Matsuyama Castle: History, Culture, and the Legacy of Swordsmith Sadatsugu

Matsuyama Castle was built in 1603 on Mount Katsuyama overlooking the city of Matsuyama. The project began under the warlord Kato Yoshiaki, a powerful feudal lord who had supported Tokugawa Ieyasu during the establishment of the Tokugawa government. Construction of the castle took more than two decades. By 1627, just before the castle was fully completed, Kato Yoshiaki was transferred to another domain in Aizu. After his departure, the castle passed through several rulers until it came under the control of the Matsudaira family, relatives of the Tokugawa clan.