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Matthew & Jennifer at Matsuyama Castle
Matthew & Jennifer risked life and limb to take these shots by scaling walls and avoiding 70-year-old security guards armed with flashlights! Going beyond the call of duty got them free Skivvies for their galant efforts.
Like castles anywhere, those in Japan were built for two main purposes. The first was as a defensive platform. Daimyo (feudal lords) all over the country built these fortresses where they could retreat during an attack. Both the castle itself and the grounds immediately surrounding are fortified with a myriad of defenses. The donjon (main fortified area or castle keep) also held stores of food and weapons in case of prolonged battles. The second purpose of a castle was to display the daimyo's wealth and power. Naturally, the bigger the castle, the stronger and wealthier the daimyo. Gee... Go figure.
The castle grounds at Matsuyama are quite large and have many original structures. This is one of the best castles in the country to visit, with its bare wooden exterior unique among most castles and giving the whole castle a more historic feel. The original castle here was built in 1603 by Kato Yoshiakira. It had a large 5-story tenshu (tower) that was actually moved to Aizu when Yoshiakira was transferred in 1627. Tadachika Gamoh became the new lord of Matsuyama Castle and before dying in 1635 he completed construction of the ninomaru (second defensive compound).
Gamoh left no heirs, so Matsudaira Sadayuki moved into Matsuyama Castle and his family ruled over the area until the end of feudalism. Sadayuki rebuilt the donjon with three stories in 1642. This donjon was struck by lightning and burned down on New Year's Day, 1784. The construction of the current donjon was not begun until 1820 and took 34 years to complete.
As a relative of the Tokugawa shogun, Matsudaira Sadaaki fought in several battles during the Meiji Restoration. But once the emperor regained political power, Sadaaki was a wanted man and considered an enemy of the emperor. In order to avoid attack, he decided to submit and allow Tosa soldiers into the castle while he sought penance and refuge in Joshinji Temple in Matsuyama. His sincerity was accepted and thus Sadaaki and Matsuyama Castle were saved from attack. The castle was given to the city of Matsuyama in 1923. Sadly, many of the gates and other structures were destroyed by arson and then bombings during World War II. The city has been working since 1966 to repair the original structures and rebuild what was destroyed.
Visit Matsuyama Castle website
