Kakegawa city / The Short Summary Of Kakegawa-shi
Kakegawa is in the south western part of
Shizuoka Prefecture, there is the Pacific Ocean laid in the south. Tea leaves and Christmas
oranges are the local specialties, and the Kakegawajo Castle is selected
as one of the most beautiful 100 castles in Japan. And it was in Totomi-no-kuni
(Totomi Province; western part of Shizuoka Prefecture) before the Meiji
Restoration.
Kakegawa was on Tokaido road from Edo (
Tokyo) to Kyoto in Edo period (1607~1867), there were two post towns 'Kakegawa
juku' and 'Hisaka juku' in the region of Kakegawa City. The view of Hisaka
at that time was drawn by Hiroshige Utagawa.
In Muraomachi Period, Asahina Clan, an influential vassal of the military
governar of Suruga (central part of Shizuoka Prefecture), Imagawa Clan,
ruled Kakegawa, and Yasuhiro Asahina built his castle of the Old Kagegawajo
Castle in Bunmei Era (1469-1487). In 1497, Ujichika Imagawa and Soun Hojo
invaded to Totomi Province and conquered. Then the Asahina Clan built a
new Kakegawajo Castle on Mt.Ryutosan 500 meter southeast left from the
Old Kakegawajo Castle. Imagawa Clan ruled Totomi Province and Asahina Clan
ruled Kakegawa. Imagawa ruling 2 provinces, they tried to expand and they
finally gained the power to rule Mikawa province in 1549 when Ieyasu Tokugawa
who was the 5 years old lord of the province was taken as a hostage. Then
the Imagawa Clan seized 3 provinces and it became the strongest and most
influential daimyo in eastern Japan. However, the Imagawa Clan lost the
Battle of Okehazama in 1560 and Yoshimot Imagawa, the head of the family
was killed by Nobunaga Oda, the clan soon lost the power. Ieyasu Tokugawa
became the hostage once in his childhood, but he went back and took back
his position in Mikawa Province (eastern part of Aichi Prefecture), and
he tried to gradually expand his territory to Totomi Province. In 1568,
Shingen Takeda, the lord of Kai-no-kuni (Yamanashi Prefecture) invaded
Suruga Province, then Ujitsuna, the son of Yoshimoto escaped to Kakegawa
Castle, but next year, he opened the castle and gave it to Ieyasu Tokugawa.
The Tokugawa Clan gained the power to rule Totomi, but it was not stable.
Takeda Clan next to him also tried to expand to Totomi. In 1571, Shingen
attacked Takatenjinjo Castle in Kakegawa, but he could not gain it because
of its strong protection. In 1574, Katsuyori Takeda, the son of Shingen
took over Takatenjinjo Castle. Ieyasu then built Yokosuga Castle to regain
it. In 1581, Ieyasu succeeded to take back it.
In 1586, Ieyasu Tokugawa submitted to Hideyoshi Toyotomi who was the Kanpaku
Dajo-daijin (the supreme minister and chancellor) having the power to rule
the samurai society,, and he became his vassal. In 1590, Ieyasu moved to
Edo, Kazutoyo Yamanouchi, a vassal of Hideyoshi moved to Kakegawa Caslte
from Nagahama Castle in Shiga Prefecture. In 1600, Ieyasu won the Battle
of Sekigahara and gained the power to control Japan. He took back Kakegawa
Castle, so Kazutoyo moved to Kochi Prefecture, and Sadakatu Matsudaira
was given it by Ieyasu. In Edo Period,Kakegawa was a strategically very
important post town to protect Edo (Tokyo), then Matsudaira, Ii, Honda
and Ota, daimyos in hereditary vassalage to the Tokugawa, were appointed
such as the lords of Kakegawa to control. Moreover, Kakegawa was connected
to Edo with Tokaido road, so the tourist industries were flourished with
two post towns Kakegawa and Hisaka.
Now it is famous for the cultivation of Tea Leaves. There are 2 spa resorts,
Kuramionsen and Hosenjionsen in Kakegawa City and many visitors come to
enjoy them.
参考
静岡県ホームページ
掛川市ホームページ
掛川市観光協会ホームページ
デジタル大辞林
ブリタニカ国際大百科事典
クロニック戦国全史
ウィッキペディア
Visit Events, Landmarks and Areas Near KAKEGAWA City
Kakegawa City is exciting city for tourist to visit. Tea leaves and Christmas
oranges are the local specialties, and the Kakegawajo Castle is selected
as one of the most beautiful 100 castles in Japan.Of course, Kakegawa city
faces to the Pacific Ocean, it means tourists could eat delicious sea foods.
Why don't you visit Kakegawa City?
Areas
Landmarks and Events