There are twelve castles in Japan with main towers dating back to the Edo period, and of these, four are in Shikoku – Marugame, Matsuyama, Uwajima and Kōchi. There are also reconstructed castles and historic battle sites that repay exploration.
On this tour, you visit the original castles as well as reconstructions such as Kawanoe Castle, and battle sites like the remains of Yuzuki Castle in Dōgo. These castles are home to museums richly endowed with medieval weapons and armour, but which also strongly evoke the peacetime lives of their inhabitants.
The castle towns were, and still are, flourishing cultural centres, with pilgrimage temples and shrines, wonderful sake breweries, and expansive gardens where samurai lords relaxed when they weren’t preparing for war.
This tour uses a private vehicle with a driver who speaks some English. Breakfasts are included.
Learn more about the castles in our Shikoku Castles blog.
Who is this tour for?
This tour is for people who are interested in history, architecture, and gardens. You’ll also learn a fair bit about sake and food. All of the places visited on the tour can only be accessed by climbing a lot of uneven steps, so you’ll need to be reasonably fit.
If you’d like to be guided on this tour, please get in touch and we’ll give you a quote.