ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2013

Tsuruga-jo is a castle in the city of Aizu Wakamatsu in western Fukushima Prefecture. It is famous as an impregnable fortress since it withstood heavy attacks during the Boshin War, which was fought between Tokugawa forces, including Aizu, and the new Meiji Government forces in 1868-69. There are numerous legacies of the samurai age in Aizu Wakamatsu, where the influences of samurai society remain strong today. The castle standing today is a restoration built in 1965. Its red tile roof is a faithful reproduction of the design at the end of the Edo period. Tsuruga-jo is the only castle in Japan today with a red tile roof.