Tsuruga Castle (Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle)
鶴ヶ城
Aizuwakamatsu's symbol, which held out through a month-long siege in the Boshin War. Its five-tier keep is the only red-tiled castle keep in Japan today.
Aizu's castle, with 630 years of history
Tsuruga Castle is in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture; its official name is Wakamatsu Castle. It is said to have begun about 630 years ago as a residence built by Ashina Naomori in 1384.
Gamo Ujisato, who came to Aizu in 1592, rebuilt it as a full-scale castle, and in the following year, 1593, a seven-tier keep was completed. After an earthquake in 1611 damaged the keep, Kato Akinari rebuilt it with five tiers. From 1643 the Hoshina-Matsudaira family (later the Aizu Matsudaira family) held the castle until the end of the Edo period.
The Boshin War and rebuilding the keep
In the Boshin War of 1868 (a civil war between supporters of the Tokugawa shogunate and the new government's army), the Aizu domain was attacked by the new government's forces, and Tsuruga Castle withstood about a month of fierce assault. The tragedy of the Byakkotai, a unit of young samurai of the domain, also happened during this fighting.
In the Meiji era all the castle buildings were pulled down, leaving only the stone walls. The present keep was rebuilt in reinforced concrete in 1965. In 2011 the roof was re-covered with red tiles, the same as at the end of the Edo period. The red tiles are glazed (coated with a glassy finish, as on pottery) so that they do not crack easily in this snowy region.
Inside the keep and the castle park
Inside, the keep is a local history museum, with each floor covering Aizu's history and the end of the Edo period and the Boshin War. The top floor, the 5th, is an observation deck looking out over the town around the castle. In the basement you can see the original stone base of the keep.
In 2000, the Hoshii Yagura turret and the Minami Hashiri Nagaya (a long defensive building) were reconstructed in wood. The castle site is a park designated a national Historic Site, planted with about 1,000 cherry trees, which make it a famous spot for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in spring. Rinkaku, a teahouse in the park associated with Shoan, the son of the tea master Sen no Rikyu, also serves tea.
Getting there
From JR Aizu-Wakamatsu Station, take the Machinaka Shuyu Bus ("Haikarasan") that loops around the city, get off at a stop such as Tsurugajo Iriguchi and walk. By car it is about 15 minutes from the Aizu-Wakamatsu Interchange on the Ban-etsu Expressway. Check the official website for opening hours and fees.
Tips
- Getting around inside the keep is by stairs only. Wheelchair users can visit the park area of the castle grounds.
- If you have time, head over to Oyakuen, a garden designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty. It is a garden with a medicinal herb garden, and it is run by the same tourism bureau.
- On the 5th-floor observation deck, an AR (augmented reality) feature on your smartphone lets you compare the Edo-period view with today's.
Sources
Updated 28 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
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