Hamamatsu Castle, Japanese castle in Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan
Hamamatsu Castle is a Japanese fortress in Naka-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan, with stone walls rising from the Mikatagahara plateau. The compound includes several courtyards and shows traditional building methods using natural rocks placed without cutting or shaping at its base.
Tokugawa Ieyasu took control of the site in December 1568 and turned the former Hikuma Castle into his military headquarters. He stayed until 1586 before moving his base to Sunpu Castle.
Local people call this place the Castle of Promotion because many lords who served here later rose to higher ranks in government. This association with career advancement shaped how the fortress was remembered across generations.
The reconstructed three-story tower now holds a museum with clan-era objects and offers viewing points toward the Pacific. The surrounding park invites walking and connects historical remains with green spaces.
The foundations show the nozura-zumi technique where natural stones were stacked directly without any cutting or smoothing. This original building method remains visible at few castles in Japan as clearly as it does here.
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