Okazaki Castle is known as the birthplace of one of the most influential men in Japanese history, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The original castle dates from 1455 and was built on the grounds of Myodaiji Temple by Saigo Tsugiyori. The castle was moved to its present location by Ieyasu’s grandfather in 1531. When the Hojo were defeated in 1590 Toyotomi Hideyoshi gave Tokugawa Ieyasu the Hojo provinces, and he established himself at the Hojo’s old castle of Edo. (The current Imperial Palace in Tokyo). After the battle of Sekigahara and the defeat of his rivals the Toyotomi clan in 1600, Ieyasu was able to take control of the whole of Japan. Okazaki Castle was then occupied by vassals of the Tokugawa until 1868.
