Sumpu Castle Park

Sumpu Castle was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the 1580s and became his base of retirement after 1605, from where he continued to govern Japan until his death. After a fire in 1635 destroyed most of the original structure, only partial rebuilding was undertaken. Today the park preserves stone walls and moat remnants from the original castle, with two turrets and the Higashi Gomon gate reconstructed from 1638 plans. The recently completed Hitsujisaru Yagura corner turret functions as an exhibit on traditional Japanese construction methods, with exposed beams and joinery visible throughout. Momijiyama Garden, in the park's northeast corner, includes a miniature Mt. Fuji.