Uwajima Castle and Seafood Feast Course

This course lets you savor the charm of Uwajima, the castle town of the Date clan, in a single day. Climb the surviving keep and fully enjoy the fresh seafood raised along the ria coast.

Course Route

9:30 Start at Uwajima Castle Climb to the surviving hilltop keep and look out over the town and the Uwa Sea. Uwajima Castle is one of Japans twelve surviving keeps, and admission to the keep is about 200 yen for adults, while high school students and younger enter free.

11:00 Stroll the Shiroyama green path Walk the nature rich path up to the castle and sense the traces of history. The way to the keep is a continuous climb of slopes and stone steps, so take your time going up.

12:00 Lunch with Uwajima sea bream rice Try Uwajima sea bream rice, in which fresh sea bream sashimi is mixed with sauce and raw egg and poured over rice. It is a specialty unique to the Nanyo region, using sea bream raised in the Uwa Sea.

14:00 Visit Tenshaen Garden Enjoy the charm of the pond and wisteria trellis at Tenshaen, the feudal lords garden tied to the Date family. Admission is about 500 yen for adults, and it opens from 8:30 in the morning, until 17:00 from April to June.

15:30 Shopping at Kisaiya Hiroba Pick out seafood and local products at the roadside station Michi no Eki Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba to close out the trip.

Highlights

The graceful surviving keep of Uwajima Castle and the famous Uwajima sea bream rice are the two main highlights. Tenshaen, the feudal lords garden of the Date family, is also worth seeing, and in early summer the wisteria blooms reflected in the pond make a lovely sight.

Access and Tips

Uwajima Castle is within walking distance of JR Uwajima Station. Tenshaen and Kisaiya Hiroba are also near the city center and reachable on foot or by bus. Since you can climb the keep from the free area of Shiroyama Park, combining the garden and a town walk makes for an efficient route.

Practical Travel Notes

Time guide: Allow about one and a half hours for the climb and keep visit at Uwajima Castle, and about 40 minutes to an hour for a stroll through Tenshaen. The route covers the city sights at a relaxed pace over one day.

Getting there: Uwajima Station on the JR Yosan Line is the gateway. Uwajima Castle, Tenshaen, and Kisaiya Hiroba are all near the station and reachable on foot or by city bus. From the Matsuyama direction, limited express trains are convenient.

Fare guide: Admission to the Uwajima Castle keep is about 200 yen for adults, with high school students and younger free, and Tenshaen admission is about 500 yen for adults as of 2025. Together they let you enjoy two sights at a modest cost.

Avoiding crowds: Popular sea bream rice restaurants get busy at lunchtime, so arriving right at opening or shifting your timing is recommended. The keep is relatively quiet in the morning.

Budget: Castle and garden admission, a sea bream rice lunch, and shopping come to roughly 2500 to 3500 yen per person.

A Quick Tip

The path to the keep is a continuous slope, so climb in comfortable shoes. Sea bream rice restaurants get crowded at lunchtime, so arriving early is a safe bet. Tenshaen has periods with Monday closures in winter, so confirm your visit date in advance.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Visiting hours (Uwajima Castle keep): 9:00 to 17:00 from March to October, and 9:00 to 16:00 from November to February. The free areas of the castle hill are open 6:00 to 18:30 from March to October and 6:00 to 17:00 from November to February
• Visiting hours (Tenshaen Garden): 8:30 to 16:30 from July to March (the garden stays open until 17:00 only from April to June)
• Admission: Tenshaen costs 300 yen for high school students and those aged 65 and over, 200 yen for junior high school students and 100 yen for elementary school students. A combined ticket covering the Uwajima Castle keep, Tenshaen and the Date Museum is 700 yen for adults, sold at the ticket counter of each site
• Closures: The Uwajima Castle keep has no closing days. Tenshaen is closed on Mondays (the following day when Monday is a public holiday) during the period from the second Monday of December to the end of February, and from 28 December to 1 January. Roadside Station Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba is closed on New Year's Day only
• Parking: For Uwajima Castle, use the Shiroyama-shita car park (46 spaces for ordinary cars, 100 yen per hour). Tenshaen has a free car park with 30 spaces for ordinary cars; tour buses require a reservation
• Opening hours (Roadside Station Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba): The shops and the local culture exhibition are open 9:00 to 18:00, and the restaurant 10:30 to 16:30 (last orders 16:00)
• Enquiries: 0895-22-2832 (Uwajima Castle keep) / 0895-22-0056 (Tenshaen) / 0895-22-3934 (Roadside Station Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba)
• Official information: Uwajima City official website, "Uwajima Castle Visitor Guide"; Uwajima Tourism Guide (Uwajima City Tourism and Products Association); Roadside Station and Minato Oasis Uwajima Kisaiya Hiroba official website

The above is a guide based on information published by each facility and local government. Times and prices are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.