Ozu: Castle Town Looking to the Future

"Journeys in Japan"

Hi, I'm Charles. Just take a look around, will you?

I'm sailing down the Hijikawa,

and it's taking us to an intriguing castle on a hill.

Doesn't that sound great?

And I've been told, if we play our cards right,

we can actually stay there overnight.

Wouldn't that be great?

It sounds like the start of another great journey, doesn't it?

I can't wait.

A city surrounded by forests,

in a quiet corner of Shikoku Island.

And this is its castle.

The lord is in the house.

On this edition of "Journeys in Japan,"

Charles meets a community that's embracing its past,

while looking to the future.

Ozu, Castle Town Looking to the Future

There it is.

The city of Ozu.

The city of Ozu lies some 800 kilometers southwest of Tokyo,

in the heart of Ehime Prefecture.

About 70% of its area is covered by woodlands.

The Hijikawa River flows down from the hills,

eventually reaching the Ozu Basin.

High above the surrounding area

stands a handsome castle with a proud history.

Ozu is widely considered the most scenic township along the Hijikawa River.

Look. There it is.

The magic of being able to stay there overnight.

Wow.

Hello, nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too, Mr. Glover.

You can call me "Charles."

- Welcome to Ozu Castle.
- Thank you.

So, I was told that a person can actually stay overnight

inside a real Japanese castle.

Yes, it's the one-and-only in Japan.

Wow, fantastic.

Ozu Castle was originally erected some 400 years ago,

but its main keep was dismantled in 1888.

However, in response to strong local sentiment,

a project was begun to rebuild it,

working from old photos and wood models.

It was finally completed in 2004.

Two years ago, the castle began offering accommodation.

Guests are welcomed with elaborate re-enactments of the ceremonies

that would have greeted local rulers in feudal times.

Fire a gun salute for the lord!

How much does it cost to stay for one person?

The basic plan is 1.1 million yen for two guests,

including two meals.

That's like, 6 or 7,000 dollars, US.

Wow.

Lawyers, doctors, and business owners.

Basically they're quite rich people.

Do you have any foreign guests?

Recently, we've been receiving more and more requests from foreign customers.

I see.

Wow, it sounds really exciting. I can't wait to see it.

So, would you like to wear a Japanese armor?

- The full suit?
- Yes.

Oh, I'd love to.

- Okay then, let's go.
- Great.

I can't wait.

Wow. Charles, you look very powerful.

Fantastic. Perfect.

This is great.

I really do feel like the lord of the castle here.

Yes, totally.

Okay, let's go up to the castle.

I can't wait.

So, when did the reconstruction start?

Actually, for the construction itself, two years ago.

But they started planning like eight years before.

So, the whole plan, like ten years.

Wow, the "ishigaki," or the stone wall, is quite impressive.

Wow, there it is.

This is your castle.

Wow, very impressive.

Beautiful.

Ozu Castle comprises the donjon, or main keep,

along with two turrets that have stood there since the old days.

The total construction costs for rebuilding the keep

came to around ten million dollars.

The local people gave a huge support

and they donated about 500 million yen.

Really. Local support? That's impressive.

They support it very much.

From here is the inside of the main castle.

The restored part.

You can see the new carved wood, right?

Sure, yeah.

The construction method is the same as the one in the Edo period.

They combined all the wood together

and didn't use any iron nails or anything.

So tonight, you are going to sleep here, like the ancient lords.

The lord is in the house.

And next, I want to show you the Koranyagura.

What's that?

It's a moon-viewing structure.

Oh, that sounds great.

Let's go.

Very impressive.

Wow, this room is very different.

It's quite a view.

This building has remained since the Edo period

which means the ancient lords also sat right here

and watched the whole castle town.

And also at night, watched the moon, drinking sake.

Nice.

Well, let's just pretend that I'm the lord.

And please bring me my sake.

So, from now, please walk around your town.

This is my town.

It looks like a Japanese garden.

And a nice one.

Let's go take a look.

Hello.

There seems to be a Japanese garden in there.

Welcome to Garyu Sanso Villa.

Please come in.

Interesting building as well.

This garden was laid out four centuries ago,

around the same time that the castle was built.

The local lords used it as a place for relaxation.

The villa was built by a wealthy merchant

over a period of about 10 years in the late 19th century.

Such a unique structure.

I'm curious. Why was this structure built?

This villa was built in the traditional "sukiya style,"

reflecting the world of the Japanese tea ceremony.

The garden was designed so that it reveals its beauty to visitors in each of the seasons.

You can enjoy the autumn foliage,

and see beautiful snowscapes in winter.

The villa was also used as a guest house

where important guests were welcomed.

Around 9,000 craftsmen were brought to Ozu for the construction,

including from Kyoto.

Western culture and buildings were introduced to Japan in the Meiji period (late 19th century).

This meant there was less work

for those craftspeople involved in traditional architecture.

As a result, many of them made their way to Ozu

to work on this villa.

The people of Ozu take great pride in this place.

Well, it is unique.

What other place can you experience all four seasons in one place?

It's great.

Hello.

- Hello.
- Hi.

May I ask... what are you doing?

I'm taking out this old map of the city

and comparing it to the city.

Oh, an old map of Ozu?

Yes.

Diego Cosa Fernandez is from Spain.

He moved to Ozu three years ago to study its history.

His primary focus is on the Hijikawa River.

And as you can see here, there is no bridge.

Ozu's prosperity depended on the river.

Back in the day, there were no bridges,

and the river bank was crowded with traders' boats.

For the local people, it was the center of their lives.

For transportation, commerce, fishing and swimming.

In Japanese, when you write the characters of Ozu,

you have two characters.

The first one is "big,"

and the second one meant and was written in the form of "harbor."

The river was very, very important.

If there was no river in here, there wouldn't have been any city.

So very much the lifeblood.

It is the essence.

The Hiji River, it is the essence of the city of Ozu.

There are still streets lined with old whitewashed houses

dating from the Edo period.

There are also other historic structures that date from the Meiji era,

which add a distinctive flavor to Ozu's townscape.

Although the city continues to move with the times,

it has managed to retain its retro atmosphere.

These combinations of strong and large nature and mountains

and cultural and architectural refinement.

That makes Ozu a very interesting place.

Here he is.

Welcome home.

It's good to be home.

Where should I start?

The meals served in the castle are based on

secret records of the dishes prepared for the feudal lords.

Along with some modern recipes incorporating

premium meat and fish from around Ehime Prefecture.

Cattle are fed mandarin oranges.

Let's see how it tastes.

It really is delicious.

But to be honest, there's no flavor of mandarin oranges.

But it's very, very good.

This is kind of amazing to think that all of this food is from Ehime.

Locally sourced.

I'm not sure how to eat this but, oh well.

Caviar.

On a blini, I do believe they're called.

Or little pancake.

I'm sure this is local as well.

Paradise.

Locally sourced food.

All so delicious.

Kimono.

I've been in Japan a long time,

and I have never worn an actual man's kimono.

So wonderful. I feel like a king.

Wonderful.

After the guests have finished eating,

they're entertained with performances of traditional dance.

During the coldest months, visitors to Ozu

may wake up to find the town enveloped with mist

or sudden swirls of cloud.

This is the Hijikawa, the "elbow river."

It's pretty much the lifeblood of Ozu City.

But in 2018, it was hit by a major disaster.

In July 2018, torrential rain hit many parts of Japan,

causing severe damage across the country

and the loss of more than 200 lives.

In Ozu, embankments along the river bend were breached,

bridges were washed away, and some districts inundated.

Since then, the city has been looking for

new approaches to pay for the reconstruction,

making greater use of its cultural assets.

The start of the "Castle Stay" program

has boosted efforts to refurbish parts of the city,

and it has become a symbol for this initiative.

More than 50 local people take part in the events held to welcome guests.

Performances are held of "kagura," a form of Shinto ceremonial dance.

And on one occasion, a fireworks display was put on

at the request of some guests.

Our main purpose is preserving

and revitalizing the whole town of Ozu.

So, the city of Ozu.

Yes, exactly.

So, in another words, basically...

I mean, you're making money, of course,

but you're taking the culture of Ozu, you're preserving it

and you're leaving it for the people of today and for tomorrow as well.

Exactly.

We want to pass on the local culture and traditions.

Sustainable cultural tourism.

Exactly.

Many traditional houses are being renovated

and converted into accommodations.

While their facades have been kept intact

to maintain the unity of the townscape,

inside, more modern touches have been added.

Other buildings have been turned into cafes or restaurants,

not just aimed at visitors but also for the locals.

Slowly but steadily, Ozu is being regenerated.

Hello.

Those persimmons look very tasty.

They're really good.

The traditional hospitality that this area is known for

is being embraced by younger members of the community.

Hello.

Please come in.

Miyaoka Shingo is an Ozu native

who runs a guest house in the city.

He has converted a former stationery shop

into a guest house with three rooms and a cafe-bar.

It retains the calm, relaxed feel

that is a hallmark of these houses dating back from the old days.

In the renovation process, I made sure

to preserve as much as possible of the old building.

I kept all the parts that were still usable.

The people in this neighborhood say

they think the building looks beautiful now.

It's the kind of a place where my friends can

drop by to relax and enjoy themselves.

Working with the local farmers, Miyaoka now offers his visitors

the opportunity to take part in fruit picking sessions.

He then brings the harvest back,

to be baked into pastries that he sells in his cafe.

Many of Miyaoka's friends

now share his enthusiasm for revitalizing their hometown.

What type of town is Ozu?

Many of the old houses are being renovated

and this gives us more places to meet up.

Ozu is becoming a place

where it's easier for people to connect with each other.

There are many warm-hearted people here.

I could feel that, too.

What do you like best about this town?

I enjoy doing yoga by the Hijikawa River.

And when the weather is warmer,

I like to go out paddleboarding.

It's great that the traditional houses are being renovated now.

I think Ozu has the finest townscape

and the best people in Japan.

As more tourists visit our town,

it will be further revitalized.

It makes me happy to hear people say

they like Ozu and want to come back soon.

I want to do more to encourage people to visit Ozu.

Wonderful, isn't it?

I feel so lucky.

I've had a wonderful, wonderful journey, and I learned something.

It's not just about wearing interesting clothes

or staying in a castle

but looking underneath and finding the soul of the place.

And the soul of Ozu is preserving nature

and protecting their history.

I hope that they continue doing this and not just for monetary means.

But to hand that heritage off to their children.

And I hope ordinary people have a chance to actually stay in a Japanese castle.

Ozu is a wonderful place.

You have to come and visit.

Who knows?

We might even meet because I'd love to come here again.

To reach Ozu from Tokyo,

flights take an hour and a half to Matsuyama.

From there, it's a 30-minute train ride to Iyo-Ozu Station.