Iyo Matsuyama Castle

This was the first castle visited on a trip to Shikoku. The castle grounds are quite large and have many original structures. Unfortunately, I could find no good vantage point to get a good picture of the whole area. This is one of the best castles in the country to visit, a very close second to Him

History

The original castle was built here in 1603 by Kato Yoshiakira. It had a large 5 storey tenshu that was actually moved to Aizu when Kato was transferred there in 1627. Tadachika Gamoh became the new lord of Matsuyama castle and completed construction of the Ninomaru before he died in 1635, leaving no heirs.

In 1635,

Matsudaira Sadayuki moved into Matsuyama Castle and the Matsudaira family ruled over the area the end of feudalism. Sadayuki rebuilt the main keep with three stories in 1642. This main keep was struck by lightning and burned down on New Year's day in 1784. The construction of the current main keep was not begun until 1820 and not completed until 1854. From 1926 on, many of the yagura, gates and other structures were

destroyed by arson and bombings in WWII.

As a relative of the Tokugawa shogun,

Matsudaira Sadaaki naturally fought for the Tokugawa in several battles at the Meiji Restoration. Once the emperor regained political power, Sadaaki was a wanted man and considered an enemy of the emperor. In order to avoid attack, he decided to submit and allow Tosa soldiers into the castle while he sought penance and refuge in Joshinji temple in Matsuyama. His sincerity was accepted and thus Sadaaki and

Matsuyama Castle were saved from attack.

The Matsudaira family eventually gave the

castle to the city of Matsuyama in 1923. The city has been working since 1966 to

repair the original structures and rebuild those that were destroyed.

Field Notes

This was the first castle visited on a trip to Shikoku. The castle grounds are quite large and have many original structures. Unfortunately, I could find no good vantage point to get a good picture of the whole area. This is one of the best castles in the country to visit, a very close second to Himeji. The bare wooden exterior is unique among most castles and gives the whole castle a more historic feel.

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Gallery

Main Keep
Tatsumi Yagura
Kakushimon Tsuzukiyagura
South Honmaru stone wall
Corridor from the Otemon Gate to the Honmaru
Otemon gate ruins
Stone wall corridor to the Tsutsui Gate
Stone wall of the Tonashimon Gate
Otemon Gate stone walls
Taiko Yagura
Tsutsui Gate
Kakushimon Gate
Tsutsui Gate
Taiko Yagura and wall beyond the Tsutsui Gate
Taiko Gate
Taiko Gate
Taiko Gate
Baguyagura and honmaru stone walls
Taiko Yagura
Honmaru stone walls, the Baguyagura and Taiko Yagura
Hondan entrance
Ninomon South Yagura
Shichikumon Gate East Wall
Main keep
Ichinomon Gate
Ichinomon Gate
Ichinomon Masugata Gate
Wall of the main keep compound
Ninomon and Sannomon
Ninomon Gate yagura and walls
Sannomon Gate
Sannomon Gate
Sannomon Gate, yagura and walls
Sujigane Gate
View into the Ichinomon Gate
South Yagura
Main Keep, Sujigane Gate, Uchimon gate
Sujigane Gate
Uchimon Gate
Interior of the Uchimon Gate.
Nohara Yagura
Main keep interior
Main keep interior
Main keep interior
Main keep interior
Main keep compound
Honmaru bailey
View form the main keep
Shikirimon Gate and Uchimon Gate
Shikirimon Gate.
Shikirimon Gate
Uchimon Gate
Main Keep, Sannnomon, Shikirimon
Ninomon South Yagura
North courtyard of the Honmaru Bailey
South and North Yagura
Inui Gate and Inui Yagura
Inui Gate and South and North Yagura
Inui Yagura
Inui Gate
Climbing Stone Wall
Nohara Yagura and stone walls.
Inui Yagura
Honmaru stone walls
Baguyagura
Taiko Yagura
Stone walls
Otemon Gate stone walls
Ninomaru Palace area
Stone walled entrance
Okumon Gate
Ninomaru stone walls
Ninomaru and Keyaki Gate stone walls
Tsuga Gate stone walls
Rice storehouse
Ninomaru stone walls and Keyaki Gate
Ninomaru map
Tamon yagura
South Gate
Yaguramon Gate to the Ninomaru
Walls of the Ninomaru entrance
Model of the Ninomaru compound.
Walls and gate of the Ninomaru
Large well
Ninomaru Palace area
Looking towards the rice storehouse
Eastern climbing stone wall
Climbing stone wall
Climbing stone wall
Climbing stone wall
Ninomaru stone walls
Map
Map

Castle Profile
English Name	Iyo Matsuyama Castle
Japanese Name	伊予松山城
Founder	Kato Yoshiakira
Year Founded	1603
Castle Type	Hilltop
Castle Condition	Original main keep
Designations	Top 100 Castles, has Important Cultural Properties
Historical Period
Main Keep Structure	3 levels, 3 stories
Artifacts	Tonashi Mon,Shikirimon South wall,Sujiganemon East wall,Ichinomon East Wall,Ninomon East Wall,Sannomon East Wall,Shichikumon East Wall,Shichikumon West Wall,tenshu,Ichinomon South Yagura,Ninomon South Yagura,Sannomon South Yagura,Ichinomon,Ninomon,Sannomon,Shikirimon,Shichikumon,Inui Yagura,Nohara Yagura,Kakuremon,Kakuremon Tsuzukiyagura
Features
Visitor Information
Access	Matsuyama Station (15 minutes by city bus)
Hours
Time Required
URL	Castle Website
Location	Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture, Ehime Prefecture
Coordinates	33.84526, 132.76575
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Admin
Added to Jcastle
Admin Year Visited	2001
Admin Visits	2001

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