Toyama Castle (Toyama City Museum of History)

Overview

Toyama Castle was built in 1543 (during the Tembun era) by Jinbo Nagatoshi, the local governor of the western part of Etchu Province. Subsequently, many lords held the castle, including members of the Uesugi clan and Sassa Narimasa, a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. In 1585 (during the Tensho era), it was destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's conquest, but later rebuilt by Maeda Toshinaga. From the establishment of Toyama Domain in 1639 (during the Kan'ei era), it served as the Maeda clan's castle for approximately 230 years. It was demolished in 1873 (during the Meiji era) due to the abolition of castles, but the former Honmaru Goten (main castle building) was used as the prefectural government office. After air raids and post-war reconstruction efforts, Toyama Castle Ruins Park opened in 1952 (during the Showa era), and the current keep was constructed in 1954 (during the Showa era). The present keep is open to the public as the Toyama City Museum of History, where you can view exhibits related to the history and culture of Toyama Castle. The castle ruins park is a vast, verdant park where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of each season, including cherry blossoms and autumn foliage. Toyama Castle is a leading tourist attraction in Toyama, recommended not only for history buffs but also for those who want to experience nature and culture.