Uwajima (宇和島市, Uwajima-shi) is a city located in Ehime, Japan. In 1595, what is now Uwajima was known as Itajima village. Takatora Tohdo became lord of the Uwa region, and ordered the restoration of Marugushi Castle. The city was founded by the mergers of the city of Uwajima and parts of former Kitauwa District. As of December 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 92,418. The total area is 469.48 km˛. Uwajima is also home to an unusual fertility shrine called Taga-jinja, which features a large, realistic phallus carved from a log approximately 9 feet in length, 1 foot in diameter. Next to the shrine is an extremely graphic and bizarre sex 'museum,' filled with artifacts and paintings from around the world. The city is renowned for its bullfighting, but they differ from the more widely-known Spanish bullfights in that there is no matador. Two bulls are brought together in a ring, and fight until one bull's knees touch the ground or flees from the ring, marking it the loser. Except for special occasions, the bullfights are held on January 2nd, the second Sunday of April, July 24th, and August 14th.
