Uwajima Castle
宇和島城
A samurai-era stronghold with stone walls, moats and a view from the keep.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
What this place is
Uwajima Castle (宇和島城, Uwajima-jō) is a hirayama-jiro Japanese castle located in the city of Uwajima, Ehime, Japan. An alternate name for this castle is Tsurushima-jō. The castle is one of twelve Japanese castles to still have its historical tenshu. It has been protected as a National Historic Site since 1937.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Massive dry-stone walls and moats built without mortar — the engineering is as impressive as the tower above it.
- A main keep (tenshu) you can climb, with each floor showing armour, weapons and castle-town models.
- Grounds that double as the town's best park: cherry blossoms in spring, maples in autumn, illumination at night.
What you can do here
- Climb to the top floor for a 360° view over the castle town and surrounding mountains.
- Walk the full circuit of the moat and outer baileys — the gates and turrets are free to see from outside.
- Rent a kimono or samurai costume nearby for photos in front of the keep.
- Time your visit with a seasonal festival or evening light-up, when the walls are lit from below.
Getting there
We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.
Good to know before you go
- Keep interiors have steep wooden stairs and a shoes-off rule — wear socks and easy-to-remove shoes.
- Last admission is usually 30 minutes before closing; arrive early on weekends.
- The park around the castle is normally free even when the keep charges admission.
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