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Matthew Haswell | profile | all galleries >> Japan 日本 >> Shikoku 四国 >> Uwajima & the Shimanto-gawa 宇和島と四万十川 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Takamatsu 高松 | Kotohira and Zentsū-ji 琴平と善通寺 | Shōdo-shima 小豆島 | Marugame 丸亀 | Imabari 今治 | Matsuyama 松山 | Ōzu and Uchiko 大洲と内子 | Uwajima & the Shimanto-gawa 宇和島と四万十川 | Kōchi 高知 | Iya Valley 祖谷渓 | Tokushima and Naruto 徳島と鳴門

Uwajima & the Shimanto-gawa 宇和島と四万十川

A small city in Ehime-ken's somewhat remote southwest, Uwajima is known for its abundant seafood and odd tradition of tōgyū - a sort of bullfighting-meets-sumō spectator sport. Founded as a castle town by Tōdō Takatora, Uwajima is still known for its intact feudal donjon, as well as a rather bizarre sex shrine at Taga-jinja, with a shockingly lewd display of "artifacts" at its attached erotica museum (photography prohibited inside, unfortunately).

Nearby in the mountains just across the Kōchi Prefectural border is the long, winding Shimanto-gawa, famous across Japan as the last undammed river in the country. Popular among outdoor sports enthusiasts, the river is most accessible by car or via the rural rail stations of Ekawasaki and Nakamura (the former being where I stopped).
Front of Uwajima Station
Front of Uwajima Station		 JR Uwajima and attached Hotel Clement
JR Uwajima and attached Hotel Clement		 Palm tree-lined main street in Uwajima
Palm tree-lined main street in Uwajima		 Koori Samurai Gate at the foot of the castle hill
Koori Samurai Gate at the foot of the castle hill
Weathered steps leading up to Uwajima Castle
Weathered steps leading up to Uwajima Castle		 Old well on the castle hill
Old well on the castle hill		 Former San-no-maru of Uwajima-jō
Former San-no-maru of Uwajima-jō		 View towards the donjon from the Ni-no-maru
View towards the donjon from the Ni-no-maru
The original donjon of Uwajima Castle
The original donjon of Uwajima Castle		 Donjon detail, Uwajima-jō
Donjon detail, Uwajima-jō		 Upper floor of the donjon with shachi
Upper floor of the donjon with shachi		 Corridor within the donjon
Corridor within the donjon
Wooden model of the donjon in the interior
Wooden model of the donjon in the interior		 Donjon replica and pair of portraits in the castle
Donjon replica and pair of portraits in the castle		 Uwajima's Shinnaiko port
Uwajima's Shinnaiko port		 Central Uwajima from the top of the donjon
Central Uwajima from the top of the donjon
Hanging out futons to dry
Hanging out futons to dry		 One of Uwajima's main boulevards
One of Uwajima's main boulevards		 Suka-gawa north of central Uwajima
Suka-gawa north of central Uwajima		 A heavily chromed ride outside Warei-kōen
A heavily chromed ride outside Warei-kōen
Decorative plates on the back of the truck
Decorative plates on the back of the truck		 Outer gate of Warei-jinja
Outer gate of Warei-jinja		 Inner courtyard of Warei-jinja
Inner courtyard of Warei-jinja		 Giant bull ema and shishi statue
Giant bull ema and shishi statue
Lantern hanging at Warei-jinja
Lantern hanging at Warei-jinja		 Votive plaques, Warei-jinja
Votive plaques, Warei-jinja		 Woman praying at Warei-jinja
Woman praying at Warei-jinja		 Stray cat, Warei-jinja
Stray cat, Warei-jinja
Torii at the entrance to Taga-jinja
Torii at the entrance to Taga-jinja		 Signboard for Taga-jinja's sex museum
Signboard for Taga-jinja's sex museum		 Phallic-shaped figures, Taga-jinja
Phallic-shaped figures, Taga-jinja		 Giant sacred object at Taga-jinja's main hall
Giant "sacred object" at Taga-jinja's main hall
Offerings and origami cranes at a smaller shrine
Offerings and origami cranes at a smaller shrine		 Doll set, Taga-jinja
Doll set, Taga-jinja		 Phallus and bear (tanuki?) statue, Taga-jinja
Phallus and bear (tanuki?) statue, Taga-jinja		 Pathway to Taga-jinja's sex museum
Pathway to Taga-jinja's sex museum
Main hall of Taga-jinja
Main hall of Taga-jinja		 Another phallic figure at the shrine
Another phallic figure at the shrine		 Phallic jack o' lantern? - Taga-jinja
Phallic jack o' lantern? - Taga-jinja		 Noboritachi-mon of Uwajima-jō
Noboritachi-mon of Uwajima-jō
Late afternoon view of the donjon from Ni-no-maru
Late afternoon view of the donjon from Ni-no-maru		 Uwajima-jō's donjon in late afternoon sunlight
Uwajima-jō's donjon in late afternoon sunlight		 Detail of the front of the donjon
Detail of the front of the donjon		 Tōgyū (Uwajima bullfighting) motif on the sidewalk
Tōgyū (Uwajima bullfighting) motif on the sidewalk
Bullfighting motif on portside industry
Bullfighting motif on portside industry		 One-man train car at Ekawasaki Station
One-man train car at Ekawasaki Station		 Shimanto-gawa: Japan's last free-flowing river
Shimanto-gawa: Japan's last free-flowing river		 Kayaking on the Shimanto-gawa
Kayaking on the Shimanto-gawa
Crowded campsite overlooking the river
Crowded campsite overlooking the river		 Koi-nobori hanging over the Shimanto-gawa
Koi-nobori hanging over the Shimanto-gawa		 Dappled greenery in the nearby hills
Dappled greenery in the nearby hills		 Shimanto River and mountains beyond
Shimanto River and mountains beyond
Submersible bridge and village by the river
Submersible bridge and village by the river		 Children net-fishing along the riverbank
Children net-fishing along the riverbank		 View up the river towards a red road bridge
View up the river towards a red road bridge		 Riverside greenery, Shimanto-gawa
Riverside greenery, Shimanto-gawa
Group kayaking down the Shimanto River
Group kayaking down the Shimanto River		 Tranquil view up the Shimanto-gawa
Tranquil view up the Shimanto-gawa		 Lines of carp streamers outside Tokawa Station
Lines of carp streamers outside Tokawa Station		 Train stopped at Kubokawa Station
Train stopped at Kubokawa Station

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