History  & Background

Ozu Castle traces its origins back to 1331, during the late Kamakura period, when Toyofusa Utsunomiya, the governor of Iyo Province, built Jizogadake Castle. For 237 years, it served as the residence of various feudal lords. Following Toyotomi Hideyoshi's conquest of Shikoku, Ozu became the domain of several daimyos, including Kobayakawa Takakage, who initiated the modernization of the castle. Following the Battle of Sekigahara, the turbulent times began to settle, and the castle town started to take shape under the rule of notable figures such as Todo Takatora and Wakizaka Yasuharu, both master castle builders. Later, Kato Sadayasu became the lord of the castle, and the Kato clan continued to govern until the Meiji Restoration.

Restoring Ozu Castle

With the dawn of the Meiji era, most of the castle's structures were dismantled, and in 1888, the main keep was demolished due to deterioration. The current keep was reconstructed in 2004, thanks to local preservation efforts and donations. Experts used traditional construction techniques, and the restoration took nearly a decade. Remarkably, the four-story wooden keep, standing at 19.15 meters, was the first of its kind in Japan to be reconstructed after the war and remains the tallest. The restoration was based on old photographs from the Meiji period and extensive historical records, ensuring an accurate reproduction of its original appearance. The abundance of preserved materials is quite rare, making the restoration of Ozu Castle's keep a true culmination of local residents' dedication and meticulous historical research.

Ozu Castle in action

Ozu Castle offers "Ozu Castle Castle Stay" where you can stay at the castle tower for the first time in Japan. Recreate the entrance of the castle owner Kato Sadayasu in 1617 and spend the night there. Dinner is also carefully selected from the local area and can be enjoyed in the existing turret. Please have an experience that can only be done in this area.