Information about Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle (松本城, Matsumoto-jō) is one of Japan's historic castles. Located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture, it is within easy reach of Tokyo, making it popular with tourists from Japan and other countries.

This castle is also called Crow Castle because of its black walls and spreading wings. It is an example of a flatland castle, not being built on a hilltop or amid rivers.

The castle's origins go back to the Sengoku (Warring States) period. At that time, the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site, which was originally called Fukashi Castle. Later, it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Ieyasu.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi transferred Ieyasu to the Kantō region, he placed Ishikawa Norimasa in charge of Matsumoto. Norimasa and his son Yasunaga built the tower and other parts of the castle, including: the three towers, the tenshu (donjon tower), inui-kotenshu (small tower in the northwest), watari-yagura (connecting scaffold), goten (residence), taikomon (drum gate), kuromon (black gate), yagura (scaffold), hori (trench), honmaru (the main wing), ninomaru (the second wing), sannomaru (the third wing), and the sub-floors in the castle, much as they are today. They were also instrumental in laying out the castle town and its infrastructure. It is believed much of the castle was completed in 1593-4.

During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate established the Matsumoto Han, of which the Matsudaira, Mizuno and others were the daimyo.

In 1872, following the Meiji Restoration, the tower was sold at auction and was at risk of being dismantled. However, with the cooperation of Ichikawa Ryozo and other people of Matsumoto, it was spared. The Kuromon-ninomon (second gate of the black gate) and sodebei (side wall) were reconstructed in 1990. The taikomon-masugata (square-shaped drum gate) was reconstructed in 1999.

The tower of Matsumoto Castle is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.

Parts of the castle

• Kuro-mon (black gate) - The main gates for the honmaru (main wing) are the kuro-mon (black gate) and masugata (square-shape gate), both essential for castle security. The first gate yagura-mon (scaffold gate) was rebuilt in 1960. The second gate, masugata (square-shape gate) and the sodebori (side wall) were rebuilt in 1990.
• Taiko-mon (drum gate) - The taiko-mon-masugata (square-shaped drum gate) was built around 1595, and is on top of the north stonewall. The taiko-ro (drum tower) was used to signal the time, like a clock. It was also likely used to call people for assemblies and during emergencies. It was reconstructed in 1999.
• Goten (residence) - The goten (residence) was built after the completion of the tenshu (donjon tower), and was used as the lord's manor house, as well as the administrative center. It was razed by fire in 1727 and was never rebuilt.
• Tenshu (donjon tower) - The tower actually has six floors, even though it looks like it only has five from the outside. The third floor of the tower on the inside has no windows and was designed as a secret floor to the castle's enemies. It was used to house soldiers during wartime. The second floor has distinctive tategoshi (vertical grill) windows. It was likely used as a place for soldiers to assemble. The second floor also has a harquebus collection. The sixth floor was used as a watchtower, but includes a shrine in the ceiling dedicated to the god Nijuroku-ya-shin (god of 26 nights).
• Yagura (scaffold) - This wing of the building is a room designed specifically for viewing the moon and is referred to as the moon room or moon observatory. Three sides of the room (north, east, and south) are open to the air when the mairado (sliding doors) are opened. This area cannot be seen from the tower.

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