In 1618, on orders from Tokugawa Hidetada, Ogasawara Tadazane (then known as Tadamasa), lord of the Akashi domain, began construction of the castle, with full-scale work starting the following year. He planned the town layout in consultation with his father-in-law Honda Tadamasa, lord of Himeji, and tradition holds that the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi advised on the design. No main keep was ever built, but two surviving turrets still stand as testimony to the castle's role guarding against the western daimyo.