YAMANOUCHI Kazutoyo had been named as the first Lord of Kakegawa after Sekigahara warfare. He had been moved as the Lord Tosa shortly afterwords.

Throughout YedoJidai, Kakegawa had been one of the fork from Tokaido to Akihasan, Guardian against evil of fire pilgrimage. Most of the travelers had noting to do with the landlord of Kakegawa. Hiroshige shows the Akihasan far back as the townsmen's main atraction.

This is an Akihasan print by Hiroshige.

Mount Akiha looking down EnshuNada: part of the Pacific Ocean, had been utilized as the light burning point for the navigational safety from Atsumi to Izu.

Later it turned as the guardian against evil of fire. The shrine said to be built in 709.

In 1943, all of the shrine buildings atop Akihasan burnt down by a wild fire spread from a nearby copper mine. Only a few old growth sugi survived though, others younger than 600 years burnt down. It is said that the guardian god sacrificed himself.

Kakegawa followed an unique destiny after Meiji Civil war.

First, Tokugawas ousted from Yedo. Shogunate moved to Sumpu, toyday's Shizuoka.

Second, Those samurais in Shizuoka ousted from Shizuoka and some of them moved to Kakegawa. Some of the Samurais may had been royal to Tokugawa shogunate than Meiji government. This may be part of the background of conservativeness and autonomous character of Kakegawa.

1875, DaiNihon Hotokukai, a kind of agrarian and self training movement tracing Ninomiya Sontoku started in Kakegawa.

Hall and Library is well preserved today with other buildings.

Passed SHINMURA JunIch served as mayor and president of DaiNihon Hotokukai for a long time.

Residential quarters for Ex-samurais, some of them high rankers are well preserved around the castle.

Castle tower itself is not a real one but rebuilt in 1994 though, NinoMaruGoten is a real Office building of YedoJidai.



The oldest elementary school

placed below the "old castle" where The third Tokugawa Shogunate Iemitu enshrined.

3 Imagire