Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-09-13 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Tsutsujigasaki Castle, in the centre of Kōfu, was the fortified residence of the last three generations of the Takeda clan. It is not a castle in the proper sense — in Japanese it is called a yakata, a residence — in keeping with the Takeda's famous policy to “make men your castle, men your walls, men your moats”. It is nevertheless one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan, and the ruins have been a National Historic Site since 1938. The site is open to the public and is now home to Takeda Shrine, dedicated to the spirits of the Takeda clan.
We have checked the way in and the admission: a bus from the north exit of JR Kōfu Station or a longer walk, free grounds and a paid treasure hall. The details are in “Plan your visit” below. Maizuru Castle Park is about 2.5 km away.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- 躑躅ヶ崎館 — 前田左衛門佐 · Public domain · source · resized
- 武田神社-10 — 江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Tsutsujigasaki Castle Mizubori — by monado · CC BY-SA 2.5 · source · resized
- Tsutsujigasaki Castle Hori — by monado · CC BY-SA 2.5 · source · resized
What this place is
Tsutsujigasaki Castle (躑躅ヶ崎館, Tsutsujigasaki yakata) was the fortified residence of the final three generations of the Takeda clan, located in the center of the city of Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. It is not a Japanese castle in the proper sense of the word, and is not referred to as a "castle" in Japanese, as it was famously the policy of the Takeda clan to "make men your castle, men your walls, men your moats". Nevertheless, it is listed as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles. The ruins have been protected as a National Historic Site since 1938. The site is open to the public and now contains the Takeda Shrine, a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of the Takeda clan.
Visitor information checked: 2026-09-13 · Kōfu Tourism Navi (Kōfu City Tourism Association): Takeda Shrine
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Castle
Getting there by public transport
- From the north exit of JR Kōfu Station, about 10 minutes by bus to “Takeda Jinja”, or about 30 minutes on foot.
Route checked: 2026-09-13 · Kōfu Tourism Navi (Kōfu City Tourism Association): Takeda Shrine · Timetables change — check the operator before you travel.
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