Tsuruga Castle, which is also known as Aizuwakamatsu Castle, was built in the Aizu basin by Ashina Naomori in 1384. Initially named Kurokawa Castle (黒川城), it stayed in the Ashina clan for generations until it was captured in 1589 by Date Masamune after a lengthy struggle. Eventually, hands changed once more when Toyotomi Hideyoshi handed the castle to his general Gamo Ujisato, who rebuilt Kurokawa castle in 1592 into Tsuruga Castle. After Gamo’s death, the castle was passed to various lords and families until the Bakumatsu period, where Matsudaira Katamori surrendered the castle to the Imperialists after the Battle of Aizu during the Boshin War. Tsuruga Castle is considered to be one of the final Tokugawa allied strongholds before the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate.