Tokushima Castle, located on a 60-meter hill in the center of Tokushima city, was built in 1585 by Hachisuka Iemasa following Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s conquest of Shikoku. The castle served as the main stronghold and administrative center of the Hachisuka clan, who governed Awa Province.

Built along a long, narrow ridge, the castle featured multiple enclosures surrounded by winding stone walls and complex masugata-style gates, with a three-story main tower added later.

Although most original structures were destroyed by the Meiji government in 1875 and further damaged during World War II, the castle’s Washimon gate was rebuilt in 1989. Today, Tokushima Castle’s ruins and gardens serve as a public park and historic site, and the castle is recognized as one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles.