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The three-tiered, three-story keep in the main enclosure, June 2017. Built around 1666 by Date Munetoshi, second lord of the Uwajima Date family, it is one of Japan's twelve original surviving keeps.
SuicasmoCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Ehime · Uwajima

Uwajima Castle

宇和島城

Uwajima, Ehime

CastleHilltop castle (hirayamajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 83

What makes this castle distinctive

Both the Edo-period keep and an Edo-period wooden model of it, built at one-tenth scale, survive.

Why?

Today's keep was completed around 1666 and underwent major repairs in 1860. The 'tenshu hinagata' model made during those repairs is built precisely at one-tenth scale, down to the thickness of the pillars, and a wooden tag inside the keep records when it was made. Uwajima City says it is very rare for both a keep and its model to survive from the Edo period with the model's date clearly known.[3]

Three things not to miss

01
Looking up at the front of the keep, May 2019. Note the curved karahafu porch at the entrance and the decorated gables and hanging boards (gegyo) on each tier.TōjichiCC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

The ornate keep built by the Date family

Where
The main enclosure on top of castle hill (73 m above sea level).
What to look at
The curved karahafu porch at the entrance, the gables and decorative hanging boards (gegyo) on each tier, and the walls coated entirely in white plaster.
Why it's interesting
This three-tier, three-story keep in the stacked (sotogata) style was built around 1666 by Date Munetoshi, the second Date lord of Uwajima. Officially it was reported to the shogunate as a 'repair', but in fact he removed Todo Takatora's earlier lookout-style keep, which stood on bare bedrock, and built a new, up-to-date keep on a stone platform. Its richly decorated gables are seen as a sign of the peaceful age, and despite its small size it has touches of palace architecture. It is one of Japan's twelve original keeps and an Important Cultural Property.[1][2][3]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideEntry to the keep is 200 yen for adults; free for high school students and younger.
02
Stone walls of the main enclosure, with the keep above, December 2020. Castle hill preserves walls from different eras, from Todo Takatora's time to the Date family's.Saigen JiroCC0Wikimedia Commons

Stone walls from different eras

Where
Along the paths from the entrances up to the main enclosure.
What to look at
Differences in the shape of the stones and how they are stacked; inscriptions carved into some stones; and marks left from splitting them.
Why it's interesting
Munetoshi rebuilt the keep, turrets and gates but largely kept Takatora's layout (nawabari) of moats and walls. As a result, castle hill preserves walls of many periods, from Takatora's time to the Date era, and the city suggests comparing them as you climb to the keep.[1][4][6]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideCastle hill is free to enter during opening hours. Since a slope failure in July 2026, part of the southern path (the section from Noboritachi-mon toward the children's park) remains closed.
03
Noboritachi-mon at the southern entrance to castle hill, December 2020. It is a yakuimon-style gate and a city-designated Tangible Cultural Property.Saigen JiroCC0Wikimedia Commons

Noboritachi-mon, a large yakuimon gate

Where
The southern entrance to castle hill, at the start of the rear (karamete) path.
What to look at
The yakuimon design, with a single roof covering the whole gate, and its heavy pillars and beams.
Why it's interesting
It is a yakuimon, the formal gate style of samurai residences, and one of the largest surviving yakuimon among castle gates. The city says it may date back to Todo Takatora's construction in 1596–1601. It is a city-designated Tangible Cultural Property.[4][6]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideSince August 1, 2026, the path from Noboritachi-mon to the Shiroyama Folk Museum has been provisionally reopened.

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station
15 min walk from JR Uwajima Station
Climb
Steep climb
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1–1.5 hours to climb to the keep, look around and come back down.
Admission
Adults 200 yen; free for high school students and younger; 160 yen for 65+; free for holders of disability certificates (plus one helper); groups of 20+ 160 yen. Cash only.
Hours
March–October 9:00–17:00; November–February 9:00–16:00
Access
Open to visitors

Castle hill is free to walk during opening hours; the keep charges admission. A slope failure on July 4, 2026 closed the southern (Noboritachi-mon) path; since August 1 only the section from Noboritachi-mon to the Shiroyama Folk Museum has been provisionally reopened, and the section toward the children's park remains closed. The Kori family gate at the northern entrance is under repair until March 2027, but you can still walk through it (no vehicles). The Japan 100 Castles stamp is inside the keep; visitors who cannot climb can use the one at the Shiroshita tourist information center.

Checked:

View on mapOpen in Google MapsUwajima Castle (Uwajima City official site)

The story of this castle

01
Historical record

A castle on a hill by the sea

Uwajima lies at the head of a deeply indented ria coastline. The castle stands on a 73 m hill at its innermost point, now near the center of the city. When Todo Takatora built it, most of the hill faced the sea, and his layout made clever use of that terrain.[2]

02
Tradition

Todo Takatora's castle

From 1596 to 1601, Todo Takatora, famous as a master castle builder, constructed the castle. Its outer moat formed a pentagon, and because a shogunate spy later mistakenly reported it as a square, a story grew up about Takatora's clever 'hidden corner' design.[1][2][14]

03
Historical record

Date Masamune's eldest son arrives

In 1615 Date Hidemune, the eldest son of the famous northern warlord Date Masamune, received the 100,000-koku Uwa District and entered Uwajima Castle. This founded the Uwajima branch of the Date family, which held the castle for nine generations until the Meiji era. The second lord, Munetoshi, carried out a major renovation between 1661 and 1672, repairing many walls and turrets and building the present keep.[1][2]

04
Historical record

The moats were filled in; the keep and hill survived

From the Meiji era onward the moats were all filled in, and about 280,000 m² of the outer castle, including the third enclosure, was lost; traces of the moats survive in the shape of today's roads. The hill itself, about 100,000 m² including the main and second enclosures, was protected by the Date family until the war years. The keep was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1934 and the whole hill a National Historic Site in 1937. In 1949 the Date family handed the hill and keep over to Uwajima City.[1][2]

05
Historical record

Ongoing repairs and research

Since 1994 the city has been repairing damaged walls in the main and second enclosures under its 'Heisei Fushin' program, surveying them as it goes. It drew up a conservation and use plan in 2019 and a basic site development plan in 2024. The keep's completion is usually given as 'around 1666', but the city notes that no document settles the date and research is still under way.[5][9]

People of this castle

Timeline

  1. Todo Takatora begins building the castle (completed 1601)[1][2]

  2. Date Hidemune arrives, founding the Uwajima Date family[1][2]

  3. around 1666 (date still under study)

    Date Munetoshi completes the present keep[1][3][9]

  4. Major repairs to the keep; the scale model is made[3]

  5. The keep is designated an Important Cultural Property[1][2]

  6. Castle hill is designated a National Historic Site[1][2]

  7. The Date family hands the keep and hill to Uwajima City[2]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

Original keep

Three tiers, three stories, stacked (sotogata) style, fully plastered in white. Built around 1666 by Date Munetoshi, with major repairs in 1860 and 1960. One of Japan's twelve original keeps (Important Cultural Property).

The site today

Castle hill (about 100,000 m², including the main and second enclosures) remains as a park with the keep on top. The moats and outer areas such as the third enclosure have been filled in and built over.

Main buildings

OriginalImportant Cultural Property

Keep (tenshu)

Completed around 1666; 15.72 m tall.[1][3]

OriginalUwajima City Tangible Cultural Property

Noboritachi-mon (gate)

Yakuimon gate at the southern entrance; may date to 1596–1601.[4]

Original, relocated

Shiroyama Folk Museum (former Yamazato armory)

An armory built in the third enclosure in 1845, moved to castle hill in 1966 and now a free local museum.[4]

Original, relocatedUwajima City Tangible Cultural Property

Kori family samurai row-house gate

Moved in 1952 from the residence of the Kori family, senior retainers, to the northern entrance. Under repair March 2026 – March 2027.[4][7]

Key facts

Type
Castle
Setting
Hilltop castle (hirayamajiro)built on a low hill rising from the plainEditorial article
Period
Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Original keepthe keep (tenshu) itself survives from before 1868Editorial article
Built by
Todo TakatoraJapan Castle Foundation
Built
1596Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords
Date clan, Tōdō clan, Toda clanJapan Castle Foundation
Abandoned
1871Wikipedia (ja)
Remains to see
Gates, Stone walls, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Keep base (tenshudai)Editorial article
Designation
Important Cultural Property (keep) (1934); National Historic Site (1937)Editorial article
Selection
Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 83Japan Castle Foundation

Visiting

Access

Open to visitors

Castle hill is free to walk during opening hours; the keep charges admission. A slope failure on July 4, 2026 closed the southern (Noboritachi-mon) path; since August 1 only the section from Noboritachi-mon to the Shiroyama Folk Museum has been provisionally reopened, and the section toward the children's park remains closed. The Kori family gate at the northern entrance is under repair until March 2027, but you can still walk through it (no vehicles). The Japan 100 Castles stamp is inside the keep; visitors who cannot climb can use the one at the Shiroshita tourist information center.

Address

Marunouchi, Uwajima, Ehime[6]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Nearest stations and how to get there

JR Uwajima StationJR Yosan Line, Yodo Line

about 15 min walk · Steep climb

About 1 km, 15 minutes on foot to the castle hill entrances; about 35 minutes to the keep, climbing stone steps and slopes from the entrance.[6]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Hours and admission

Uwajima Castle keep
Hours
March–October 9:00–17:00; November–February 9:00–16:00
Closed
Open every day (may close temporarily in storms)
Admission
Adults 200 yen; free for high school students and younger; 160 yen for 65+; free for holders of disability certificates (plus one helper); groups of 20+ 160 yen. Cash only.[6]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Shiroyama Folk Museum
Hours
March–October 9:00–17:00; November–February 9:00–16:00
Closed
Not confirmed (call 0895-22-3904 for holiday opening)
Admission
Free[6]
Checked: 2026-10-03

By car / parking

About 1 km (4 minutes) from Uwajima-Asahi IC on the Matsuyama Expressway. Parking below castle hill: 24 hours, 100 yen per hour, 46 cars.[6]

Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
Castle hill is open 6:00–18:30 from March to October and 6:00–17:00 from November to February. The keep is lit from sunset to 22:00 (the hill itself is closed after hours).[6][8]Checked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
About 1–1.5 hours to climb to the keep, look around and come back down.
Steps, slopes and footing
A 73 m hill with many stone steps and slopes. Part of the southern path is closed, so use the northern path (Kori gate) or the reopened Noboritachi-mon–Folk Museum section.[2][6][7]
Wheelchairs and strollers
Not confirmed (during the gate repairs, vehicles cannot enter even for visitors with disabilities).[7]Checked: 2026-10-03
Toilets and rest
Not confirmed
English signs / audio guide
Not confirmed. There are no resident guides; for a guide, contact the Uwajima Tourism Association (0895-49-5700).[11]
Seasons
Cherry blossoms in spring. The keep is lit from sunset to 22:00, in colors that change for awareness campaigns (in 2026, for example, pink on October 1–7 and blue on November 9–23).[8]
Photography
Commercial photography requires advance application to the city's Urban Development Division (0895-24-1111). Rules for personal photography were not confirmed.[12]
Works, closures and restrictions
The southern path was closed after a slope failure on July 4, 2026. Since August 1, the Noboritachi-mon–Folk Museum section is provisionally open; the section toward the children's park remains closed. The Kori family gate at the northern entrance is under repair from March 2026 to March 2027 (open to walkers, not vehicles).[6][7][13]Checked: 2026-10-03

Editors' guide

An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.

Who will enjoy it

Good for anyone who wants to see a small but genuine Edo-period keep, enjoys spotting differences in stonework, or wants to visit the castle of the 'other' Date family, descended from Date Masamune.

What makes it interesting

Look at the curved karahafu porch and the decoration on each tier of the keep. On the way up, compare walls built in different eras. If you enter from the south, don't miss the large Noboritachi-mon gate.

Before you go

The keep is about 35 minutes on foot from the station, with many steps and slopes. Part of the southern path has been closed since a slope failure in July 2026, so check the city's notices for open routes before you go. Keep admission is cash only.

Ways to enjoy it

From near the keep, look out over Uwajima Bay and imagine most of the hill surrounded by sea, as it was in Takatora's day. On the way back, look for traces of the old moats in the shapes of the streets below.

Photos

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Open questions

Sources

  1. 1
    宇和島城のあらまし宇和島市municipalChecked:
  2. 2
    宇和島城(城山)について宇和島市municipalChecked:
  3. 3
    宇和島城-天守について-宇和島市municipalChecked:
  4. 4
    上り立ち門・郷土館 ほか宇和島市municipalChecked:
  5. 5
    保存・整備・活用(宇和島城の平成普請)宇和島市municipalChecked:
  6. 6
    アクセス・開城時間・料金 ほか宇和島市municipalChecked:
  7. 7
    桑折氏武家長屋門の改修工事を実施します(2026年4月15日)宇和島市municipalChecked:
  8. 8
    令和8年度 宇和島城天守カラーライトアップスケジュール宇和島市municipalChecked:
  9. 9
    宇和島城天守の完成年について愛媛新聞に記事が掲載されました(2026年6月3日)宇和島市municipalChecked:
  10. 10
    日本100名城 一覧公益財団法人日本城郭協会jokakuChecked:
  11. 11
    城内でのガイドを希望される方へ宇和島市municipalChecked:
  12. 12
    城内での商業的撮影・興行・行商などについて宇和島市municipalChecked:
  13. 13
    宇和島城南側登城口(上り立ち門側)の暫定通行開始について(2026年7月31日)宇和島市municipalChecked:
  14. 14
    宇和島城(補助資料)Wikipedia日本語版otherChecked:
  15. 15
    List of Japan's 100 Fine Castles and the Next 100公益財団法人日本城郭協会jokakuChecked:
  16. 16
    Wikipedia「宇和島城」Wikipedia日本語版wikipediaChecked:
  17. 17
    Wikidata Q909515WikidatawikidataChecked:
  18. 18
    OpenStreetMap way/1339048111© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)osmChecked:

Listing status

  1. Candidate foundChecked
  2. Confirmed as a castle siteChecked
  3. Basic informationChecked
  4. In-depth articleChecked
  5. Photo rights checkedChecked
  6. Visit info checkedChecked

Castles nearby

Inuo Castle6.6 km · No keep recordedIyo Ishi Castle7.8 km · Not yet confirmedShiraki Castle8.9 km · Not yet confirmedIchinomori Castle9.2 km · Not yet confirmedIyo Kanayama Castle9.4 km · Not yet confirmedŌmori Castle9.8 km · Not yet confirmed

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