Changes

*''Japanese:''伊予松山城''(Iyo Matsuyama-jou)''

*''Type: Flatland-Mountain''

*''Type:Flatland-Mountain''

*''Founder: [[Kato Yoshiaki|Katô Yoshiaki]]''

*''Founder:Kato Yoshiaki''

*''Built:''

*''Japanese'': 伊予松山城 ''(Iyo Matsuyama-jou)''

Matsuyama castle (Iyo) is one of two existing castles in Japan bearing the name (the other being [[Matsuyama castle (Bitchu)|Bitchu-Matsuyama]]). Iyo-Matsuyama is located in Matsuyama City in Ehime prefecture (the historical [[Iyo province]]) on the northern coast of [[Shikoku]]. The area had a history of fortifications dating back to the [[Kamakura era]] when the [[Kawano]] family built [[Yuzuki castle]] on the Dogo plains. Late in the sixteenth century they were defeated by [[Chosokabe Motochika]] who in turn was eclipsed by the [[Kobayakawa]], [[Fukushima]], and [[Toda]] clans. Construction started on Matsuyama castle in [[1602]] when [[Kato Yoshiaki]] moved his headquarters there from [[Masaki castle]]. Kato had been established at Masaki since [[1585]] but had his fief increased by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] after the [[Battle of Sekigahara]]. Located in his new holdings was the hill of Katsuyama (about 130 meters high) which he thought would be a more secure location for his seat of power. In [[1627]] Kato was transferred to another fief (likely because of suspicions over the large scale he planned for the fortifications) and it fell to [[Gamo Tadatomo]] to continue work on the partially completed tenshu. Gamo died without an heir and the fief was given to [[Hisamatsu Sadayuki]] in [[1635]]. The Hisamatsu were a group of families descended from the three brothers of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and were granted the right to use his former name of Matsudaira as their family name sometime after the original keep was completed (they were also known as the Kumatsu in some accounts). The tenshu was completed under Sadayuki’s supervision in [[1645]]. It ended up being three stories instead of five (this decision having been made in [[1642]]). There are other accounts that have been disproved over the years. One is that the five storied tenshu was built as planned and was remodeled down to three by the Hisamatsu (which makes absolutely no sense). Another was that Kato not only completed the 5 story tenshu but also had it moved to Aizu when he was transferred-given the size of the structure, the distance between Aizu and Shikoku, the expense involved, and the lack of any records of a 5 story tenshu appearing in Aizu, this also seems to be little more than local myth. In any case, the tenshu was struck by lightning in [[1784]] and burned down. The existing tower complex was begun in [[1820]] and finished in [[1854]]. According to some sources, [[Matsudaira Sadaaki]], the Lord of Kuwana and Shogunate loyalist, sought refuge at Matsuyama castle after the end of the [[Boshin War]]. He is said to have surrendered to Imperial representatives here, subsequently entering the priesthood at Joshin-ji. While some buildings were destroyed by fire during the Meiji era, the castle was in excellent overall condition even into the 20th century and the Matsudaira family turned it over to the government in 1923. In 1933, a fire broke out in the honmaru complex and destroyed all the structures therein, sparing only the main tenshu. An American bombing raid in 1945 destroyed 11 more towers and gateways. Finally, another fire started by an arsonist in 1949 claimed the Tsutsuimon. Even with this run of misfortune, Iyo-Matsuyama castle is second only to [[Himeji Caslte|Himeji]] in the number of extant original buildings with 21. 7 of these are buildings with the remainder being gates (including the Ichinomon, Shichikumon, and Kintetsumon), towers (such as the Inuiyagura and Noharayagura), and parapets. All of these structures have been designated Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government. A project to restore the smaller towers and galleries of the tenshu complex was begun in 1966 and completed in 1969 (with the Tsutsuimon being rebuilt as well).

Matsuyama castle in [[Iyo province]] is one of two extant castles in Japan bearing the name, the other being [[Matsuyama castle (Bitchu)|Matsuyama castle in Bitchû province]]. Iyo-Matsuyama is located in Matsuyama City in [[Ehime prefecture]] on the northern coast of [[Shikoku]]. During the [[Edo period]], it was the chief castle of [[Iyo-Matsuyama han]], which was controlled by the [[Hisamatsu clan]], a branch family of the [[Matsudaira clan]], from [[1635]] on.

The castle was designed as a [[hirayamajiro]]. The honmaru was located on the summit of the hill with the ninomaru, sannomaru, and other fortifications laid out below. Kato’s structure was laid out to take full advantage of the natural formations of the landscape and would have been extremely difficult to attack. There is a ring of earthworks and [[ishigaki]] halfway down the hill and also at the bottom. The main tenshu has 3 exterior and 4 interior stories, including a basement. It uses traditional tile roofing and has striking black wooden walls. The layout of the rectangular tenshu complex somewhat resembles that of Himeji castle, albeit on a reduced scale. It has the main tenshu along with three other towers at the remaining corners. Typical of late [[Edo period]] castles, it uses a very straightforward and functional design with little enhancement or ornamentation. The tenshu ishigaki are built using the [[uchikomihagi]] method with the outer ishigaki using the [[ransekizumi]] method. The outer stone walls are much higher than the norm for a castle of this size (being similar to the walls built at other castles by another famous Kato, [[Kato Kiyomasa]]-but Kato Yoshiaki was not related to him). The castle now functions as a public park.

 

The area had a history of fortifications dating back to the [[Kamakura era]] when the [[Kawano family]] built [[Yuzuki castle]] on the Dôgo plains. Late in the sixteenth century the Kawano were defeated by [[Chosokabe Motochika|Chôsokabe Motochika]] who in turn was eclipsed by the [[Kobayakawa clan|Kobayakawa]], [[Fukushima clan|Fukushima]], and [[Toda clan]]s.  

 

Construction started on Matsuyama castle in [[1602]] when [[Kato Yoshiaki|Katô Yoshiaki]] moved his headquarters there from [[Masaki castle]]. Katô had been established at Masaki since [[1585]] but had his fief increased by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] after the [[Battle of Sekigahara]]. Located in his new holdings was the hill of Katsuyama (about 130 meters high) which he thought would be a more secure location for his seat of power. In [[1627]] Katô was transferred to another fief (likely because of suspicions over the large scale he planned for the fortifications) and it fell to [[Gamo Tadatomo|Gamô Tadatomo]] to continue work on the partially completed ''tenshu''. Gamô died without an heir and the fief was given to [[Hisamatsu Sadayuki]] in [[1635]]. The Hisamatsu were one of a group of families descended from the three brothers of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and were granted the right to use his former name of Matsudaira as their family name sometime after the original keep was completed (they were also known as the Kumatsu in some accounts).  

 

The ''tenshu'' was completed under Sadayuki’s supervision in [[1645]]. It ended up being three stories instead of five, this decision having been made in [[1642]]. There are other accounts or explanations of this point, but these have been disproved over the years. One is that the five storied ''tenshu'' was built as planned and was remodeled down to three by the Hisamatsu. Another was that Katô not only completed the 5-story ''tenshu'' but also had it moved to [[Aizu han|Aizu]] when he was transferred - given the size of the structure, the distance between Aizu and Shikoku, the expense involved, and the lack of any records of a 5-story ''tenshu'' appearing in Aizu, this also seems to be little more than local myth. In any case, the ''tenshu'' was struck by lightning in [[1784]] and burned down.  

 

The existing tower complex was begun in [[1820]] and finished in [[1854]]. According to some sources, [[Matsudaira Sadaaki]], the Lord of Kuwana and a Shogunate loyalist, sought refuge at Matsuyama castle after the end of the [[Boshin War]]. He is said to have surrendered to Imperial representatives here, subsequently entering the priesthood at Joshin-ji.  

 

While some buildings were destroyed by fire during the Meiji era, the castle was in excellent overall condition even into the 20th century. The Matsudaira family turned over the land to the government in 1923. In 1933, a fire broke out in the ''honmaru'' complex and destroyed all the structures therein, sparing only the main ''tenshu''. The complex was further damaged when an American bombing raid in 1945 destroyed 11 more towers and gateways. Finally, another fire started by an arsonist in 1949 claimed the Tsutsuimon.  

 

Even with this run of misfortune, Iyo-Matsuyama castle is second only to [[Himeji Caslte|Himeji]] in the number of extant original buildings. Of the 21 extant structures on the site, seven are buildings proper, with the remainder being gates (including the Ichinomon, Shichikumon, and Kintetsumon), towers (such as the Inuiyagura and Noharayagura), and parapets. All of these structures have been designated [[Important Cultural Properties]] by the Japanese government. A project to restore the smaller towers and galleries of the tenshu complex was begun in 1966 and completed in 1969 (with the Tsutsuimon being rebuilt as well).

The castle was designed as a ''[[hirayamajiro]]''. The ''honmaru'' was located on the summit of the hill with the ''ninomaru'', ''sannomaru'', and other fortifications laid out below. Katô’s structure was laid out to take full advantage of the natural formations of the landscape and would have been extremely difficult to attack. There is a ring of earthworks and ''[[ishigaki]]'' (stone walls) halfway down the hill and also at the bottom. The main ''tenshu'' has three exterior and four interior stories, including a basement. It uses traditional tile roofing and has striking black wooden walls. The layout of the rectangular ''tenshu'' complex somewhat resembles that of Himeji castle, albeit on a reduced scale. It has the main ''tenshu'' along with three other towers at the remaining corners. Typical of late Edo period castles, it uses a very straightforward and functional design with little enhancement or ornamentation. The ''tenshu ishigaki'' (stone walls of the main keep) are built using the ''[[uchikomihagi]]'' method with the outer ''ishigaki'' using the ''[[ransekizumi]]'' method. The outer stone walls are much higher than the norm for a castle of this size, being similar to the walls built at other castles by another famous Katô, [[Kato Kiyomasa|Katô Kiyomasa]] (no relation to Katô Yoshiaki). The castle now functions as a public park.

   

   

==References==

==References==

*Kodama Kota & Tsuboi Kiyotari, editors ''Nihon Joukaku Taikei''-20 Volumes Tokyo:Shinjimbutsu oraisha, 1981

*Kodama Kota & Tsuboi Kiyotari, editors ''Nihon Joukaku Taikei''-20 Volumes Tokyo:Shinjimbutsu oraisha, 1981

*Hinago Motoo ''Nihon No Bijutsu #54:Shiro'' Tokyo:Shibundo, 1970

*Hinago Motoo ''Nihon No Bijutsu #54:Shiro'' Tokyo:Shibundo, 1970

[[Category:Castles]]

[[Category:Castles]]