Matsuyama Castle: One of the Twelve Surviving Castles

Located in the heart of Matsuyama City, Matsuyama Castle is built on Mount Katsuyama, which stands at an elevation of 132 meters. The main keep is situated at the summit, while the second and third enclosures, now a historical garden and Horinouchi Park respectively, spread out at the base. Kato Yoshiaki, who played a significant role in the Battle of Sekigahara, became the first lord of the castle and spent over a quarter of a century constructing it from 1602. As one of the twelve surviving castles, it houses 21 important cultural properties. There are four routes to the castle, as well as a ropeway and lift, and various limited-time and day-specific events are held, ensuring that visitors can enjoy multiple visits. There are four walking routes to the main keep of Matsuyama Castle, each featuring steep slopes that can be quite challenging even for the energetic. For those who want to experience the feeling of a castle siege, walking is recommended. However, for tourists, the ropeway or lift routes are more popular. The ropeway takes about 3 minutes, while the lift takes about 6 minutes to reach Choja-ga-hira, located at the eighth station. From there, it is about a 10-minute walk to the main keep. If you choose to walk the entire route, it takes about 20 to 30 minutes.