Kawanoe castle is located in Shikoku-Chuo, Ehime prefecture. 2 cities(Iyomishima and Kawanoe), 1 town(Doi) and 1 village(Shingu) merged to form new municipality Shikoku-Chuo in 2004. Chuo means central in Japanese and the municipality is located in the center of Shikoku island, facing borders with all other 3 prefectures in Shikoku.
Due to its location, Shikoku-Chuo is considered as the important point for traffic, which made the local feudal lord to built the castle. Unfortunately the castle is not the original one built in 1337 but rebuilt in 1984.
Shikoku-Chuo is a major pulp and paper industrial center in Japan and unfortunately there are not so many interesting places to visit except this castle but ideal place to have a stop over between Takamatsu and Matsuyama. Limited express Shiokaze which connects Okayama station in Honshu which Sanyo Shinkansen stops and Matsuyama station, prefectural capital of Ehime, stops at two stations in Shikoku-Chuo; Kawanoe and Iyomishima stations.