Takeda Nobutora’s move to the Tsutsujigasaki residence in 1519 was intended as the first stage in the construction of a castle town that would serve as a center of commerce and culture. The original town is thought to have extended from the residence to the site of present-day Kōfu Castle, located approximately 3 km south of the residence, and from east to west between the two rivers flowing on either side of the residence.

While the roads connecting the north-south and east-west sides of the castle town were built, the town itself was designed as a defensive facility for the residence, with a complex network of roads that included sharp turns, cul-de-sacs, and dead-ends which would prevent enemies from easily reaching the residence. On the outer edge of the castle town, mountainside fortresses, and signal towers were built. Upon the completion of the provincial capital, leading officials were obliged to move to the town, partly to keep them under Nobutora’s watchful eye and partly to ensure they could be promptly mobilized in case of an emergency.

Two markets were established in the southern part of the town, one in the east and the other in the west, in order to support the economic activities of the territory. These markets, which were also important transportation links to neighboring provinces, served as hubs for traffic control through the post-horse system.

Initially, samurai and town’s people lived together in mixed areas, and during the reigns of Shingen and Katsuyori, centers for merchant craftsmen were organized and maintained. Thus, a shift to an urban structure with a high concentration of people and functions had been achieved.

Excavations at the site of the Takeda residence have gradually revealed aspects of castle town life. Various items including tableware and children’s toys have been excavated. Many unglazed vessels called kawarake, used in ceremonial feasts, have also been found. In a rare example, ceramics and a large quantity of old coins were found deliberately stored in a waterway that presumably ran through a vassal’s property. Why would the vassal do this? The questions are never ending.

Gold production was also prominent in Kai Province, modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture, and decorative metal fittings with gold applied to their surfaces and gold-encrusted tools have been excavated from the ruins of workshops scattered around the castle town. Scientific analyses have shown that most of the gold transported to Kōfu for processing came from the Kurokawa gold mine in Kōshū City.

During three generations of Takeda rule, many temples and shrines were either built or relocated near the Takeda residence. After the fall of the Takeda clan, a new castle was built as the center of Kōfu on Ichijyō Koyama (a small hill southeast of JR Kōfu Station). Excavations based on pictorial maps and historic records confirm that many temples and shrines were once again relocated to this new area. Kōfu-City is a valuable historic site, with the ruins of two castle towns, the Takeda residence and Kōfu Castle.