Matsumoto Castle
- Published on : 24/10/2025
- by : Joshua
- Youtube
Matsumoto Castle
@PETR0S on goodfon.com
Dive into the history of Matsumoto Castle, a gem of Nagano Prefecture, renowned for housing Japan’s oldest surviving wooden keep. A journey through time you won’t want to miss.
History of Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle's black-painted, wooden keep (donjon) is the oldest surviving structure of its kind in Japan, dating from 1595. The black color gave Matsumoto Castle its nickname "Karasujo" (Crow Castle) and the brooding, somber color was designed to sow fear in the hearts of any approaching attacker. Matsumoto Castle is built on flat ground and is thus classified as a hirajiro in Japanese (flat-land castle) and has a large moat and thick walls as a means of defense.
Construction of the fortress that was to become Matsumoto Castle began under the Ogasawara clan in 1504 and was remodeled by Lord Kazumasa Ishikawa, a retainer of warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi, in the mid-1590s.
Matsumoto Castle has six floors, including the obligatory hidden floor where the samurai soldiers rested and kept their food and powder supplies. Visitors to Matsumoto Castle must take off their shoes as they climb up the steep wooden stairs. There is an English and Japanese piped commentary and exhibits of firearms, armor, roof tiles, photographs and samurai swords. There are excellent vistas of the Southern Alps from the top of the castle.
Matsumoto Castle in autumn
@suradeach saetang on Pexels
Matsumoto Castle was not designed for permanent residency but purely for military purposes. On your way to the top floor, look out for the openings for archers (yazama), guns (teppozama) and for dropping stones (ishiotoshi).
Cultural events at Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle is host to a number of cultural events throughout the year, with the castle itself often a backdrop for festivals and other activities.
- The annual Taiko Festival is held during the last weekend of July
- The moon viewing festival is held in either September or October aligned with the harvest moon
- The Takigi Noh performance is held on August 8th of every year
- The ice sculpture festival is held in late January
Matsumoto Castle in winter
@Japanexperterna on Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Access to Matsumoto Castle
Train
- From Nagoya Station the Shinano Train takes 2 hours
- From Shinjuku Station in Tokyo by Azusa and Super Azusa trains in around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- From Nagano Station direct Shinano trains take 50 minutes
All of these options are available with the Japan Rail Pass since they are operated by the JR group. There are also a few other regional passes that grant access to Matsumoto.
Take a look at different rail passes ad tickets for getting to Matsumoto in Nagano!
Bus
There are direct highway buses to a variety of destinations, including Shinjuku, Osaka, Nagoya, Chubu International Airport and Takayama from Matsumoto. By road, Matsumoto is accessed from the Chuo Expressway.
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