People who visit Matsuyama will no doubt be aware that the city has a fine castle on a hill. They may also know that Matsuyama Castle is one of those that remains in its original state. And so as the train pulls into Matsuyama station, they may be perplexed to see two castles on two separate hills. The one made of wood and tile is obviously the Matsuyama Castle, but then what’s that stone thing on the hill that you can see from the station platform?
Well that's Freiburg Castle, named in honor of Matsuyama's sister city in Germany. It’s actually a folly, a viewing platform at the summit of the hilly Sogo Koen, built somewhat in the style of a European castle. The ‘Sogo Koen’, which means ‘general park’, is a typically Japanese concept—you take a selection of enjoyable elements such as greenery, children’s playgrounds, tennis courts and fine views, and slap a very bureaucratic-sounding name on it all. But despite its unappealing moniker, the Sogo Koen is a great place to get some fresh air in any season.
It's located on a tall and expansive hill between the city center and the airport. Paved roads and pathways loop this way and that throughout the park, linking the various facilities and free parking areas. Camellias—tsubaki in Japanese—are the prefectural flower, and Sogo Koen is full of them. All year round, their leaves are a glossy dark green, and they produce deep pink or purple flowers in all seasons. They line the roads, but there’s also a whole corner of the park devoted to them. This Camellia Land has some 80 different varieties. There are many other types of tree and shrub to be found in the park too.
For children, there are some very extravagant playthings. The area known as Botchan Dreamland has a metal climbing frame in four colors on the scale of a small housing project. In other parts of the park there are long slides that are sure to set little hearts a-beating with excitement. Queue nicely now children, and don’t push—this is Japan.
The park is also home to the Matsuyama City Archaeological Museum, covered in a separate article. The ancient dining ware will probably be of interest to most adults, and provision is made for children in the form of a little prehistoric play area where kids can dress up in animal skins and padded prehistoric armor. The vivid diorama of the Stone Age family in their prehistoric hut also presents a good opportunity to explain to the kids how tough things used to be when their parents were young.
Above all else perhaps, the Sogo Koen is a place to enjoy some magnificent views of Matsuyama and the Seto Inland sea. There are views from most parts of the park, but it rewards the effort to walk to the top and go into the folly to enjoy the 360 degree panorama. All the facilities are free.
