Okazaki (岡崎市), Aichi

Okazaki is a historic castle city located in Aichi Prefecture, sitting along the Yahagi River approximately 30 kilometers east of Nagoya. It is one of the most historically significant cities in all of Japan, best known as the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 260 years.

The city carries an extraordinary weight of historical importance that extends far beyond its modest modern size. The decisions made and the ambitions formed in Okazaki during the 16th century ultimately determined the political shape of Japan for the better part of three centuries, making it an essential destination for anyone with an interest in Japanese feudal history.

The centerpiece of the city is Okazaki Castle, a beautifully reconstructed five-story castle tower standing within the expansive grounds of Okazaki Park beside the Yahagi River. 

The original castle was built in 1455 and served as the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1543. The reconstructed tower houses a museum dedicated to the life of Ieyasu and the history of the Tokugawa clan.

Okazaki Castle is one of the most visited castles in the Chubu region and is particularly spectacular during cherry blossom season, when approximately 800 cherry trees within Okazaki Park burst into bloom around the castle tower. The combination of the white castle, pink blossoms, and the flowing Yahagi River creates one of the most celebrated hanami scenes in Aichi Prefecture.

The park surrounding the castle contains the Ieyasu Museum, dedicated entirely to the life and legacy of Tokugawa Ieyasu, as well as several smaller shrines and monuments connected to the Tokugawa family history. The Tosho-gu Shrine within the park grounds is a particularly important site, modeled after the famous Nikko Tosho-gu and dedicated to the deified spirit of Ieyasu himself.

Okazaki is also the site of the Daiju-ji Temple, the family temple of the Matsudaira clan, the ancestral family from which Tokugawa Ieyasu descended. 

The temple contains important artifacts and grave sites connected to the early Matsudaira lords and offers a quieter and more contemplative historical experience away from the busier castle precinct.

The city has a strong connection to miso production, particularly the deeply fermented Hatcho miso that has been produced in the Hatcho district of Okazaki for over 600 years. 

Unlike the lighter varieties of miso produced elsewhere in Japan, Hatcho miso is aged for a minimum of two summers in enormous cedar barrels stacked with river stones, producing a rich, intensely flavored paste with a distinctive dark color.

The Hatcho Miso factories, located a short walk from the castle, offer guided tours that walk visitors through the centuries-old production process. 

The two main producers, Kakukyu and Maruya Hatcho Miso, have operated continuously since the Edo period, and their factory buildings and aging warehouses are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan.

The Yahagi River flowing through the city was historically one of the most important waterways in central Japan, serving as a major transport and commercial route during the Edo period. 

The Yahagi Bridge crossing the river near the castle was one of the longest bridges on the famous Tokaido Road and played a significant role in the movement of goods and travelers between Edo and Kyoto.

Okazaki hosts the spectacular Okazaki Fireworks Festival every August, one of the largest and most celebrated fireworks events in all of Aichi Prefecture. 

Held above the Yahagi River, the festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors for an evening display that lights up the river and castle grounds in a vivid and memorable spectacle.

The city is easily accessible from Nagoya via the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line to Higashi-Okazaki Station, with a journey time of approximately 30 minutes. It is also reachable on the JR Tokaido Main Line to Okazaki Station, from which the castle is accessible by bus or a pleasant riverside walk of approximately 20 minutes.