Tsuchiura Castle

Tsuchiura Castle is a Japanese castle in Tsuchiura that sits on the western shore of Lake Kasumigaura, now integrated into the grounds of Kijo Park. The Taiko Yagura Mon gate and two reconstructed wooden turrets stand among trees and open lawns.

The fortress began in the Heian period under Taira no Masakado and later came under the control of the Oda clan. During the Sengoku period, the Yuki clan took over the site.

The name Ki-jo or Turtle Castle came from the way the fortress looked from above, surrounded by water from Lake Kasumigaura like a turtle shell. Locals visit Kijo Park to walk through the grounds where the rebuilt wooden towers stand as reminders of the feudal lords who once ruled here.

The site sits about fifteen minutes on foot from Tsuchiura Station, which connects to central Tokyo via the JR Joban Line. The grounds are open to the public and make for a short stop on the way to the lakeside promenade.

The Taiko Yagura Mon is the last surviving original turret gate in the entire Kanto region. The museum inside the park displays documents and artifacts showing how successive clans administered the domain.