Matsuyama Castle, Japanese castle in Matsuyama, Japan
Matsuyama Castle is a hirayamajiro on Mount Katsuyama in Matsuyama, Japan. Its three-storey, three-level tenshu with one basement level stands 20 metres tall (21.3 metres including the shachi) on a stone base of cut blocks, with black-painted board siding on the lower floors and white plaster on the top floor. The large tenshu, small tenshu, south and north corner yagura are joined by three corridor yagura to form a linked tenshu complex.
Kato Yoshiaki started building in 1602, and work continued for several decades. Lightning struck the original structures in 1784, prompting craftsmen to raise a new version by 1852.
The name comes from the pine trees that covered the mountain when construction began centuries ago. Wooden craftsmanship shows in the wide planks of the stairs and the dark beams that hold up walls and ceilings.
A ropeway system shortens the climb to the summit, while walking paths are available for those who prefer to go on foot. Interior rooms are reached by steep wooden stairs, so sturdy shoes are helpful.
The Tokugawa family crest, featuring three leaves in a circle, appears on wooden panels and fabric hangings throughout the complex. These symbols mark the connection between local power and the shogunate that ruled Japan for centuries.
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