Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama Castle sits on the summit of Mount Katsuyama and features three concentric defensive rings connected by stone walls and watchtowers. The complex preserves wooden structures and several buildings that date back to the Tokugawa period.

Construction began in 1602 under the direction of Kato Yoshiaki and took over a quarter century to complete the main fortifications. The Matsudaira family took control in 1635 and held it until the end of the feudal era in the second half of the 19th century.

The castle grounds include exhibition spaces containing artifacts and documents that detail the development of regional military architecture and feudal governance systems.

Access to the site is through a ropeway or chairlift from Okaido station, both of which ease the climb up the mountain. The grounds open in the morning and close in the late afternoon, with last entry well before closing time.

The site is among the few Japanese castles that have kept their main tower and several watchtowers from the feudal era. These preserved wooden buildings show the original construction methods without later reconstruction.