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Iga Ueno Castle was built in 1585 by the warlord Tsutsui Sadatsugu on a plateau where the Heiraku-ji Temple is located. In 1608, after Tsutsui Sadatsugu's territory was confiscated by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the castle was renovated and expanded by the renowned castle builder Tōdō Takatora, who reinforced the western defenses to prepare for the conflict with the Toyotomi clan in Osaka. Although a five-story tenshu (main keep) was constructed at that time, it collapsed during a great storm in 1612. Although turrets, the main gate, and the palace were rebuilt afterward, the tenshu was never reconstructed.
The current tenshu is a reconstructed version built in 1935 by politician Kawasaki Katsu with the support of various contributors. It was named "Iga Cultural Industry Castle" with the hope of becoming a hub for Iga's culture and industry. The elegant structure consists of a three-story main tenshu and a two-story small tenshu, which is beloved by the citizens of Iga.
Inside the tenshu of Iga Ueno Castle, there is an exhibition room displaying items such as the black lacquered kabuto (helmet) in the shape of a Chinese crown, which was bestowed upon Tōdō Takatora by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, as well as notable Iga pottery, armor, samurai archery equipment, and Bashō's travel hat. The castle features stone walls that are 30 meters high, making it one of the tallest stone walls in Japan alongside Osaka Castle, and it serves as a filming location for movies and television series.
