🗺️ Mito Castle水戸城跡

Mito Castle is a flatland castle built at the end of a saddle-shaped plateau between the Nakagawa River and Lake Senba, and it served as the residence of the Mito Domain. Within the old honmaru (main enclosure), the "Yakuimon" gate is still preserved, as well as the domain school "Kōdōkan" built within the old Sannomaru. You can also see the cleverly utilized "karabori" (moat) and "tsuchi-rai" (earthen ramparts). After entering the Reiwa era, the restoration projects for the "Otemon" (main gate) and "Ninomaru Kakuyagura" (corner turret) have been completed, recreating the appearance of the past. Mito Castle is said to have been built by Baba Sukekane during the late Heian period to the early Kamakura period. The castle was held by the Baba clan, the Edo clan, and the Satake clan, among others. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved the Satake clan from Mito to Akita. Subsequently, it was taken over by Ieyasu's fifth son Matsudaira (Takeda) Nobuyoshi and his tenth son Tokugawa Yorinobu, and in the 14th year of the Keichō era (1609), it was handed over to the eleventh son Tokugawa Yairo. Mito Castle was protected by the Mito Tokugawa family for about 260 years through 11 generations. The ruins of the castle cover a wide area north of JR Joban Line's "Mito" station. On the walking route called "Mito Gaku no Michi," which starts from the station, there are the ruins of Mito Castle and historical sites related to the Mito Domain. The so-called "Mito Gaku" refers to the unique philosophy of the Mito Domain that had a significant impact on the Meiji Restoration. The "Mito Gaku no Michi" offers an understanding of the history of the Mito Domain and is a very distinctive walking path.

The "Mito Learning Path" includes recommended routes such as the Mitsukuni (Yikō) Route, the Saizō (Reikō) Route, and the Yoshinobu (Shōgun) Route. The longest is the 4-kilometer Yoshinobu (Shōgun) Route. On the Saizō Route and the Yoshinobu Route, there is the "Mito Tōshōgū," built by Tokugawa Yorinobu to honor Tokugawa Ieyasu. Additionally, on the Mitsukuni Route and the Yoshinobu Route, you can visit the "Mito Kōmon Shrine," which was built at the birthplace of the second feudal lord, Mito Mitsukuni. It is worth stopping by for a visit. The "Mito Castle Ninomaru Corner Turret," which was restored and completed in June 2021, showcases the excavated "foundation stones." Inside the turret, you can view videos and materials related to Mito Castle. The "Kusuriimon" is located at Mito First High School, which is situated in the former Honmaru area. The former Honmaru and Ninomaru areas are now used for kindergartens, junior high schools, elementary schools, and high schools. Please pay special attention while visiting or walking around.