Okazaki City is known as the birthplace and hometown to Tokugawa Ieyasu—one of modern day Japan’s most influential leaders—and an exceedingly interesting city in its own right.

Japan is renowned around the world for its grandiose and beautifully designed fireworks displays and Okazaki, having had a head start from the days gunpowder production was limited by the Tokugawa Shogunate to his home province of Mikawa has become one of the largest designers and manufacturers of fireworks in the country.

In fact, if you can make it to the Okazaki fireworks festival in early August where the city’s firework industry debuts the newest and most creative examples of the craft, you can see these new models before the rest of Japan! Visitors from all over the world gather at the castle park early August to enjoy one of Japan`s best and most innovative fireworks displays!

The Castle Park

If you are taking the train, the castle park is just a 10 minute walk directly east of the “Okazakikoen-Mae” Meitetsu station.

Okazaki Castle and the Castle Park grounds are on a small peninsula surrounded by the Oto River. The riverbank is lined with sakura trees and becomes a widely popular area for cherry blossom viewing during the late March and early April months. You may also take guided tours on the gondolas that can give you a unique viewing experience.

If you continue along the paved road that bends in front of the koi fish pond, you’ll see a wisteria garden where you can enjoy the seasonal veil of lavender colored flowers hanging from a canopy of vines.

On the north side of the park, you will find both the Mikawa Bushi and Ieyasu Museum and a souvenir shop. There are also regular performances by actors intricately dressed in costume right in front of the museum that tell the history of Tokugawa Shogunate’s rise to power.

The water fetched for Tokugawa Ieyasu’s first bath upon birth was said to be drawn from this very well.

I encourage you to explore the park grounds because there are a lot of historically significant points of interest and photo opportunities that may go unseen to most visitors.

At every full and half hour, you can go to the clock tower and see the faces transform into a stage for the karakuri puppet to perform.

Located on the north side of the Castle Park is the amphitheater where live performances and public gatherings would take place.

The statue of Ieyasu himself faces eastward greeting guests coming in from the main parking lot as they enter the castle grounds. And just in front of him is a large “flower clock” that changes seasonally based on the local fauna of the seasons.

The Castle

Okazaki Castle is relatively small when compared to the likes of Nagoya and Osaka, but to this day it remains a bastion of the Tokugawa Clan. As the birthplace of Ieyasu himself, the castle houses a museum with items directly tied to Tokugawa and his family.

You may enter from the south side of the park, by crossing the arched bridge that spans across the castle pond. If you want to feed the koi fish, you can purchase some rice crackers at one of the concessions shops across the street.

Directly adjacent to the entrance to the castle is the shrine where visitors can pay their respects and purchase different charms or even write wishes or prayers for whatever they want.

There are also a number of tea houses where you can experience traditional Japanese tea ceremonies prepared by experts. The information desk located in the north side of the grounds will be able to direct you with times for the tea and samurai demonstrations.

The castle itself sits upon a hill that overlooks most of the western Mikawa region especially on clear sunny days. While pictures are not allowed within the castle exhibit, you are more than welcome to go to the top to take beautiful panoramic shots from the lookout.
Overall, Okazaki Castle and its surrounding park is an easy trip from Nagoya and with all the history and scenery it has to offer, it’s definitely a can’t miss stop if you’re ever in Aichi!

By Donald Paul Whigan