Imabarijo Castle

Imabarijo Castle of Ehime prefecture is one of Japan's "three great water castles." Built by the sea, it is fortified by a seawater moat. Its original builder and owner, Todo Takatora, was considered one of Japan's best castle builders for his experience building other significant castles of the time. The best preserved segments of the castle from Toda Takatora's time are the walls and moat; the other buildings are largely reconstructions. Fish can be seen swimming in the moat below, and this paired with the beautiful castle walls make for a very photogenic location. History aficionados will find much to enjoy in the on-site history museum with its large collection of samurai armor. The stone walls and keep of the castle are illuminated with colored lights at night, and they are particularly beautiful when reflected in the water of the moat.