Zeze Castle was the first castle built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Kansai region to control the strategic Tokaido road.
The castle structures were largely dismantled during the Meiji Restoration, with some materials recycled into local temples.
The castle originally featured a unique 'floating' design, as its moats were connected directly to Lake Biwa.
The current corner turret is a 1990s reconstruction intended to provide visitors with a visual reference to the site's original architecture.
The park's location served as a vital water-based checkpoint for ships traveling on Lake Biwa toward Kyoto.
Zeze Castle Site Park is situated on the former grounds of Zeze Castle, which served as a strategic military outpost for the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Edo period. The park preserves remnants of the castle's stone walls and moats along the southwestern shore of Lake Biwa. The original castle was constructed by Suganuma Sadamichi in 1601 under the orders of Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was once known as the 'Castle of Oar' due to its proximity to the water, where the main keep appeared to float during high tides. Today, the park features a reconstructed corner turret and a small gate, providing a tangible link to the historical fortifications that once protected the eastern approach to Kyoto. The site is a designated area for cherry blossom viewing in spring, featuring several dozen mature trees. Open green spaces are landscaped to mirror the layout of the former inner bailey.
The reconstructed white corner turret reflected in the surviving section of the moat.
Visit during late March or early April to catch the cherry blossoms in bloom along the moat.
Walk the perimeter of the stone walls to find remnants of the original masonry that predate modern park renovations.
Combine your visit with a walk along the adjacent Lake Biwa shoreline trail for better perspectives of the water.
Do not expect to find a complete or large-scale castle building; the site consists primarily of parkland and small reconstructed elements.
