Matsumoto Castle

Nagano Prefecture

East Area
Stamp Locations

  • Matsumoto Castle Management Office

Access

Approximately 15 minutes’ walk from JR Matsumoto Station

Address

4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano

Japan Alps Jet-black National Treasure Tenshu

In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu was transferred to the Kanto region (around Tokyo), and so Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s vassal, Ishikawa Kazumasa was allocated Matsumoto. Matsumoto Castle’s fine ishigaki and impressive tenshu were constructed by two generations of the Ishikawa clan. Later, Matsudaira Naomasa, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s grandson, carried out a large scale expansion, constructing various gates, the tenshu, adjoining corridors and a moon viewing turret, making five structures in the one complex. Matsumoto’s black coloring makes it appear even more formidable. The main tenshu and the sub tenshu feature 11 “stone dropping chutes” and over 100 loopholes for firing guns and arrows. The western side of the tenshu displays a rugged, war-ready image, while the southern side with its lack of defensive features and red balustrades around the Moon Viewing turret displays its peaceful Edo period side.