Photo: Saigen Jiro / CC0 1.0After handing the shogunate to his son Hidetada, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved to Sunpu and in 1607 had a castle built there with three moats, according to the city's own history page. The park now sits on that castle site, ringed by moats and stone walls, in the centre of Shizuoka city, about 12 minutes by train from Shimizu.
The rebuilt Tatsumi corner tower and Higashi east gate hold a small museum on how the castle was built and lost; a smaller southwest tower shows the timber structure up close; and the Momijiyama garden next door, a traditional garden with a tea room, serves tea and sweets. The keep's stone base was dug up in an archaeological project from 2016, but that site and its visitor centre closed on 26 December 2025 for new construction, so do not expect to see it.
The catch: this is a quiet history stop, not a spectacle, and most captions will be in Japanese. Everything paid closes at 16:30 and on Mondays, so check the calendar. If you only have a short call, Dream Plaza is the better use of the time.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Check the day: the paid facilities are closed on Mondays unless it is a holiday.
- Buy the 3-facility ticket (¥360) at the corner tower; it costs less than buying the three singles (¥450).
- The keep's excavation site and its visitor centre have been closed since 26 December 2025 for new construction, so the stone base will not be open to walk around.
- JR Shimizu to Shizuoka is a ¥240 ride of 10–12 minutes, with several trains an hour in a route search; check the board.
- Finish at the Momijiyama garden's tea room for tea and a Japanese sweet; the city tourism site lists it.
The keep's stone base was dug up in an archaeological project from 2016, but that site and its visitor centre closed on 26 December 2025 for new construction, so do not expect to see it.
Guided days from Shimizu
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
More in Shimizu
Spot guideKashi-no-Ichi
Japan's tuna capital, a waterfront walk from the pier
Open the guide →
Spot guideKunozan Toshogu
Where Ieyasu was actually buried — Nikko is the copy
Open the guide →
Spot guideMiho no Matsubara
Thirty thousand pines, a black-sand beach, and the view that made Fuji sacred
Open the guide →Questions people ask here
How do I get from Shimizu cruise port to Sunpu Castle?
Take the free cruise-day shuttle to JR Shimizu Station, then the JR Tokaido Line to Shizuoka, about 10 to 12 minutes and ¥240, then walk about 15 minutes to the park.
How much is Sunpu Castle?
The three-facility ticket is ¥360 for adults and covers the east gate and corner tower, the southwest tower and the Momijiyama garden. Singles are ¥200, ¥100 and ¥150.
Is the Sunpu Castle keep excavation open?
No. The city says the excavation site and its visitor centre closed on 26 December 2025 for new construction work.