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Guide to Japanese Castles

Iyo Matsuyama Castle

伊予松山城

donjon
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Founder Kato Yoshiakira
Year 1603
Type Hilltop
Structure 3 levels, 3 stories
Condition Original
Admin's Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Historical Site National Historic Site
Historical Value Top 100 Castles, Important Cultural Properties
Historical Artifacts Important Cultural Properties:
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
Location Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture
Map Google Map
Access Matsuyama Station (15 minutes by city bus)
Website Matsuyama City Website
Visited October 18, 2001
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.
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 donjon with three stories in 1642. This donjon was struck by lightning and burned down on New Year's day in 1784. The construction of the current donjon 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.
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Viewer Comments

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  • Admin    April 05, 2010 at 09:29 AM
    Any castle built before the end of the Edo Period is original. It was built and active during feudal times. Many of the 12 main keeps called original were rebuilt or moved at some point. I would prefer to call them "extant" but few casual readers of this site probably know what it means.
  • Risu    April 02, 2010 at 08:45 PM
    I visited Matusyama-jô last year. I wouldn't say the condition is "original" since the tenshu had been reconstructed as a 3 stories building although the original one had 5.
  • none given    December 02, 2008 at 07:16 AM
    The story goes ... in order to have a castle built, the lord had to have permission granted. It was known at the time, that in order to limit the power of the clans, first request for locations were generally refused. So the family put in a request to build a castle on a different hill in Matsuyama first, placing the hill the current castle is built on second. The ploy worked and they got what they wanted. The castle is actually built across two small hilltop with a spring, the middle joined together and spring made into a well. The hills around it were originally bare but are now heavily wooded. The castle has an relatively esplanade which is just sand and gravel and cultivated with cherry trees. In spring it is particularly attractive and many parties come to socialise under their blossoms. At the bottom of the hill there is a large flat moated and earth walled area which was once living quarters for the samurai families. There have been some explorative digs there, foundations, a large wall and some reconstruction have followed. It is current the site of a concert hall, art gallery and is being made into a park. During its restoration, which my father-in-law was an architect in, traditional methods were used, wood, bamboo wattle and earth plaster were used instead of the ferro-concrete that many of Japan's "wedding cake" castles are made of. In comparison to the heaviness and brutality of many of Europe's great castles, it has a far more or a wonderland-like fantasy. A castle for ceremonial purposes rather than defense. It is hard to imagine its wooden walls and gates lasting more than a few minutes of European feudal wars but this all adds up to give a feel of the difference between the cultures. The castle came to late to be of any use in proper war. At the foot of the hill there is an attractive street of small shops and cafes called The Ropeway on which there is an inexpensive and hospitable guest house, with perfect access to the castle, called "The Matsuyama Guesthouse" which is strongly recommended. Once a year there is a historical parade of individuals dressed up in period costume and at a different time, the local geishas of which there are only two left, put on a performance that would otherwise cost you thousands to watch.
  • Tony    April 14, 2008 at 11:09 PM
    I was at the castle during restoration and after restoration. It is a beautiful castle and has a breath taking view of the city. Inside the castle artifacts, there is a board with grafitti on it. The grafitti is a self portait of someone involved in the original construction of the castle. The castle is one of three in Japan built on a hill. The path up to the top is certainly trying. No invading army could make it up to the top and not be tired from the walk. The castle is very inspiring and is the symbol of Matsuyama.
  • MM    March 16, 2008 at 07:27 AM
    I was unlucky enough to arrive at Iyo Matsuyamajo just as the Tenshu was undergoing repair work. Even so, it was highly enjoyable. I could easily see how hard it would be to assault this fortification. Also, it had quite a few historical items.