tower grouping type – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

81.Matsuyama Castle Part3

You can enjoy both of real buildings and stone walls.

Features

Main Compound and Main Tower on it

The highlight of the castle is the Main Compound including the Main Tower in the back of the Main Enclosure. It looks so great as it was by mixing the remaining and restored buildings.

The map around the Main Compound

To reach the tower, you need to pass the zigzagging inner route again through the remaining First, Second and Third Gates. There are also remaining mud walls with loop holes on the way. You can see other visitors though the holes.

The remaining East Wall of Sujigane Gate

You can see other visitors though a loop hole

Then, you will eventually arrive at the inner court of the Main Tower. Its style is called the Tower Grouping, so the court is surrounded by the Large and Small Towers and other turrets. Enemies would be destroyed if they could pass through that complex route earlier on.

Sujigane Gate, the entrance to the buildings of the tower grouping

Visitors today first enter the Cellar, basement of the Large Tower, and walk around the other buildings like a corridor, seeing the exhibitions about the castle. In fact, the buildings there except for the Large Tower were all restored after the arson in 1933. They were built the same as the original one, so you may think they were not restored.

Visitors first walk around the other buildings of the tower grouping

The stairs to the top of the restored Small Main Tower

The second floor of the Small Main Tower

A view of the inner court from the Small Main Tower

After walking around, you will eventually enter the remaining Large Tower again. You can climb up the steep wooden steps to the top third floor. The floor is open and you can enjoy an even more great view there.

The second floor of the Large Main Tower

A view from the western side of the Large Main Tower (the buildings of the tower grouping in front, the city area and the Seto Inland Sea in back)

A view from the southern side of the Large Main Tower (the Main Enclosure in front, the city area in back)

Great Stone Walls

If you have time. I recommend seeing the back side of the Main Enclosure, as there are also several remaining or restored buildings. For example, Nohara Turret is said to be one of the oldest buildings in the castle, which is the only remaining example of a two-tier Lookout Tower style turret.

The map around the Main Enclosure

The back side of the Main Compound (the Northern Corner Turret on the left and the Southern Corner Turret on the right)

If you also get out of the restored Inui-mon or Northwest Gate, which is the back gate, and go back to the Main Gate Ruins, you can see the long, great, high stone walls of the Main Enclosure along the way. They look very beautiful having vertical curves like a folding fan and horizontal lines like a folding screen. However, they were originally built to attack enemies efficiently.

The stone walls of the northwestern side of the Main Enclosure, Nohara Turret is over there

The stone walls of the northeastern side of the Main Enclosure, one of the oldest in the castle

The stone walls the Main Enclosure near the Main Compound, you can see the building of the Second Gate

The great stone walls of the Southeast Turret

Finally, I recommend you using the Kencho-ura Route when you return to the foot, because the route is well developed and you can see the remaining Southern Climbing Stone Walls close by. Though the Northern Climbing Stone Walls were unfortunately mostly destroyed, the southern stone walls were still intact, which is over 230m long covering the slope. It is said to have the best condition among the other remaining climbing stone walls such as in Sumoto, Hikone and Yonago Castles.

The Sothern Climbing Stone Walls along the route

The Climbing Stone Walls of Hikone Castle

My Impression

Matsuyama Castle has become one of the most famous symbols of Matsuyama City. If you walk around the city area, you can see the castle buildings on the mountain from almost anywhere. In addition, if you visit and see them, you can still find and re-experience how to build and use the castle like people in the past used to do. This is because the city made great efforts not only for maintaining the original items but also for restoring many buildings like the original ones. I learned a lot from the castle and recommend you visiting and seeing it.

The Main Tower with the Main Compound of Matsuyama Castle

How to get There

If you want to visit there by car, it is about 30 minutes from Matsuyama IC on the Matsuyama Expressway. There is a parking lot in the park.
By public transportation, you can take the city tram bound for Dogo-Onsen from JR Matsuyama Station or Matsuyama-shi Station on the Iyo Railway and get off at the Okaido stop. It takes about 5 minutes on foot from the stop to get to the park.
From Tokyo or Osaka to Matsuyama City: I recommend traveling by plane and you can take the bus or rent a car to get there.

That’s all. Thank you.
Back to “Matsuyama Castle Part1”
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81.Matsuyama Castle Part1

Yoshiaki Kato devoted himself to the construction of this castle.

Location and History

Yoshiaki Kato builds Castle as his new Home Base

Matsuyama City in Ehime Prefecture is one of the most popular tourist spots in Japan, which is also known for attractions such as the Dogo Hot Spring. In fact, the area around the hot spring was the center of Iyo Province, the former Ehime Pref. until the Middle Ages. The Kono Clan governed the province by building Yuzuki Castle beside the spring. However, the clan declined during the unification of Japan by Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa. When the Tokugawa Shogunate was established by Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, it gave a large territory in Iyo Province to Yoshiaki Kato who distinguished in the battle.

The range of Matsuyama City and the location of the castle

Yoshiaki was an excellent general who worked under Hideyoshi and Ieyasu, joining many battles including the invasion of Korea. He built the Matsuyama Castle on Katsuyama Mountain which is 132 meters high, using his knowledge about the modern technology and his own experience building castles. The situation was still unstable and it is also said that Yoshiaki quarreled with Takatora Todo who divided Iyo Provence with him. Yoshiaki completely devoted himself to the construction of the castle from 1602 to 1627 until he was transferred to Wakamatsu Castle in the Tohoku Region. Just after the launch of the construction, he renamed Katsuyama (which means Win Mountain) Matsuyama (which means Pine Mountain). For the Japanese at that time, the word Matsu or Pine was a lucky one which can be seen in other castles’ names like Wakamatsu, Matsumoto, and Matsusaka. This is the origin of the names of Matsuyama Castle and City.

The portrait of Yoshoaki Kato, owned by Fujisaka Shrine (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The relief map around the castle

The apparently restored Main Tower of Wakamatsu Castle Yoshiaki originally built

Strictly protected Mountain Part and Convenient Large Foot Part

The top area of Katsuyama Mountain was like a shape of a tongue which became the Main Enclosure. In addition, another enclosure called Hondan or the Central Compound was built for the Main Tower, on the highest point of the Main Enclosure. The style of the Main Tower is called Renritsu-siki or the Tower Grouping, which refers to the Large and Small Main Towers and turrets being connected by the Hall Turrets like a corridor. The first Large Main Tower was said to have five levels. The Second Enclosure was built at the foot of the mountain for the Main Hall for the lord. The enclosures mentioned above were all surrounded by high stone walls. The Main Route connecting the Second and Main Enclosures was built complexly to avoid enemies from attacking easily. Moreover, the route was surrounded on both sides by long-line stone walls called Nobori-Ishigaki or the Climbing Stone walls. This stone wall style was rare and introduced by the lords who joined the invasion of Korea, including Yoshiaki Kato. Finally, The Third Enclosure, which was the largest one in the castle, was built outside the Second Enclosure and surrounded by water moats for government offices and high-ranking warriors’ houses.

the Tower Grouping type Main Tower of Matsuyama Castle

Part of the Secret Picture of Kikaku Castle (another name of Matsuyama Castle) in 1864, from the signboard at the site

The Climbing Stone walls *of Matsuyama Castle*

After Yoshiaki was transferred in 1627, the Gamo Clan followed the castle construction, completing the Second Enclosure. The Hisamatsu-Matsudaira Clan followed the Gamo Clan in 1635 and continued the construction. It had been said the clan reduced the levels of the Main Tower from five to three for some reasons. According to the recent research, it was founded the Central Compound as the base of the tower was moved and renovated. It could be because the ground of the original compound was weak. It is possible that the first thing that the clan built was the three-tier main tower. The clan also completed the Third Enclosure by building another Main Hall in it in 1687.

The partially restored Second Enclosure of Matsuyama Castle

The present Third Enclosure of Matsuyama Castle

Restoring Main Tower and Trial during Meiji Restoration

Fortunately, no battle happened at this castle, however, other natural disasters hit the castle. In 1784, most of the buildings on the Central Compound including the Main Tower were burned down by a lightning fire. The Matsuyama Domain led by the Hisamatsu-Matsudaira Clan couldn’t afford rebuilding them. After a while, the domain somehow restore them in 1853 at the end of the Edo Period. The restored buildings are thought to have the same designs as the previous ones. That’s why the Main Tower of this castle is the newest Main Tower of the twelve remaining ones in Japan.

The remaining Main Tower of Matsuyama Castle was restored in 1853

The Hisamatsu-Matsudaira Clan originally used only Hisamatsu as their family name. However, the founder of the clan, Sadakatsu and that of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Ieyasu were brothers but with different fathers. For this reason, Sadakatsu was allowed to use the family name Matsudaira as a relative of the shogun. This had been fortune during the Edo Period, while unfortune during the Meiji Restoration when the shogunate was defeated. The clan had to support the shogunate and invade the territory of the Choshu Domain which would be a winner of the restoration. They feared the revenge of the Choshu which actually was coming to Matsuyama Castle and would destroy it. Then, the Tosa Domain led by the Yamanouchi Clan, which had a close relationship with Hisamatsu-Matsudaira Clan, saved it. The domain troops intentionally occupied the castle before the Choshu troops arrived to avoid the Choshu doing anything without permission.

The Main Tower of Matsuyama Castle, seen from the ruins of Yuzuki Castle

To be continued in “Matsuyama Castle Part2”

62.Wakayama Castle Part2

There are so many attractions you should check out in the castle.

Features

From Main Gate to Nakagomon Gate Ruins

Today, Wakayama Castle site has been developed as Wakayama Castle Park by Wakayama City. It still includes the main portion of the original castle. It has five entrances same as the castle had, as the Main, Okaguchi, Oimawashi, former Akazuno, and former Fukiage Gates.

The map around the castle

If you want to see what the castle was like, it may be better to enter the Main Gate at the northeastern part of the park. The gate and the bridge in front it over the Inner Moat were restored in the present time. Once you enter the gate, you will see how large the castle grounds and moats are.

The Drawing of the Main Gate Area from the Illustrated collection of Famous Sites in Kii Province, from the signboard at the site

The Inner Moat at the eastern side of the castle

You will go to the ruins of Nakagomon, the second gateway, which still have alternating stone walls. This is an interesting spot where you can see two types of the gate stone walls using roughly and precisely processed stones. In addition, you can see the old stone walls surrounding the hill using natural greenschists ahead. These walls were built in different periods.

Looking down the alternated part from the top of the stone walls

The walls using granite porphyry stones on the left and the walls using sand stones on the right

The walls using natural Greenschist stones

Second and Western Enclosures

The Second Enclosure is the west of the Main Gate area. It has only a rock garden built in the present time, but it had the luxury Main Hall with turrets beside the Inner Moat. The Large Hall, part of the Main Hall, was moved to Osaka Castle and remained until 1947 when it was burned. Wakayama City is planning to restore the Large Hall at the original position with some turrets and the O-oku residence in a long term. The distant view of the Main Tower may be the best seen from the enclosure.

The map around the Second Enclosure

The ruins of Monomi-Yagura Turret at the Second Enclosure

The Inner Moat at the northern side of the Second Enclosure

The Large Hall which was moved to Osaka Castle, quoted from the website of Wakayama City

A distant view of the Main Tower from the Second Enclosure

In the next Western Enclosure, the water garden, called Momijidani-teien or the Autumn Leave Valley Garden, was restored in the present time and designated as a National Scenic Beauty. the Passage Bridge between the Second and Western Enclosures was also restored in 2006. You can walk into the roofed and slanted bridge which is quite rare.

The Autumn Leave Valley Garden in the Western Enclosure

Remaining Okaguchi Gate

The area around the Okaguchi Gate at the southeastern part of the park is also great to visit. The gate building with the mud wall beside is one of the few remaining buildings of the castle and designated as an Important Cultural Property. It looks like a simple gate with a gabled roof, but it was sandwiched by turrets on both sides.

The map around the Okaguchi Gate

Part of the Drawing of the Okaguchi Gate Area from the Illustrated collection of Famous Sites in Kii Province, from the signboard at the site

Inside the gate, there is the second gateway similar to the Main Gate area. You can see a great and high stone wall base for Matsunomaru Turret on the left. Other stone walls form a square space called Masugata to prevent their enemies from attacking them. No buildings remain on them, however, these newer stone walls are also worth seeing.

The second gateway from the Okaguchi Gate

The stone wall base for Matsunomaru Turret

The square space seen from the top of the base

Going Main Enclosure and Main Tower climbing Slope

There are two routes to the Main Enclosure on the hill as the Front Slope and the Back Slope. The Front Slope is a gentler but longer route. The first part of it is wide and zigzagged, with beautiful paved Greenschist stones.

The map around the Main Enclosure

The last part is long, with old stone walls on the right hill side and several turret stone wall bases on the left valley side. Currently, visitors can enjoy a relaxing walk on that route, but at that time, the enemies would have found the route troubling as they could be counter-attacked.

A turret stone wall base on the valley side

The Back Slope is steeper but shorter. This route is also made and surrounded by old stone walls, but has a different taste with the mossy stones.

The top of the hill has two peaks, one was for another Main Hall, and the other is for the Main Tower. The Main Hall coexisted with that of the Second Enclosure, but it was not often used for its small size and inconvenient location. There is a water station now and it is a good view point of the Main Tower.

Going to the Main Enclosure from the Front Slope

The Main Hall Ruins of the Main Enclosure

Most visitors’ destination is the Main Tower. It is actually a modern building, not original, but was apparently restored in 1958. Its stone wall base is original and thought that it is the oldest among the stone walls in the castle. A building like the Main Tower may have been built on it from the first stage.

The style of the tower is called Renritsu-siki or the Tower Grouping, which refers to the Large and Small Main Towers and turrets being connected by Hall Turrets like a corridor. The interior of the tower is used as a historical museum and the top floor is used as the observation platform.

You can see the style of the Tower Grouping from the top floor

A storage box for tea ceremony utensils, one of the exhibitions in the tower

The top floor of the Large Main Tower as the observation platform

An eastern view including the Main Hall Ruins from the platform

To be continued in “Wakayama Castle Part3”
Back to “Wakayama Castle Part1”