Uwajima Castle
| Uwajima Castle 宇和島城 | |
|---|---|
| Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture, Japan | |
 The original wooden tenshu (keep) of Uwajima Castle | |
| Type | Hirayamajiro (hilltop castle) |
| Height | Three stories |
| Site information | |
| Condition | The tenshu and some ruins remain. |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1585-1586 |
| Built by | Toyotomi Hidenaga |
| In use | 1596 to Meiji Restoration |
| Materials | Earth, stone, and wood |
| Demolished | Most of the castle during the Meiji Restoration, though the tenshu survived. |
Uwajima Castle (宇和島城, Uwajima-jō) is a hirayama-jiro (Japanese castle on a hill on a plain) in Uwajima, Ehime, Japan. An alternate name for this castle is Tsurushima-jō. This castle is well known as one of the twelve Japanese castles to still have an original donjon built in the Edo Period.
History
This castle was constructed by Tōdō Takatora, a Daimyō, in 1596 after being given a small fiefdom by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1595.[1] This castle experienced major repairs and expansion by Date Munetoshi in 1671. It suffered some damage during World War II from American bombing, the Ōte Gate being burnt to the ground.[2]
Cultural Property
Uwajima castle has an Important Cultural Property selected by Japanese government:
- Tenshukaku (Donjon Tower)
Access
References
- ^ http://www.jcastle.info/castle/profile/10-Uwajima-Castle
- ^ Uwajima Castle Japanese Castle Explorer Retrieved April 12, 2016
Literature
- Mitchelhill, Jennifer (2013). Castles of the Samurai:Power & Beauty. USA: Kodansha. ISBN 978-1568365121.
- Schmorleitz, Morton S. (1974). Castles in Japan. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Co. ISBN 0-8048-1102-4.
- Motoo, Hinago (1986). Japanese Castles. Tokyo: Kodansha. pp. 200 pages. ISBN 0-87011-766-1.
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