Sengoku Period and lordship of the castle changed hands several times. In 1565, the region came under the control of Tokugawa Ieyasu who named Sakai Tadatsugu lord of the castle.

In 1590, when Tokugawa moved to the Kanto region, Hideyoshi gave control of the castle to Ikeda Terumasa. Ikeda repaired and improved much of the castle and developed the surrounding castle town. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Ikeda Terumasa moved to Himeji Castle and Yoshida Castle came under the control of Matsudaira Iekiyo. During the Edo Period, lordship of the castle changed hands many times until the coming of the Meiji Period.


Visit Notes

I only stopped by Yoshida Castle because I had some extra time in the area, but I am very glad that I did. There is a fair number of stone walls and some large moats that give you a fairly good picture of the castle.


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Gallery
  • main keep
  • Kurogane yagura.
  • Kurogane yagura
  • entrance to the honmaru
  • stone walls
  • stone walls
  • moat
  • stone walls and moat
  • moat
  • stone walls, moat
  • stone walls
  • map


Castle Profile
English Name Yoshida Castle
Japanese Name 吉田城
Alternate Names Imahashi-jo, Toyohashi-jo
Founder Makino Kohaku
Year Founded 1505
Castle Type Flatland
Castle Condition No main keep but other buildings
Designations Next 100 Castles, Local Historic Site
Historical Period Edo Period
Main Keep Structure 3 level
Year Reconstructed 1954
Features turrets, trenches, stone walls
Visitor Information
Access Toyohashi Sta. (Tokaido Line), 20 min walk or 5 min streetcar
Visitor Information park is open 24/7, the yagura is open on irregular occassions
Time Required 60 mins
Website http://www.city.toyohashi.aichi.jp/town/spot1.html
Location Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture
Coordinates 34° 46' 12.50" N, 137° 23' 35.95" E
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Admin
Added to Jcastle 2007
Contributor Eric
Admin Year Visited 2009
Admin Visits October 16, 2009


2.55
(11 votes)
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FurinkazanDaimyo

9 months ago
Score 0++
On 20/05/2023, after Arai, I went back to my hotel, since I forgot my Next 100 meijô stamp book in my luggage. When I arrived at Yoshida castle, the tower was just closed. It closes at 15:00, and I arrived at 15:10. But a sign, in Japanese, says that there is a stamp on the 13th floor of the East building of the annex to the city hall. This is open until 22:00. I first went around the castle grounds and got my stamp afterwards.
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ARTShogun

47 months ago
Score 1++
This site is like a two-in-one; in addition to the ishigaki you also get extensive earthwork ruins throughout the sannomaru area. Pleasant views to be had from the reedy area on the opposite side of the river.
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SuupaahiirooAshigaru

66 months ago
Score 0++

This is a nice castle site with plenty of stone walls and dry moats to see. For a good view of the reconstructed watchtower and its location near the river, go to the nearby bridge (called Toyohashi, the namesake of the city).

The sign at the entrance of the castle mentioned there are some kokuin (刻印) to be seen in the stone walls. There is a small map pointing out the location of eight of these. Initially I was quite excited about that, but I must say most of them are very difficult to discern. If your time is limited and/or you don't feel like staring at stones for too long, I recommend you check out numbers 1, 6, and 7.

I visited on a Tuesday, so I couldn't enter the recontructed Kurogane Yagura. It's closed on Monday and Tuesday and on the other days it closes quite early (3pm if I remember correctly.)

Given its picturesque location near the river and proximity to the Tokaido and the former posttown Yoshida (corresponding to today's downtown Toyohashi), the castle is depicted is some famous woodblock prints. For those interested in the Tokaido: nearby posttowns Futagawa and Maisaka and checkpoint Arai have some interesting surviving historical buildings. Also highly recommended.
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Kiddus i2003Gunshi

106 months ago
Score 0++
Another castle with a great location shame it was never rebuilt.
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FurinkazanDaimyo

120 months ago
Score 0++
It's indeed a nice little castle to go for. Sadly the tower wawsn't open. From a sign on the door i could say that it was open during the 4-day golden weekend and apparently on the next sundays until end of june, hours from 10 to 15.
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RaymondWDaimyo

152 months ago
Score 0++
This is not a bad little castle to visit with plenty of stone walls to see, particularly around the honmaru and some of the moats have been preserved. I went yesterday after going to Okazaki Castle and just missed out on being able to suss out the inside of the reconstructed turret. It was opened from 10:00 – 3:00. There was a sign hanging on the door saying that it will be opened again on 11th / 18th / 19th / 23th / 25th September.