* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Matsumoto Castle
松本城
Overview
Matsumoto Castle and Its National Treasure Keep
Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle whose predecessor was Fukashi Castle, said to have been built in the Eishō era of the Sengoku period. The keep is thought to have been built around the 2nd to 3rd year of Bunroku (1593–94). The keep designated as a National Treasure, made up of five structures (the Main Keep, Inui Small Keep, Watari-yagura, Tatsumi Tsuke-yagura, and Tsukimi-yagura), is considered the oldest extant five-story, six-level keep in Japan. Its black lime-plaster exterior walls are striking, and their contrast with the white snow of the surrounding Northern Alps has drawn visitors from Japan and abroad as one of the finest views in the country. Of the twelve extant keeps, only five are designated National Treasures: Matsumoto, Hikone, Inuyama, Himeji, and Matsue Castles. Matsumoto Castle is counted among the foremost of them.
Firearms Display Inside the Keep
The interior of the Matsumoto Castle keep is open to the public as a museum, with exhibits on castle history and firearms on each of its six floors. Notable is the collection of matchlock guns, said to be among the largest in Japan. A portion of the Akahane Collection, centered on 141 matchlock guns donated by Akahane Michishige and Kayoko, a couple from Matsumoto, is on display on the second floor of the Main Keep in the Matsumoto Castle Teppō-gura (Firearms Gallery). This firearms collection is a group of materials of global importance that shows the development of firearms culture in Japan from the late Sengoku period through the Edo period.
Armor Handed Down in the Toda Family and the View from the Keep
Besides the firearms collection, Matsumoto Castle holds armor and other materials handed down in the Toda family, from the castle lord Toda Yasunaga to the last castle lord, Toda Mitsuhisa. Some of these items, such as Toda family heirloom armor, are displayed in the permanent exhibition of the Matsumoto City Museum. From the top floor (sixth) of the Main Keep, a spectacular view of the Northern Alps spreads out, and visitors can enjoy the grand mountain scenery while viewing the exhibits inside the keep.
Castle Town Culture of Matsumoto
Matsumoto is known as a 'castle town, post town, and city of learning.' The area around Matsumoto Castle has rich cultural facilities, including the former Kaichi School (National Treasure), the Matsumoto City Museum, and the city art museum. The Matsumoto City Museum also exhibits materials related to Matsumoto Castle, such as the armor handed down in the Toda family, and combined viewing with the castle is recommended. Matsumoto is also famous as a town of crafts, and visitors can enjoy tourism that blends with local traditional culture such as Matsumoto furniture, Matsumoto temari, and Shinshū soba. As the gateway to Shinshū, it is also easily reached from Tokyo, either via the Hokuriku Shinkansen (to JR Nagano Station) or by direct limited express Azusa to JR Matsumoto Station.
Highlights
- National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Keep (Main Keep, Inui Small Keep, Watari-yagura, Tatsumi Tsuke-yagura, Tsukimi-yagura) — among the oldest extant keeps. The black lime-plaster walls and the Northern Alps form one of Japan's finest views
- One of Japan's largest matchlock gun collections — a portion of the Akahane Collection, centered on 141 matchlock guns donated by Akahane Michishige and Kayoko, is on display at the Matsumoto Castle Teppō-gura (Firearms Gallery) on the second floor of the Main Keep. A globally important body of material showing the development of firearms culture from the late Sengoku period through the Edo period
- Armor from the Toda family — the castle holds armor and other materials handed down in the Toda family. Some items, such as Toda family heirloom armor, are displayed in the permanent exhibition of the Matsumoto City Museum
- Views of the Northern Alps from the top floor of the Main Keep — a spectacular view of the Northern Alp ranges. The seasons bring cherry blossoms in spring and snowy landscapes in winter, a top aesthetic experience in Japan that the castle makes possible
- Combined visit with the former Kaichi School (National Treasure) and the Matsumoto City Museum — experience the former Kaichi School, a masterpiece of modern Japanese-style architecture, and Matsumoto's history in a comprehensive way. Castle-town culture such as Matsumoto furniture and Shinshū soba can also be enjoyed
* Opening hours and exhibitions are subject to change. Please check the official website before visiting.