Matsuyama-jō Castle

I loved visiting this castle. It's perched like a guardian above Matsuyama and is a neat historical location but also a great viewing platform for seeing the entire Matsuyama area.

I walked up the hill in about 15 minutes, but a lift is available. There is a public park on the outskirts of the castle. Entry into the castle ends at 4:30 and the castle itself closes at 5. I arrived a little after 4 and did a quick speed tour.

Upon entry into the castle, you must change into slippers (provided). You are then directed to follow signs which guide you through the different rooms, floors, and towers of the castle before finally returning to the slipper room. It was really cool!

Please not that there are steep stairs / ladders in the castle so it is not accessible to movement impaired visitors.

Hiked up the hill to get to castle which is a steady incline for about 10-15 minutes. Worth it for the views of the cities and surroundings. Lovely area on the summit with vending machines, ice cream and a cafe nearby.

The Mog Champ sends his regards.

An excellent castle just like most, this one is on a hill and depending on the weather you can go up on the chairlift, unfortunately when I was there it was a bit rainy and cloudy so it wasn't operating. Instead I just went up through the normal cable car.

Overall I had a nice walk around the castle and was there for around an hour. I even had a nice moment where I out on a samurai helmet to take a funny photo! It was nice when I made it to the top of the castle since I could see the surroundings as well. Thanks for a clean and nice castle experience Matsuyama!

Mogliest Regards,
Your Mog Champ

It’s a bit of a hike to the top but is a really cool and uniques castle to visit. Offers great views of the city and inside it is full of history and displays. If you only see one thing in Matsuyama this is worth it

Matsuyama castle is a sight to see! The walls are really high and the causeway leading to the main keep is really interesting. There was a local man who guided us as a volunteer. His English was remarkable. I learned a lot from him on the guided tour. I was able to put on samurai armor inside the castle keep and get my photo taken. My wife and our guide was kind enough to help me don the armor. It was a really fun day! If you see the volunteer guides, I recommend asking for a tour!

Matsuyama Castle is probably the most intriguing castle ever built! The path into the castle is uniquely designed to keep invaders out! You could almost imaging how attackers tried to breach the different gates while archers are trying to shoot them dead.

PS. Regarding elderly parents/grandparents. They can still take the rope-way up to have a scenic view. Wouldn’t recommend them entering the castle as there’s a lot of stairs

Very interesting castle that holds atleast 1000+ history. It shows all of the lords of mastuyama and lords of Matsudaira. I reckon it is a very good place that must be visited. Reviewed By my 9 year old.
Enjoyed visiting here. You can catch a chair lift from Okaido to get up to the castle. There are few cafes that you can sit down and have a break. We liked the soft serve.

It is a representative tourist destination in Matsuyama. You can also view the inside of the castle for free if you use the free coupon for Korean at the airport information. There are many stairs inside the castle, and the slope is very steep. Older adults will likely be limited to use.

A real, authentic castle which makes all the difference. I've been to a lot of the castles in Japan and the original, or mainly original ones, are so much better and worth visiting than the reconstructions. I'd actually give this a 4.5/5... It's not quite as good as Himeji or Matsumoto, but you should definitely visit if you are either a castle fan, or happen to be in the area. There is a cable car/chair lift up to the east side although as long as you are reasonably fit, the slope is not that strenuous.

Matsuyama-jo castle was one of the most impressive for me among old palaces.
It was gorgeous and elegant.
The outer wall that was made by stone showed very specific and well-arched shapes.
If you want to find out the place to know the history of Matsuyama and its old scenery, it might be the best and right place you are looking for.
It is one of the landmarks here. So, please don't miss this tourist's attraction.

P.S. If you are a Korean, you can get free of charge tickets at the information center of the matsuyama airport.

#松山市 #松山 #松山城
#松山観光地 #松山空港

A beautiful castle showing the best of Japanese architecture and history. A must visit if you’re in town.

Very beautiful place. One of the recommended sightseeing places in Matsuyama city. I suggest you enter the castle during spring season so you can observe the beauty of Ehime

An amazing excursion to this fantastic landmark. Beautiful views. Fantastic chairlift up! Breathtaking views! First thing in the morning! Delicious Mikan juice up top!

Love this castle as it situated at the hill top overseeing entire town. The tram station is also located in downtown. Walk a bit of slope and there are foods around the corner too. You got 2 options, by cable car 9r by the wired hanging seats for better experience.

Take the cable chair up for fun and a separate entry fee for the castle. Very historical with many steps and floors for you to walk around in. It’s not easy if you have senior citizens or young children as the internal wooden stairs have narrow steps and are steep. Still it’s quite an adventure. Excellent commanding views of the city at the top.

Amazing castle.
One of very few that remains authentic.
Big outside and inside space to explore
Amazing view from the top
Highly recommend for everyone

One of the best Castles I've been to so far!
There are many things to see inside where explanations are both in English and Japanese, and the variety of views you can get is great!
Worth the 520¥ ticket to go in!

Spectacular and expansive castle complex sitting about the town. The castle grounds contains lots of informative signs that give context for the building and the reconstruction work that went on after the castle was struck by lightning in the 18th century.

The castle building itself contains lots of interesting and interactive exhibits, including armour, artefacts and weapons. English translations are detailed and easily visible. Even if not interested in the history, the view from the top of the main keep is worth the climb.

I think this is one of my favorite castles to visit in Japan so far. Not only is there a lot to see, a great view of the surrounding area, but they definitely are more interactive than other castles. You can hold a replica matchlock rifle, test the weight of a katana, and even use the VR headset to get a simulation of invading the castle defenses! Make sure you take a round trip on the lift because walking up there would be a huge pain and it's fun.

A fantastic castle that is situated quite high. You can see it from the city below and even from Dogo Park which is quite far away. It was well worth it to pay the admission fee to go in and see the history and items they have on display there. One of the best castles I have toured so far!