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In the 13th year of the Keicho era (1608), a warlord from the Shikoku Iyo Clan named Todo Takatora was assigned to this region and became the new lord of Tsu Castle. He was one of the representative warlords of the Sengoku (civil wars) period. He was also skilled in the design of castles, as soon as he entered the castle, he would begin renovating it, including the main building, the wings, the internal moat, and the external moat. He also built houses for his soldiers around the castle. He even built Iyo Town for the craftsmen he brought from Iyo. Todo was credited for his bravery in the attack on Osaka castle by the Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi and offered 323,900 koku (1 koku=about 5 bushels) of land. This led to Tsu becoming a major overnight stop for travelers on the Sangu highway. There is a saying that goes "Ise is supported by Tsu, and Tsu is supported by Ise." Even today, a traveler can see the remains of Tsu Castle, Tsu Kairakuen Park, Tsu Kannon Temple, Kanshouin Temple, and various remains of the great warlord, Todo. |
