Kagoshima Castle

Kagoshima Castle

Kagoshima Castle (鹿児島城, kagoshimajō) is a Japanese castle in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The other name of this castle is Tsurumarujo.

History

This castle was constructed by Shimazu Iehisa in 1601. In 1600 Shimazu Yoshihiro, the father of Iehisa, was defeated at the Battle of Sekigahara as a daimyo of the western alliance, by the eastern alliance led by Tokugawa Ieyasu. This castle was built after the defeat and in the severe political tension with Ieyasu.

This castle is notable for the small scale and fairly poor quality as a main castle of one of the richest daimyo in Japan. It is said that Shimazu was afraid of giving the Tokugawa an excuse to attack Shimazu territory by making too large a castle.

Access

• Kagoshima Station of Kagoshima Main Line

Literature

• Schmorleitz, Morton S. (1974). Castles in Japan. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co. ISBN 0-8048-1102-4. 

Coordinates: 31°35′55″N 130°33′17″E / 31.598485°N 130.554611°E / 31.598485; 130.554611