Matsumoto Castle is a designated National Treasure, located on the plains of Matsumoto City in central Nagano Prefecture. As a hira-jiro, or castle built on the plains, it necessitated an extensive system of moats, stone and earthen walls, and gatehouses for defense.
Originally, the site was a fortress used by the Ogasawara clan around 1504. It was later taken by Takeda Shingen in 1550, and subsequently by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who awarded it to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu reinstated the Ogasawara clan, placing Ogasawara Sadayoshi in command. Sadayoshi named the area Matsumoto before Tokugawa Ieyasu replaced him with the trusted general Ishikawa Kazumasa.
From 1590, Kazumasa began rebuilding and expanding the castle but died in 1592. His son, Yasunaga, also known as Gemba, completed the work in 1594, including the current five-story black lacquered wooden-clad tower.
The construction inside the smaller Ko-tenshu tower and the main Tenshu tower is particularly interesting. The upright pillars in the older Ko-tenshu are rounded, while those in the main Tenshu are square, indicating different construction periods. The main keep and sub-keep towers are linked by fortified watari-yagura corridors. Both the Tenshu and Ko-tenshu feature ishi-otoshi rock-dropping hatches at the corners, indicative of their wartime construction. The southeastern corner has an open-plan yagura called the Tsukimi Yagura, or Moon-Viewing yagura, built in 1634 for moon-viewing parties, alluding to its peacetime construction.
The Tsukimi Yagura was added by Matsudaira Naomasa, Tokugawa Ieyasu's grandson, for his cousin, the third Shogun Iemitsu's planned visit, which was ultimately canceled. It is said that during a moon-viewing party in the Tsukimi Yagura, the moon can be seen three times: in the sky, reflected in the moat, and in your sake cup.
Matsumoto Castle is a collection of five separate National Treasures: the main keep, the Ko-tenshu, the two adjoining corridors, and the Tsukimi Yagura. The outer walls of the tenshu complex are covered in black lacquered shitami-itabari cladding, protecting the mud walls within and giving the castle a somber appearance, especially against the backdrop of the winter snow-capped northern Alps.
In 1872, following the collapse of the feudal system and the start of the Meiji Restoration, Matsumoto Castle was slated for demolition and sold at auction. However, citizens formed a group to save the castle, successfully preserving it for future generations. In the mid-Meiji period, the castle developed a lean, prompting civic groups to repair the tower keep. Designated a National Treasure in 1952, recent improvements have included the reconstruction of several gates and walls.
At the corner of the Taiko Yagura Mon Gate and the current entrance to Matsumoto Castle stands a large, rectangular rock about 2.5 meters high and weighing an estimated 22.5 tons, known as the Genba Stone. Named after Ishikawa Genba, the samurai lord tasked with the castle's redevelopment in 1590, the stone symbolizes power and financial strength. The story goes that Ishikawa Genba, hearing laborers complain about moving the heavy rock, swiftly executed the main complainer and displayed his head as a warning, ensuring the rock was quickly and quietly moved into place.
Matsumoto Castle, also known as Karasu-Jo or Crow Castle due to its black-walled main tower and adjoining towers resembling a crow spreading its wings, is a stunning example of Sengoku period castle architecture. It is one of only five castles designated as a National Treasure and, though off the standard tourist path, remains a remarkable destination.
See also
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Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
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Yamato Koriyama Castle
The impressive ruins of Koriyama Castle sit atop a small hill, surrounded by two rivers. The strategic positioning and strong layout of the castle served it well through the final years of the Sengoku period and the peaceful days of the Edo period.
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Yamanaka Castle
Yamanaka Castle, established by Hojo Ujiyasu in the 1560s, is located in what is now eastern Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. This castle served as the first line of western defense for the main Hojo Castle at Odawara. Carved into the side of a 586-meter-high mountain, Yamanaka Castle was strategically positioned along the Tokaido Highway, offering superb views of nearby Mt. Fuji, the ocean, and the road leading to Odawara.
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Uwajima Castle
Uwajima Castle, located in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku, is one of the 12 remaining Japanese castles with an original keep. Known for its small size, Uwajima Castle is relatively difficult to access, which means it is less frequented by tourists.
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Ueda Castle
Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture once stood prominently on a cliff overlooking the Saigawa River. Also known as Amagafuchi-Jo, Isesaki-Jo, Matsuo-Jo, and Sanada-Jo, it was built around 1583 by its first master, Sanada Masayuki. This sturdy yet small fortress cleverly utilized the surrounding natural defenses, including the river, steep rocky cliffs, the layout of the town below, and the strategically designed waterways to hinder attackers. Ueda Castle was fortified with seven defensive yagura (watchtowers) atop robust stone walls and had two large gates with watchtowers above them.
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Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama Castle, located in Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, is celebrated as one of Japan's top three major hilltop (Hirayama) castles, alongside Himeji and Matsuyama Castles. Originally, Tsuyama Castle comprised 77 structures, including the main keep, various yagura (watchtowers), gates, palaces, and living quarters. For comparison, Hiroshima Castle had 76 structures, and Himeji had 61. The first castle on this site was built in 1441 but was soon abandoned. The large-scale construction that we recognize today began in 1603 under the orders of Mori Tadamasa. The castle served as the administrative base for the Tsuyama Han daimyo, the Mori clan from 1603 to 1697, and the Matsudaira clan from 1698 to 1871.
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Tsu Castle
Tsu Castle, located in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, was originally built by Hosono Fujiatsu in 1558 and was known as Anotsu Castle, named after the old region. The site was strategically chosen at the confluence of the Ano and Iwata Rivers, which naturally formed a moat around the castle, while the nearby port served as a vital trade route.
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Sasayama Castle
Tamba Sasayama Castle, also known as Sasayama or Kirigajo (Mist Castle), is a flatland castle (hira-jiro) situated on a gentle rise in the Tamba region of Hyogo Prefecture. It was constructed in 1608 as part of Tokugawa Ieyasu's strategy to prepare for an attack on Osaka, aiming to bring an end to the Toyotomi clan. Ieyasu ordered the castle's construction using the Tenka Bushin system, engaging 20 former enemy daimyo and their forces to complete the complex within six months. This system kept the former enemies close and preoccupied, financially straining them and limiting their capacity for further conflict. The stones used in Sasayama Castle feature engravings called kokumon, indicating who made each part of the walls and preventing theft by other lords' men.
