Iyo

Iyo occupied western Shikoku, facing the Inland Sea. One of its medieval centres was Yuzuki Castle at Dogo, built by Kono Michimori during the Kenmu era of 1334–1338. The castle had inner and outer moats, hilltop enclosures and quarters for retainers. The Kono family continued to face warfare and internal disputes until 1585, when it surrendered to Kobayakawa Takakage during Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s conquest of Shikoku. Yuzuki was subsequently abandoned.

A new political centre arose on the Matsuyama Plain. Kato Yoshiaki began building Matsuyama Castle on Katsuyama in 1602 after his holdings were enlarged following Sekigahara. Construction continued for about a quarter-century and passed to another lord when Kato was transferred to Aizu in 1627. Matsudaira Sadayuki arrived from Kuwana in 1635 with a domain assessed at 150,000 koku.