Uwajima Castle (Uwajima-jō) is one of only four feudal-era castles on Shikoku to survive with their original tenshu (main keep) intact, and one of just twelve remaining original keeps in all of Japan. Built in its current form in 1665 by the Date clan on the site of an earlier fortress, it is a three-storey hirayama-jiro (flatland-mountain) style castle set on a low wooded hill above the town.
The keep is small by the standards of famous castles such as Himeji or Matsumoto, but it is beautifully proportioned and well preserved. The walk up through the old castle grounds takes about fifteen minutes from the base. From the top floor there are good views over the city and Uwajima Bay. The surrounding area retains some of the quiet atmosphere of an old castle town. Admission is modest; the castle is open daily.