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AR (augmented reality) App: Conquer Matsuyama Castle
Hold your smartphone over the dedicated ARmarkers set up in and around Matsuyama
Castle to enjoy awesome videos!!

I nf or mat i on

Scan this QR code to download the app.↓↓↓Matsuyama castle■O pen i n g h o u rs

Kato Yoshiaki began the construction ofMatsuyama Castle in 1602.

F a ci l i t i e s

Pe r i o dOpening hours

February ‒ July,
September ‒ November

8：3 0 〜 1 7：3 0August

8：3 0 〜 1 8：0 0December ‒ January

8：3 0 〜 1 7：0 0

Throughout the year

8：3 0 〜 1 7：0 0February ‒ July,
September ‒ November

9：0 0 〜 1 7：0 0August

9：0 0 〜 1 7：3 0December ‒ January

9：0 0 〜 1 6：3 0April ‒ October

5：0 0 〜 2 1：0 0November ‒ March

5：3 0 〜 2 1：0 0

It is one of the biggest castles in Japan,
standing on a hill above a plain.

360-degree panoramic view from the top ﬂoor of Tenshu

Cable car
Runs every 10 minutes

Matsuyama Castle offers panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea and Matsuyama Plain,for which it has been awarded a single star in Michelinʼs “The Green Guide Japan.”

Chair lift
Not operated on rainy days

Tenshu(Main Tower)

Matsuyama Castle is a certiﬁed Night View Heritage of Japan.
The night view from the Honmaru courtyard at the summit is also superb.

Access196

To Matsuyama Sightseeing Port

To Imabari CityIYOTETSU

Ninomaru
Historical
GardenJRMatsuyama
Station

Honmaru court yard

Dogo Onsen Honkan
Dogo Haikaradori Street
Dogo Onsen StationFree admission※Pre-school children are prohibited from using the chair lift.
※Doors close to new visitors to Tenshu 30 minutes before closing time.
※Tenshu only is closed on the third Wednesday of December.

Matsuyama
Castle Cable car/Chair lift

□Adults: 13 or over (junior high school students and above)(up to two pre-school children may enter for free per adult)■Ad mi ssi o n fees □Children: 12 or under※Not
applicable for group discounts.

Kiyomachi Parking Lot

Ehime Prefectural Ofﬁce
3rd bailey(Horinouchi)

T i ck e t s

OkaidoToMatsuyama
AirportMatsuyama
City HallOkaido
RoadTo Iyo City

All-inclusive ticket

1156

JR Yosan LineMatsuyama Gintengai
City Station Shopping
District

From Matsuyama Airport andMatsuyama Sightseeing Port
From JR Matsuyama Station

Return ticket + Admission
33

To Tobe Town
and Matsuyama IC

Return ticket forcable car/chair lift

Around 30 minutes by Limousine Bus→ 5 minutes on foot after getting off at [Okaido]

One-way ticket forcable car/chair lift

Around 10 minutes by IYOTETSU [Bound for Dogo Onsen]→ 5 minutes on foot after getting off at [Okaido]

Tenshuadmission ticket

Around 20 minutes via National Highway 33

Inquiries
Matsuyama Castle General Ofﬁce

3-2-46 Okaido, Matsuyama City,Ehime Prefecture 790-0004
Phone：089-921-4873
Fax：089-934-3417

National Historic Site
12 Tenshu (Main Towers) in existence
One of Japanʼs Top 100 Castles
100 most beautiful historical scenes of JapanN o r m a l gr o u p d i sco u n t s
/ 10%

/ 20%

/ 30%

Adults 1,040yen

940yen840yen740yenChildren 420yen

390yen340yen310yen520yen470yen420yen370yenChildren 260yen

240yen210yen190yen270yen250yen220yen190yenChildren 140yen

130yen120yen100yen520yen470yen420yen370yenChildren 160yen

150yen130yen

120yenTo To-on City

Around 10 minutes by IYOTETSU [Bound for Dogo Onsen]
From Matsuyama City Station or [Loop Line bound for Okaido]→ 5 minutes on foot after getting off at [Okaido]
From Matsuyama IC

Normal fees

（individuals） Groups of 25 or more Groups of 50 or more Groups of 100 or more

AdultsAdultsAdults※Group discounts apply to groups of 25 or more. One person per group of 25 will be given freeadmission as a guide.
※Discounts are also available for groups of students or children. Discount rates vary, so please
conﬁrm with the General Ofﬁce of Matsuyama Castle.
※Visitors with Physical Disability Certiﬁcates, Intellectual Disability Certiﬁcates or Mental
Disability Certiﬁcates may enter for free with one helper each by showing their certiﬁcates.
If such a visitor requires the use of a wheelchair, up to three helpers will be given freeadmission.
※Matsuyama City residents over the age of 65 may enter for free by presenting formal ID (e.g.,driverʼs license) showing their address and age.

Site of Nakashikiri-mon Gate

Heiwa-dori Street

529

628

9730

Site of Ozutsuyagura Turret

1Back area
27

Important Cultural
Properties

1 Ko-tenshu(Small Tower)

2 South Turret connected

2 Tsutsui-mon Gate
3 Taiko-yagura Turret(Drum Turret)

Second Gate

4 South Wall of Tenjin Turret

4 South Turret connected

5 West Wall of Tenjin TurretFirst Gate
5 Inui-yagura Turret

6 Bagu-yagura Turret(Horse Gear Turret)

6 Nohara-yagura Turret

7 Minamisumi-yagura Turret

7 Shikiri-mon Gate

8 West Wall of Inui Gate

8 Third Gate

9 Tenjin-yagura Turret

9 Second Gate

10 Sujigane-mon Gate

10 First Gate

11 Tamon-yagura Turret

11 Shichiku-mon Gate

12 Kitasumi-yagura Turret(Purple Bamboo Gate)
12 Kakure-mon Gate

(Hidden Gate)
Kakure Gate

15 Tatsumi-yagura Turret
16 West Wall of Tatsumi Turret(Doorless Gate)

17 East Connecting Turret of

15 Inner Wall of Shikiri Gate

Inui Gate

16 East Wall of Third Gate

18 Taiko-mon Gate

17 East Wall of Sujigane Gate

19 South Connceting Turret of

21 West Wall of Shichiku Gate

23

9Komachiguchi
Tojodo (path)

21

Castle path behindprefectural ofﬁce

Fureai Hiroba

34

Noboriishigaki

Ninomaru
HistoricalGarden

3rd bailey (Horinouchi)

10192011

Mixture of twotechniques inbuilding stone wall

Site of Inui-ichi-no-mon Gate

Shinonomejinja Shrine

Shinonomeguchi
TojodoMatsuyama
Shinonome Junior/Senior High School

Matsuyama Park18Matsuyama
Civic Hall
Kanri Hiroba
NHKYasuragi Hiroba

The Museum of Sakura
Art,, EHIME
HirobaBansuisoBirthplace ofthe Akiyama
brothers

Ehime
Matsuyama Matsuyama
SAKA NO
Prefectural
District Public
District
UE NO KUMO
Ofﬁce Prosecutions Ofﬁce Court
MUSEUM
OkaidoEhime Pref Ofﬁce station
Ichibancho-dori Street

Nibancho-dori Street
OkaidoMatsuyama City Hall

Minamihoribata

Ticket ofﬁceIn fo rm a ti o n●It takes around 10 minutes on foot from where you get off thecable car or chair lift (Chojaganaru) to the Tenshu entrance.(Ittakes around 20 to 30 minutes to walk up the paths to thecastle)

Folding
screen-likestone walls
Site of Tamagusuri(Ammunition) Storehouse

Tsutsui Gate

14 Tonashi-mon Gate

20 East Wall of Shichiku Gate

2

17Matsuyama Castle
Cable car
Jozanso Chojaganaru /Chair liftJoz

Kuromonguchi Tojodo

14 West Connecting Turret ofTsutusi Gate

19 East Wall of First Gate

111Honmaru
court yardMutsumianCentral Compound

16

13 East Connecting Turret of

13 Connecting Turret of

18 East Wall of Second Gate

17Ticket ofﬁce
Remains ofNobori-ishigaki

Matsuyama City Hall station

Third Gate
3 South Turret connected

228810Tenshu

2524

Honmachi 1

1 Tenshu(Main Tower)

47

5Reconstructed buildings /Registered Tangible
Cultural Properties = ★

Matsuyama Castle Cable
car Shinonomeguchi
Station Building

Komachiguchi Tojodo(path)

District

12●There are no restrooms inside Tenshu, so visitors are asked touse the restrooms found within Honmaru (the main bailey) nextto the shop.
●It takes around 1 hour 30 minutes to tour the castle.
●Vehicles (including motorcycles and bicycles) are not allowed on
any of the paths leading up to the castle.

6［Cable car］
Time taken:
Around 3 minutes

Taiko Gate

［Ｃhair Lift］
Time taken:
Around 6 minutes

26

20 North Connecting Turret of

Taiko Gate

Front of the Castle

21 West Wall of Taiko Gate

20

22 Inui-mon Gate

323 East Connecting Turret andUshitora Gate

16151819

21

Site of Naka-no-mon Gate↘

Wall of Inui Gate
24 Ushitora-mon Gate
25 East Connecting Turret ofChojaganaru

STAMP
Matsuyama Castle

Ninomaru Historical Garden

26 Well
27 Jikken Corridor

141428 Entrance Hall
29 Entrance Hall Tamon Turret
30 Uchi-mon Gate

Ropeway
Shopping

15

List of Buildings

Matuyama

Map of the Main Bailey andLayered maze-like stone walls

13

13
12
Highest 17 mstone wall inmain bailey

Kuromonguchi
Tojodo (path)
Site of Otemon Gate

2

Site ofMachiaibansho

Site of Agekidomon Gate

Japanʼs Top 100 Castles Stamp is available
by the Tenshu celler (entrance).

KiyomachiIs h i g a k i ( Sto ne Wa l l s )Most of the stone walls were built by Kato Yoshiaki, the ﬁrst lord ofMatsuyama Castle. The 17 m high wall of the main bailey in particular
is a magniﬁcent work of art, going beyond its purpose to protect.

Ot e (Fr o nt o f t he Cast le)

Ka ra m e te ( Ba ck A re a )Resisting enemies from the front

Protecting the back of Tenshu!

Tatsumi-yagura
TurretTaiko-yaguraa
Tonashi- Turret
mon Gate（Drum Turret）（Doorless Gate）

Tsutsui-monGate

Taiko-monGate

Nohara-yagura
TurretSite of Inui-ichino-mon Gate

Inui-yagura Inui-mon Gate East Connecting
Turret of Inui Gate
TurretKakure-monGate（Hidden Gate）

Connecting Turretof Kakure Gate

Shichiku-mon Gate
（Purple Bamboo Gate ）Two techniques: “Kirikomi hagi” (left) and “Uchikomi hagi” (right)
In “uchikomi hagi,” the stones are processed roughly into shape, but “kirikomihagi” has been used in some parts, in which the stones are cut so they ﬁt
together tightly. The wall on the eastern side of Central Compound was rebuilt
when Tenshu was restored, so on the right is the older “uchikomi hagi,” and on
the left is the newer “kirikomi hagi.”

Ote, the main bailey in front of the castle, is heavily fortiﬁed
to stop enemies. Tsutsui-mon, the biggest gate, also has ahidden gate known as Kakure-mon for launching surprise
attacks. Lined up beyond that are Taiko-yagura, Taiko-mon,Tatsumi-yagura, etc., where people waited behind numerous
loopholes and stone drops. The 24.41 m wall between Taiko-yagura and Taiko-mon has 21 loopholes and two stone drops.
Nohara-yagura TurretNohara-yagura is a turret that was vital for protecting the northernside of the main bailey, and it is the only existing two-tiered
watchtower in Japan, which along with Inui-yagura is one of theoldest structures on the premises. It has a lookout on top, said tobe the origin of Tenshu.

Folding screen-like stone walls
One of the features of Matsuyama Castle
is its folding screen-like stone walls. Thewall zig-zags to make it stronger, andallows enemies to be attacked from two
directions; from the side, allowing theattacking of enemies stuck close to thewall. These walls played an importantrole in protecting the castle.

Tonashi-mon Gate (left) and Tsutsui-mon Gate (right)

Layered maze-like stone walls

Tonashi-mon, meaning “no-door gate,” is a “korai-style” gate found at
the entrance of Ote. It was given this name because it does not have adoor. It served a strategic purpose in guiding enemies to Tsutsui-mon.
Tsutsui-mon is the biggest gate for the main bailey, which was brought
here from Masaki Castle. It is a vital gate for defending Ote, and themost important and solid line of defense for the castle.

“Nobori-ishigaki (ascending stone wall)”
These walls were built on the side of the mountain joining the walls of the 2ndand main bailey to stop enemies. It was a technique used to build castles in Korea
during Toyotomi Hideyoshiʼs Imjin War. At Matsuyama Castle, the “nobori-ishigaki” on the southern side remains almost entirely intact, and it is visible from thecastle path behind the prefectural ofﬁce and the 3rd bailey (Horinouchi).

Connecting Turret of Kakure Gate (left)
and Kakure-mon Gate (right)

Kakure-mon is an “uzumi-style”
turret gate hidden by a stone wallbehind Tsutsui-mon, and it wasused to attack enemies frombehind as they advanced from
Tonashi-mon to Tsutsui-mon. It
had a wicket door, and although it
was small, it testiﬁes to the castleʼsbold construction along with theweatherboard of the Connecting
Turret, and the latticed windows of
the Tsukiagedo.

Inui-mon Gate (left) and East Connecting Turret of Inui Gate (right)
Along with East Connecting Turret of Inui Gate and Inui-yagura,Inui-mon, the gate behind the castle on the Karamete side of themain bailey, formed a solid defense line. Karameteʼs ﬁrst defenseline past Inui-mon was Inui-ichi-no-mon, the cornerstone andstone wall of which remains today.

Inui-yagura Turret

Inui-yagura is a two-tiered turret thathas stood on a slanted stone wall on
the northwestern edge of the mainbailey, since the castle was built.
Along with Inui-mon, East Connecting
Turret of Inui Gate and Tsutsui-mon,it is said to have been transferredhere from Kato Yoshiakiʼs former
castle, Masaki Castle.

Honda n（Cent r al Co mpo und）

The last line of defense for the castle!
Vital structures, including
the Tenshu, are found within
Central Compound. Built ona stone wall rising 8 m above
the ground, there is only oneentrance. The path leading
up to it splits into two, andthe passageway inside bends
at right angles with squarespaces ensuring solid protection.

Kitasumi-yagura Turret
Minamisumiyagura Turret

Tenshu（Main Tower）

Tenjin-yagura
TurretKo-tenshu（Small Tower）

T he Hi sto ry o f M a tsuy a m a C a stl e

The complete breakdown of Tenshu!
Tenshu has three aboveground ﬂoors and one basement ﬂoor,and it is the last complete castle built in the Edo period a year
after the Perry Expedition. Of the 12 Tenshu in existence today,
it is the only one with the Tokugawa clan coat of arms imprinted
on the tiles. The “renritsushiki” Tenshu (syntagmatic castletowers) consisting of a series of structures
was rebuilt in 1968, and a tour inside
reveals the remarkable accuracy
Tenshu (Main Tower)
in its reconstruction.

Ticket ofﬁce

Kitasumi-yagura Turret

3rd ﬂoor

Minamisumi-yagura Turret
Kitasumi-yagura Turret

The main bailey of Matsuyama Castle is found at the top of Mt. Katsuyama at an elevation of
132 m. The magniﬁcent “renkaku-style” mountain castle has 2nd bailey (Ninomaru HistoricalGarden) and 3rd bailey (Horinouchi) on the western side of the mountain, while the main partof the castle, has syntagmatic castle towers.
The castle was built by Kato Yoshiaki, known as one of the Shizugatake-no Shichihonyari.
Yoshiaki was allocated 20 “mangoku” for his success in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, andhe moved from Masaki Castle (Masaki Town, Ehime Prefecture) to Mt. Katsuyama in the middleof the Dogo Plains, and named this area, Matsuyama.
25 years after construction began, Yoshiaki was forced to relocate to Aizu just before its
completion, in 1627. Gamo Tadachika, the grandson of Gamo Ujisato moved into the castle
instead.
He completed the 2nd bailey, but died of an illness with no successor on November 8 that year
during a “sankin-kotai (system of alternate attendance in Edo).”In July 1635, the lord of Kuwana Castle in Ise Province, Matsudaira Sadayuki, was allocatedIyo-Matsuyama 15 “mangoku.”
In 1784, when Sadakuni was the 9th daimyo, Tenshu was burned after being struck by lightning.
A permit was immediately issued to restore it, but facing ﬁnancial difﬁculties, it was notcompleted until 1852 when Katsuyoshi was the 12th daimyo. A grand ceremony was held uponits completion in 1854.
The same tower stands today, and it is a remarkable recreation of Momoyama-style architecture despite being built in the ﬁnal days of the Tokugawa shogunate.
After the Meiji Restoration, the castle was turned into a park. It was partially burned due toarson and war during the Showa period, but in 1966, it was restored using only wood in an
unprecedented initiative. Today, it consists of around 51 towers, of which 21 are Important
Cultural Properties, regaining its former glory.

Tenshu (Main Tower)
Ko-tenshu (Small Tower)

Minamisumi-yagura Turret

2nd ﬂoor
1
Hisamatsu
Matsudairafamilyfamily(hoshi-umebachi) (mitsuba-aoi)

Entrance Hall
Tamon Turret
Uchi-mon Gate

Ko-tenshu (Small Tower)2

1st ﬂoor

Entrance HallJikken
1Corridor
3

Tamon-yagura TurretFirst Gate

Sujigane Entrance-monGate
CellerSecond Gate

First Gate (in the center)

This is the ﬁrst gate of Central
Compound. The top and bottomof the door are latticed offering
views of the outside. It is a“korai-style” gate allowing attacks
from above. There is a squarespace between First Gate andSecond Gate, with a structure
allowing attacks from four sides.

Tenjin-yagura Turret

Tenjin-yagura Turret stands on
the northeastern edge of Central
Compound, and it deiﬁes Tenjin(Sugawara no Michizane), theancestral god of Hisamatsu
Matsudaira, in praying for thesafety of the castle. Latticedshutters were used to ventilate
the gable on the western side.

Portrait of Gamo Tadachika

Basement
ﬂoor

Gamo
family(hidari-mitsudomoe)

1602“Renritsushiki” Tenshu (syntagmatic castle towers)

This is a type of Tenshu with a main tower and smaller towers withturrets positioned in four directions joined by “watariyagura (roofed-passage turrets).” It is characterized by an inner court, and it provides theultimate form of castle defense.

1627

1635
①Virtual reality simulation corner②See how heavy a sword isInside the castle are displays of weapons, armor, helmets and historical materials.
Visitors can also handle “hinawajū (matchlock guns),” feel the weight of Japaneseswords and enjoy virtual reality castle siege simulations. (May be subject to closure)③Carpentersʼ grafﬁti

Grafﬁti was found on a weatherboard
during major renovation work carried out
in the Heisei period. It is believed to befrom the time the Tenshu was rebuilt (1846‒ 1854). It may be a picture of a “sakuji-bugyo(commissioner of buildings)” judging by theceremonial costume.

Portrait of Kato Yoshiaki(Stored at: Fujisakae-jinja Shrine,provided by Minakuchi History andFolk Museum, Koka City)

Katofamily(janome)

Lord of the castle: Kato Yoshiaki (20“mangoku”)
Kato Yoshiaki, Lord of Iyo-Masaki
Castle, begins construction, thenmoves from Masaki Castle in thefollowing year.
He moves to Aizu in 1627 and isallocated 40 “mangoku.”

1869

Land and people are returned fromfeudal lords to the Emperor. 3rdbailey burned in a ﬁre in 1870. 2nd
bailey burned in 1872.

1923

Castle is donated by the former headof the feudal lord family, CountHisamatsu Sadakoto, to Matsuyama City.

Lord of the castle: Gamo Tadachika(24 “mangoku”)
Gamo Tadachika, the grandson of
Gamo Ujisato, moves to the castle
from Kaminoyama Domain in Dewa
Province.
Completes 2nd bailey. Dies in 1634
without a successor.

1933

Ko-tenshu, Kitasumi-yagura,
Minamisumi-yagura andTamon-yagura are burned in anarson attack.

1945

Taiko-mon, Inui-mon, etc., areburned during the war.

1950

21 towers, including Tenshu, aredesignated as Important CulturalProperties.

1968

Ko-tenshu, Kitasumi-yagura,
Minamisumi-yagura, Tamon-yagura,
Jikken Corridor, etc., arereconstructed using wood.
Reconstruction of gates, turrets, etc.,
using wood continues until 1990.

2006

Maintenance work completed onseven towers, including Tenshu.

2019

Nine towers, including Ko-tenshu,
become Registered Tangible CulturalProperties.

Lord of the castle: Matsudaira
Sadayuki (15 “mangoku”)
Sadayuki, the nephew of Tokugawa
Ieyasu, is forced to move to thecastle from the Kuwana Domain ofIse Province. Then peace reigns for
15 generations over 234 years under
the Matsudaira family.

1784

Lord of the castle: Matsudaira Sadakuni
Tenshu is burned after being struckby lightning

1854

Lord of the castle: Matsudaira
Katsuyoshi
Reconstruction of Tenshu completed(still standing)

1868

Lord of the castle: Matsudaira
Katsushige
Gives up the Matsudaira name andreturns to former name of Hisamatsu.