Castle as seen from the Uzumibashi bridge

Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan's premier historic castles, along with Himeji Castle and Kumamoto Castle.
The building is also known as the "Crow Castle" （烏城）. It was the seat of the Matsumoto domain.
It is located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture and is within easy reach of Tokyo by road or railway.
The keep (Tenshukaku), which was completed in the late sixteenth century, maintains its original wooden interiors
and external stonework. It is listed as a National Treasure of Japan. Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle (平城)
because it is not built on a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain.　Its complete defences would have included
an extensive system of inter-connecting walls, moats, and gatehouses.

松本城は安土桃山時代末期-江戸時代初期に建造された。天守は国宝に指定され、城跡は国の史跡に指定されている。
松本城と呼ばれる以前は深志城と言われていた。


(L) Taikomon (R) Kuromon (Black Gate )

A swan swimming in a moat

Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle, surrounded by a moat.

(L) A weeping cherry tree and castle tower (R) An era-actor in front of the Matsumoto Castle, that is often seen in the oversea historical places.

Inside of Matsumoto Castle
The narrow stairway up to the castle tower (Tenshukaku) is very steep and dangerous to the elderly.

(L) A ceiling assembly of the Tnshukaku, Castle Tower
(R) The second floor of the main keep features a gun museum, Teppo Gura, with a collection of guns, armor, and other weapons

Matsumoto Castle

Premier historic castles, along with Himeji Castle and Kumamoto Castle

It was lucky we could observe Matsumoto Castle just during the cherry blossom season. It is not built on
a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain.　AS other Japanese castle, the narrow stairway up to the castle tower
(Tenshukaku) is very steep, and particularly at Matsumoto Castle, it is dangerous to the elderly person.

Nagoya Castle


松本城
2018年4月執筆
執筆および写真撮影 医学博士　宮本順伯
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This information was provided by the Smokefree Hotel and Travel.
The article was written and photographs were taken in April 2018, by Junhaku Miyamoto, M.D., PhD.
Copyright (C) 2018 Junhaku Miyamoto, PhD. All right is reserved.

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