- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1602 · 17th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Ehime Prefecture, Japan
- Commissioned by
- Tōdō Takatora
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 34.0633°, 133.0068°
History
The castle was built between 1602 and 1604 by Tōdō Takatora, one of Japan's foremost castle builders, whom Tokugawa Ieyasu had rewarded with lands in Iyo province after the Battle of Sekigahara. It stood on the shore of the Inland Sea, ringed by three moats fed with seawater, and ships could sail right up to its walls. In 1608 Tōdō received a new fief in Iga province. From 1635 the castle belonged to the Hisamatsu-Matsudaira clan, who ruled Imabari until the Meiji reforms. Its buildings were demolished in the early Meiji years, and the keep was rebuilt in 1980.
What to see
The five-storey keep houses a museum of weapons, armour and relics of the castle's former lords. Corner turrets and the Kurogane-gomon gate have also been rebuilt. The wide moat is still linked to the sea, so sea fish swim in it. Fukiage Shrine stands in the former main enclosure, and an equestrian statue of Tōdō Takatora faces the walls.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1071856
Popularity: articles about this site in 15 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).