Visit Kakegawa 掛川市

Kakegawa was one of the stopover towns on the Tokaido route , which linked Kyoto to Edo (the former name of Tokyo), which gave it great importance. Today, the town is known for its tea production and its castle .

Journey to the past

• The castle

Built in 1513, Kakegawa Castle was repeatedly destroyed and then rebuilt. Its last reconstruction dates from 1994. A very recent date for a building whose origins date back to the 16th century but, exceptionally, it was rebuilt in wood using traditional construction methods . The moats and stone walls as well as the residence of the daimyô (built in 1659) are original.

The castle is therefore an interesting visit, not to mention that its gardens are home to the " Ni no maru chashitsu ", a splendid traditional-style tea house where, seated on tatami mats , you can admire the garden while tasting the various teas that make up the reputation of the city and the region of Shizuoka.

To read: Japanese green tea

The castle garden is also home to Kakegawashi Ninomaru , the Kakegawa Art Museum .

There are exhibited various objects donated by wealthy businessmen of the city, such as an impressive collection of old articles for smokers and a fine collection of Japanese swords. The museum also houses Japanese-style paintings dating from the 19th to 20th centuries.

See also: The Samurai Museum

• Nissaka Shuku

Kakegawa is the 25th stage city of what was called the "53 Stations of Tokaido". History is still present in the northeast of the city, at the foot of the mountain called "Sayo no Nakayama", where one of the most difficult mountain passages of the Tokaido road was located. In what was once the village of Nissaka Shuku, the inn ( hatago) Kawazakaya bears witness to this mythical past. Reserved for the wealthiest and dignitaries, its wooden structure and decorations were made by craftsmen from Edo (the former name of Tokyo). More modest, the Yorozuya inn , also open to visitors, was reserved for the common people.

• Kiwi Fruit Country

This is the name of the largest kiwi fruit farm in Japan. In addition to the possibility of tasting several kinds of kiwi, the interest of the place lies in its tea plantation open to visitors. The latter can experience picking tea leaves , accompanied and advised by an employee. Once the leaves are harvested, they can be roasted and eaten.