Matsuyama Castle (松山城, Matsuyama-jō) is an ancient fortification located in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture at the northwestern of Shikoku. The 132 m (433 ft) high Matsuyama Castle is a flat top mountain castle on Katsuyama Hill. It is one of the 12 surviving castles built before Edo Period (1603 – 1867). It is said that the castle was completed by Tadachika Garno after Kato Yoshiaki was transferred to Aizu in 1627. Garno died without an heir, so in 1635 Sadayuki Matsudaira became the lord of Matsuyama domain. The Matsudaira clan continued to serve Matsuyama domain until 1868. The three-story donjon (castle tower) of Matsuyama Castle was burned down by a lightning struck in 1784 but was re-built in 1854. 21 building structures, including the donjon, were designated as the Important Cultural Properties.
The bus dropped us on a small one way street in front of a modern building. It is the Matsuyama castle ropeway station entrance. We took the escalator to the 3rd floor where we could take either the ropeway or chairlift to the hill top. My wife normally will choose the ropeway, but this time she picked the chairlift after we learned it was a fast and safe one. The single person chairlift is running continuously and underneath is a safety net that makes the tourists feel safe. It takes approximately 6 minutes to the top. Once we were on the top, we walked uphill about 10 minutes to the Kakure-mon gate (隐門, a designated Japanese cultural treasure) and then the 2nd gate of Taiko-mon (太鼓門) before we came to the main bailey. Here is a flat ground where we could see the Matsuyama Castle on the other side. Although the 132 m is not so high, it is the highest point in the city which is why they built the castle here. There are some view points for us to see the city below. Once approached the castle, there is an over 10 m (32.8 ft) high stone wall surrounding the castle and the rebuilt donjon is clearly seen. The stone wall in northern section remains from when Yoshiaki Kato built the castle in 1602. Inside the castle, some exhibits offer information on Matsuyama's history and the feudal period. We also spent some time exploring the other gate nearby before we left the area. We went back to the ground the same way we came.
The main bailey is on the hill top, the 2nd bailey is at the base of the hill to the southwest and the moat and earthworks enclose the 3rd bailey. If you have time, you can visit the nearby Matsuyama Castle Ninomaru Historical Garden. Bring water and wear comfortable shoes to visit the site.