Imabari Castle

Imabari Castle was built by Tōdō Takatora, a master castle builder who was granted 200,000 koku, half of Iyo Province, for his achievements in the Battle of Sekigahara, on the coast overlooking the Kurushima Strait, a strategic point of the Seto Inland Sea.

Construction began in 1602, and it is said to have been completed around 1608. This flatland castle was developed as a sea castle, with moats fed by seawater and one of the largest boat basins in Japan, and is also known as Fukiage Castle. Although many of its buildings were lost after the Meiji Restoration, it was designated as a prefectural historic site in 1953, and from 1980 onward, the main keep and turrets were rebuilt.

At the current castle ruins, a beautiful view unfolds, with tall stone walls and the white-walled main keep and turrets reflected on the surface of the vast moats. One of its distinctive features is that the moats are filled with seawater, and fish can be seen swimming in them.

Inside the main keep, a museum is open to the public, exhibiting armor and materials related to the Imabari Domain. From the top floor, you can look out over the Seto Inland Sea, the Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge, and the cityscape.

At night, the main keep and stone walls are illuminated by Approx. 100 lights, creating a dreamlike scene that, together with their reflection on the water, offers a completely different view from the daytime.