Tsuyama Castle

Tsuyama , Japan

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Tsuyama Castle, located in Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, was built by Mori Tadamasa from 1603 to 1616 and is renowned as one of Japan’s largest and most heavily fortified castles with over 60 towers and over 80 defensive structures.

It stands on a hill at the confluence of the Yoshii and Miya Rivers, combining characteristics of hilltop and flatland castles. The castle’s main keep featured five stories, although officially recorded as four by removing the roof of the fourth floor to comply with Tokugawa shogunate rules. Tsuyama Castle had formidable stone walls, multiple gates with unique defensive designs, and a large yagura turret connected to the main hall.

Though much of the original complex was dismantled during the Meiji Era, the castle remains a symbol of samurai heritage, surrounded by Kakuzan Park, which is famous for its cherry blossoms. The castle reflects advanced military architecture of the Edo period and Mori Tadamasa’s strategic planning inspired by other famous castles.