Sumpu Castle Park

Sunpu Castle Park is a park developed on the former site of Sunpu Castle, once built by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The castle was also known as Fuchu Castle or Shizuoka Castle. In 1585, after Ieyasu retired from the shogunate, construction began on the site of the former Imagawa residence. Despite destruction from fires along the way, the castle was gradually built into a major fortress with triple moats and a five-story, seven-floor keep. After Ieyasu’s death, a 1635 fire from the castle town burned most of the castle. It was never rebuilt and remained neglected for a long time, but after World War II the Honmaru and Ninomaru areas were developed into a park. From the Heisei era onward, structures such as Tatsumi Yagura, Higashi Gate, and Hitsujisaru Yagura have been reconstructed using traditional methods. At Hitsujisaru Yagura, visitors can enjoy interactive features like a glass floor showing the understructure and 3D images of Edo-era scenes. With gardens that change through the seasons and a statue of Ieyasu, the park is a beloved place to relax. Some areas are still under excavation, making it an increasingly interesting site for the future. Access: about a 15-minute walk from JR “Shizuoka” Station, or about a 12-minute walk from Shizuoka Railway “Shin-Shizuoka” Station. The Sunpu Roman bus from the stations is also convenient.