Horinouchi Park

"An owl has just hooted
Three-thousands of cavalrymen picked their ears
for that and calm down"
(Shiki)

This Haiku was composed in the winter of 1892 (Meiji 25).
It has the foreword of "Horinouchi in Matsuyama".
The residences of the feudal domain chiefs and senior retainers in Horinouchi (the inside of moat) that had been the third citadel of Matsuyama Castle in the period of feudal domain.
After abolition of the feudal domain system, the branch corps of Matsuyama were garrisoned here on June of 1877 (Meiji 10), and took over the 22nd infantry in 1884 (Meiji 17) until the end of the War of 1945 (Showa 20).
At that time, a sentry stood at the main entrance of the southern edge of the moat (Minami-Horinouchi ) and many soldiers passed days based on severe military discipline in the camp. They would be getting nervous even for an owl hooted in the Castle Hill.
There is the anniversary monument of "The 22nd infantry" and "The most affectionate one is the bravest one" by Tadaaki Sakurai in front of the national Hospital of Horinouchi.