This was once the largest castle on Earth. It was home to the Shogun's who ruled Japan during the Edo period. Now just a few gates, turrets & guardhouses remain in addition to the extensive walls & moats. Throughout its entire history fires & bombing during WWII have seen the loss of the majority of the original buildings.
Timeline:
1457
The Ota clan constructed a castle here.
1524
The Hōjō clan seized control of the castle from the Uesugi clan.
1590
Tokugawa Ieyasu became lord of the castle.
1592
The Nishinomaru enclosure was completed.
1606
The Honmaru, Ninomaru, Sannomaru and the outer enclosures were completed.
1607
The main tower & the Kitanomaru enclosure were completed.
1611
The Nishinomaru enclosure was extended.
1623
The main tower was rebuilt.
1624
The Nishinomaru Palace was renovated. It burnt to the ground 10 years later.
1629
Expansion of the castle commenced. It was completed 7 years later.
1639
The Honmaru Palace burnt down. It was rebuilt the following year.
1657
The main tower & the buildings of several enclosures burnt down.
1659
The Honmaru Palace & the Fujimi Turret were reconstructed.
1747
The Ninomaru Palace burnt down. It had been rebuilt just six years prior.
1838
The Nishinomaru Palace burnt down. It was rebuilt the following year.
1844
The Honmaru Palace burnt down. It was rebuilt the following year.
1852
The Nishinomaru Palace burnt down. It was then rebuilt.
1859
The Honmaru Palace burnt down. It was rebuilt the following year.
1863
The Nishinomaru & the Honmaru Palaces burnt down. The Nishinomaru Palace was rebuilt the following year.
