- Iyo Matsuyama Domainruled by three houses
- The Iyo Matsuyama domain was a domain that included Matsuyama City, Kume District, Noma District, and Iyo District in Ehime Prefecture. Yoshiaki Kato, one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Seven Spears, served as the first lord of the domain, and it was ruled by three families, the Gamo family and the Matsudaira family, until the end of the Edo period. here
matsuyama castleMatsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture
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- Ehime Prefecture
- matsuyama castle
| Other name | Kinki Castle, Katsuyama Castle |
|---|---|
| castle construction | 1602 |
| address | 1 Marunouchi, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture |
| telephone number | 089-921-4873 |
| Opening hours | 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (varies depending on the season) |
| closing day | 3rd Wednesday of December |
| Admission fee | Adults 520 yen / Elementary school students 160 yen |
Matsuyama Castle is one of the 12 existing castle towers. A vast Hirayama castle with a main castle on the top of Mt. Shiroyama (Katsuyama) at an altitude of 132m.
- Access to Matsuyama Castle
- From Matsuyama Station on the JR Yosan Line, take the city train bound for Dogo Onsen for about 10 minutes, then get off at Okaido and walk 5 minutes.
HISTORYIyo Matsuyama Castle, a castle on the mountain built by the Matsudaira clan
Iyo Matsuyama Castle is a flat castle located in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture. The castle tower still remains on Katsuyama at an altitude of 132m, and is counted as one of the 12 castle towers in existence. It was built by Yoshiaki Kato, and the current castle tower was rebuilt by the Matsudaira family, whose founder was Sadayuki Matsudaira, whose uncle was Tokugawa Ieyasu. Let's unravel the history of Matsuyama Castle.
- Castle built by Yoshiaki Kato
- Iyo Matsuyama Castle is a castle whose construction began in 1602 by Yoshiaki Kato, a military commander known as one of the Seven Spears who served Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Yoshiaki Kato was the lord of Masaki Castle in Iyo Province and was a feudal lord with 100,000 koku, but thanks to his achievements in the Battle of Sekigahara, this amount was increased to 200,000 koku, and he began construction of the castle. It was Shigenobu Adachi who was ordered to be the fusho magistrate.
Iyo Matsuyama Castle has a castle tower on the summit of Katsuyama at an altitude of 132m, and Ninomaru and Sannomaru at the southwestern foot of the castle. - The castle tower is of the joint type, just like Matsuyama Castle, and in the Ninomaru area were built buildings such as the palace and teahouse where the feudal lord lived and carried out government affairs, while in the Sannomaru area were built the homes of his senior vassals.
In 1603, Kato Yoshiaki announced that he would move his castle to Matsuyama and change the name of the land to ``Matsuyama.''
Iyo Matsuyama Castle is not the site of a mountain castle or the residence of a shugo before the Edo period, but is a newly built castle on a completely vacant lot.
Records say that the construction of the castle took about 25 years.
In the end, Yoshiaki Kato was transferred to the Aizu domain in place of Masanori Fukushima, who was transferred to the castle in 1627 without seeing the castle's completion, and Tadatomo Gamo was transferred as the lord of the Matsuyama domain. I'm here. - The rule of the Matsudaira family and the reconstruction of Iyo Matsuyama Castle
- In 1634, Tadatomo Gamo suddenly died during his shift to Sankin, and with no successor, the Gamo family became extinct. The Matsuyama domain was once in the hands of Yasuoki Kato, the lord of the Ozu domain, and in the following year, in 1635, Sadayuki Matsudaira, whose uncle was Tokugawa Ieyasu, became the lord of the Matsuyama domain with 150,000 koku.
It is said that Sadayuki Matsudaira rebuilt the original five-story castle tower into a three-story castle tower. - At that time, the castle tower was apparently used for storage, so it may have been used to save on maintenance costs.
However, in 1748, most of Iyo Matsuyama Castle, including the castle tower, was destroyed by lightning. After that, Iyo Matsuyama Castle was rebuilt over 30 years until 1854. All of the buildings in the castle tower that remain today were rebuilt at this time.
For this reason, Iyo Matsuyama Castle is said to be the oldest castle among the 12 existing castle towers. - Iyo Matsuyama Castle after the Meiji period
- In 1868, Iyo Matsuyama Castle was placed in the custody of the Tosa clan, but an accidental fire destroyed the Ninomaru and Sannomaru buildings one after another.
In 1873, the Castle Abolition Order was issued, and castles came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The castle gates, towers, and palaces at the foot of the mountain were demolished, but no bidders appeared for the land. Afterwards, Ninomaru and Sannomaru were sold to the Ministry of War and became the garrison site of the 22nd Matsuyama Infantry Regiment.- In 1923, the main castle building was sold to the former feudal lord, the Hisamatsu family (name changed from the Matsudaira family), who donated it to Matsuyama City, and Iyo Matsuyama Castle became the property of Matsuyama City.
In 1933, an arson incident occurred at Matsuyama Castle, and many of the buildings that had remained from the Edo period were destroyed.
In 1935, 35 buildings, including the castle tower, that had survived destruction were designated as national treasures based on the National Treasure Preservation Law of the time.
However, in 1945 (Showa 20) there was an air raid on Matsuyama, and in 1949 (Showa 25) another arson incident occurred, and 11 buildings at Iyo Matsuyama Castle, including Tenjin Yagura, were destroyed. .
In 1950, the 21 buildings that remained from the fire were designated as important cultural properties, and protection began.
In 1955, a ropeway connecting the park at the site of Ninomaru and Sannomaru to the summit of Mt. Katsuyama was opened, and Matsuyama Castle became Matsuyama City's leading tourist destination.
In 1968, the buildings that were destroyed during the Matsuyama Castle arson incident were restored.
In 1992, the Matsuyama Castle Ninomaru Historical Garden was completed, featuring Edo-period remains such as the large well, and a tea room. - Current Iyo Matsuyama Castle
- The current Iyo Matsuyama Castle and Matsuyama Castle Park have been selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks, Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossoms, and Japan's Top 100 Castles, and are visited by many tourists from both Japan and abroad.
Currently, 21 buildings from that time still exist at Iyo Matsuyama Castle, including Tomumon, Inuiyagura, Shichikumon east wall, and west wall, all of which have been designated as important cultural properties.
Since it is the only castle built by the Matsudaira clan, the parent clan, the roof tiles of the building are engraved with the trefoil hollyhock emblem, which is the crest of the Tokugawa clan.
In addition, the view of Matsuyama City from the top of the mountain is spectacular.
The castle tower itself is lit up until 11pm, making it a popular nighttime photo spot.
History of the Iyo Matsuyama Domain, whose domain is Matsuyama Castle
| Domain office | matsuyama castle |
|---|---|
| old area | Iyokuni Onsen District |
| stone height | 120,000 koku |
| Fudai/Tozama | outsider, relative |
| main lord | Kato family, Gamo family, Matsudaira family |
| Estimated population | 210,000 people (first year of Meiji) |
Matsuyama Castle: the world-renowned spectacular view from the castle tower
Matsuyama Castle, located in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, is a flatland castle characterized by its vast territory. It is located on the summit of Katsuyama Mountain, 132 meters above sea level, and was awarded two stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan 2009. The view from the top floor of the 12 remaining castle towers is highly acclaimed, and the illuminated castle has been recognized as a Japanese night view heritage site.
- History of Matsuyama Castle
- Matsuyama Castle was built by Kato Yoshiaki, one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Due to his achievements in the Battle of Sekigahara, Yoshiaki became the lord of the Iyo Matsuyama Domain with a fief of 200,000 koku, and moved his castle from Masaki Castle (present-day Matsumae City, Ehime Prefecture), where he had been living, to Katsuyama, located in the center of the Matsuyama Plain. After receiving permission from the shogunate, construction began in January 1602 (Keicho 7). The following year, the name of the area was changed from Katsuyama to Matsuyama.
Yoshiaki carried out major construction work, including filling in valleys and widening the mountaintop, and built the main castle tower on the mountaintop, a five-story connected castle tower, and a second castle tower on the western side of the mountain. However, in 1627, halfway through the construction, Yoshiaki was transferred to Aizu with a fief of 400,000 koku. In his place came the Gamo clan of Aizu, and although the main family had become extinct, Gamo Tadatomo, who had served as the lord of the Kamiyama Domain in Dewa, succeeded him and entered the Matsuyama Domain with a reduced fief.
During Tadatomo's time, the Ninomaru was completed, but in 1634, Tadatomo died suddenly while on a daimyo's alternate attendance tour, and the Gamo clan became extinct. In 1635, Matsudaira Sadayuki, who had been the lord of Kuwana Domain, became the lord of Matsuyama Domain with a fief of 150,000 koku, and the Matsudaira family continued to rule the domain until the Meiji Restoration.
Matsudaira Sadayuki began large-scale renovations of Matsuyama Castle in 1539. The castle tower was also remodeled at that time, and was made smaller with three layers and three stories, perhaps out of consideration for the shogunate.
The castle tower was later burned down by lightning on New Year's Day in 1784. Reconstruction work began in 1820 but was halted once. It was finally completed in 1854. This is the castle tower that remains to this day, and it is the latest of the 12 remaining castle towers to be completed.
Matsuyama Castle suffered frequent damage from fires and the ravages of World War II. The small castle tower and many turrets and gates were burned down, but the castle tower, turrets, gates and moats remain to this day, and a total of 21 buildings have been designated as Important Cultural Properties by the nation. - Use the ropeway or lift to reach the main castle
- Matsuyama Castle's main citadel is located at the top of Mount Katsuyama, which is 132 meters above sea level, so you'll need to climb the mountain to see it. The easiest way to get there is by ropeway or lift. It takes about three minutes by ropeway and six minutes by lift from Shinonomeguchi Station to Chojagahira Station at the top of the mountain. On sunny days, we recommend taking the lift, so you can enjoy the view while feeling the breeze.
If you are going up to the castle on foot, the Shinonome Trail is the most common. There are also the Prefectural Office Back Trail, where you can view the stone walls, the Kuromon Trail, which was the official route during the Edo period, and the Furumachi Trail, which leads to the castle tower. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to walk to the main castle. - Matsuyama Castle's highlights: 1. The castle tower
- The castle tower of Matsuyama Castle, located north of the main citadel, is a multi-storey tower built by stacking each floor smaller and smaller. It consists of a three-storey, three-story tower, a two-storey, two-storey small tower, and two corner towers (both restored in 1968), which are connected on all four sides by connecting towers.
The castle tower is located inside the hondan (the central part of the honmaru), which is about 8m higher than the honmaru, and has a gabled roof with chidorihafu and karahafu on the first and second floors. While it has measures in place to protect it from warfare, such as lattice windows, tsukiagedo doors, and slits, it also has thresholds for the ceiling boards, tokonoma alcoves, and sliding doors, making it habitable. A castle tower that is so livable is quite rare.
Matsudaira Sadayuki, who renovated the castle tower, was the son of Matsudaira Sadakatsu, the half-brother of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and as a branch of the Tokugawa clan, the Hisamatsu Matsudaira clan was permitted to use the three-leaf hollyhock flower, so the roof tiles of the castle tower are the only ones among the 12 surviving castle towers that bear the three-leaf hollyhock family crest. - Highlights of Matsuyama Castle 2. The magnificent view from the castle tower
- The great view from Matsuyama Castle's main tower is famous, and it has been awarded one star in the Michelin Green Guide Japan for its "view from the main tower." The 360-degree panorama from the main tower is truly spectacular! In addition to Matsuyama city, on a clear day you can also see the Seto Inland Sea and the islands beyond.
During special nighttime opening hours in summer and autumn, you can enjoy the night view from the castle tower. The castle tower is also lit up until 11pm, and the lighting that makes the most of the castle's impact has been highly praised, leading to it being selected as a Japanese Night View Heritage Site. - Highlights of Matsuyama Castle 3. Watchtower-style double turret
- Matsuyama Castle has 21 Important Cultural Properties, including the castle tower, but one that you should definitely see is the Nohara Tower, the only remaining watchtower-type two-tiered tower in Japan. It was built to protect the north side of the main citadel, and the style of the watchtower on top of the building is said to be the prototype of watchtower-type castle towers. Being able to compare the structural differences with the multi-tiered tower-type castle tower is a unique feature of Matsuyama Castle.
- Matsuyama Castle's highlights #4: Stone walls
- Most of Matsuyama Castle's stone walls were built during the reign of Kato Yoshiaki in the early Edo period. Most of them are made with uchikomi-hagi (rammed joints), but there are also some parts with inkikomi-hagi (cut joints). Beneath the Kakuremon (Honmaru Ote) and Kakuremon Tsuzuki Yagura (Kakuremon adjacent turret) there is a stone wall over 17 meters high, and the dense stone wall is a work of art.
The Honmaru citadel has a 14m-high, zigzag-like stone wall called a "byobu-ori" (folding screen). The increased number of folds increases the strength of the wall, and the curved stone wall allows the enemy to attack from multiple directions.
Matsuyama Castle also has a climbing stone wall, which is rare in Japan. The stone wall was built along the mountain slope to prevent enemy invasion from the mountainside, and is commonly seen in the "wajo" (Japanese castles) built on the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Bunroku-Keicho Invasion, when he attacked Korea. Matsuyama Castle and Hikone Castle are the only castles with 12 castle towers that still exist today.
Matsuyama Castle has two stone walls that connect the Ninomaru at the base of the mountain to the summit, and are the longest in Japan at over 230m in length! The southern section has survived in almost perfect condition. - Recommended photo spots
- Matsuyama Castle is the landmark of Matsuyama City, and can be seen from about 60 locations within a 2km radius. You can take photos looking up at Matsuyama Castle from Shiroyama Park or Enokimachi Street in front of the city hall. The view of the castle tower from Ichinomon Gate in the main citadel is also magnificent.
If you want to take photos of the castle tower, we recommend the Honmaru Square. You can take beautiful photos when it is lit up at night. The night view of the town is beautiful from the square near the Kakuremon Gate. Be sure to climb the castle tower during the night opening hours to take photos. Of course, you can also get a spectacular view from the castle tower during the day.
- WriterNaoko Kurimoto(Writer)I am a former travel industry magazine reporter. I have loved history, both Japanese and world history, since I was a child. I usually enjoy visiting temples and shrines, especially shrines, and often do ``pilgrimages to sacred places'' themed around historical figures. My favorite military commander is Ishida Mitsunari, my favorite castle is Kumamoto Castle, and my favorite castle ruins is Hagi Castle. My heart flutters when I see the ruins of battle castles and the stone walls of castle ruins.
