Changes

*''Location: [[Bitchu province]]''

*''Location: [[Bitchu province]]''

* Japanese: 備中松山城 ''(Bitchuu Matsuyama Jou)''

* Japanese: 備中松山城 ''(Bitchuu Matsuyama Jou)''

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is well know as being the highest altitude castle in Japan at 480 meters. This was viewed as a strategic location was also viewed as valuable territory for a castle. [[Akiba Shigenobu]] built the first castle on a nearby mountain in [[1240]]. In [[1331]] [[Takahashi Muneyasu]] built the first Matsuyama Castle on this site. The donjon and yagura that can be seen today were built by Mizunoya in [[1683]]. This was one of very few 2 level donjon, but being on top of the mountain, there was little need to build a high vantage point. After the Mizunoya there were several different lords until [[Itakura Katsuyoshi]] in [[1744]]. His descendents continued to rule until the [[Meiji restoration]].

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is well know as being the highest altitude castle in Japan at 480 meters. This was viewed as a strategic location was also viewed as valuable territory for a castle. [[Akiba Shigenobu]] built the first castle on a nearby mountain in [[1240]]. In [[1331]] [[Takahashi Muneyasu]] built the first Matsuyama Castle on this site. The donjon and yagura that can be seen today were built by Mizunoya in [[1683]]. This was one of very few 2 level donjon, but being on top of the mountain, there was little need to build a high vantage point. After the Mizunoya there were several different lords until [[Itakura Katsuyoshi]] in [[1744]]. His descendents continued to rule until the [[Meiji restoration]].

==Sources==

==Sources==

* [http://www.jcastle.info Guide to Japanese castles] ''(Posted by permission)''

* [http://www.jcastle.info Guide to Japanese castles] ''(Used with permission)''