A pentagonal plan: the shogun's inspectors mistook it for a quadrilateral.
The tenshu, built by Tōdō Takatora between 1596 and 1601 and rebuilt around 1666 by the second lord, Date Munetoshi, stands on a hill of about 74 metres in the heart of Uwajima. The outer walls follow an irregular pentagonal plan designed to create blind spots: according to local tradition, the shogunate inspectors who surveyed it recorded it by mistake as a quadrilateral. It is one of the twelve original tenshu in Japan.
Built by Tōdō Takatora, one of the best-known castle architects of his time, the castle passed in 1615 to the Uwajima branch of the Date family, which held it until the end of the Edo period.
ℹ️ Tenshu open 9:00–17:00 from March to October, 9:00–16:00 from November to February, all year except in bad weather. Tickets: adults 200 yen, seniors 65+ 160 yen, high school students and younger free; cash only. Source: the official website of the Uwajima municipality.
🚉 Uwajima · 14 min walk
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