Photo: Reggaeman / CC BY-SA 3.0Open in Google Maps · Directions from your berth
Checked · Researched, not yet visited · times from official timetables and our estimates · Takumi Yamada
Todo Takatora first built the castle between 1596 and 1601, and the Date family held it from 1615. The three-storey keep the second Date lord finished in the 1660s still stands: one of 12 original keeps in Japan and an Important Cultural Property. The way up is on stone steps through forest that has not been cut for more than 300 years, from the Kori gatehouse on the north side or Noboritachi-mon on the south.
Three things the plaques won't tell you
- Bring coins: the keep takes cash only.
- The steps are uneven stone; wear shoes with grip, and allow more time after rain.
- Go up one side and down the other: north for the station and the market, south for Tensha-en.
The way up is on stone steps through forest that has not been cut for more than 300 years, from the Kori gatehouse on the north side or Noboritachi-mon on the south.
Questions people ask here
How do I get from the cruise ship to Uwajima Castle?
From Sakashitazu No. 2 Wharf by taxi: 2.3 km, about 10 minutes and ¥1,100 on Ehime’s tariff from 19 December 2025, by our estimate, or 28–32 minutes on foot. From the tender pier it is a 15-minute walk. No shuttle is published.
How much is Uwajima Castle?
Adult ¥200 for the keep, cash only; 65 and over ¥160; high-school age and under free. The hill itself is free. A ticket with Tensha-en and the Date Museum is ¥700; the museum is closed from 29 March 2027.