In a plaza outside of JR Shizuoka Station are two bronze statues of Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, a dynasty who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1868. One sculpture shows him as a child when his name was Takechiyo and he was a hostage of the Imagawa clan at Sunpu Castle. This one portrays him as an adult during the height of his power. If you visit Sunpu Castle, you will learn Tokugawa Ieyasu extensively expanded the local fortress. On a grander scale, he also constructed the Edo Castle during his retirement (1605 – 1616). Japan’s largest castle is now the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.