Matsumoto CastleMatsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture

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Matsumoto Castle DATA
TenshuExisting castle tower|National Treasure Gojo
Other nameFukashi Castle, Karasu Castle
castle construction1504
address4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture
telephone number0263-32-2902
Opening hours8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (changes depending on the season)
closing dayYear-end (December 29th to 31st)
Admission feeAdults 700 yen / Elementary and junior high school students 300 yen

Matsumoto Castle still has a five-story castle tower that rivals Himeji Castle. The exterior is five-story, but the interior has six floors. The castle tower of Heijo stands in a magnificent landscape with the Northern Alps as its backdrop.

Access to Matsumoto Castle
From JR Matsumoto Station bus stop, take the Matsumoto Electric Railway Bus Town Sneaker North Course for about 10 minutes and get off at the Matsumoto Castle Kuromon bus stop.

HISTORYMatsumoto Castle, a national treasure with beautiful black and white exterior walls

Matsumoto Castle is a flat castle located in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. Built between the Azuchi-Momoyama period and the early Edo period, the castle tower remains and is designated as a national treasure. Another name is ``Fukashi Castle'', and it is also known as ``Crow Castle''. Let's unravel the history of Matsumoto Castle.

The Ogasawara clan, the guardians of Shinano, built Fukashi Castle.
In 1334, Sadamune Ogasawara, who followed Takauji Ashikaga and participated in the overthrow of the Kamakura shogunate, was ordered to become the Shugo of Shinano as a reward and built Igawa-kan. It is said that Ikawakan was more like a large mansion than a castle. In 1459, Ogasawara Kiyomune built a mountain castle called Hayashi Castle, and built Fukashi Castle as a branch castle on the site of the current Matsumoto Castle. This is considered to be the predecessor of Matsumoto Castle.
In 1550, Takeda Shingen set out to conquer Shinano from Kai (present-day Yamanashi Prefecture), captured Fukashi Castle and Hayashi Castle, and expelled the Ogasawara clan.
After the Ogasawara clan was expelled, the land of Shinano came under the control of the Takeda clan. Takeda Shingen rebuilt Fukashi Castle and placed Nobuharu Baba in charge of the castle.
The Ogasawara clan recaptured Shinano and built Matsumoto Castle
The Takeda clan ruled Shinano for 23 years. When the Takeda clan was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga in 1582, Shinano came under Oda Nobunaga's control. Later, after Oda Nobunaga was killed by Akechi Mitsuhide in the Honnoji Incident, Ogasawara Tosetsusai, the descendant of the Ogasawara clan, who was exiled, recaptured Fukashi Castle with the help of Kiso Yoshimasa and the backing of Uesugi Kagekatsu. .
After that, Ogasawara Sadayasu, the son of Ogasawara Nagatoki, who had the backing of Tokugawa Ieyasu, expelled Ogasawara Tōsetsusai, who had been a puppet of Uesugi Kagekatsu, and recaptured Fukashi Castle.
After regaining Fukashi Castle, Sadayoshi Ogasawara began building a castle town by enlarging the castle, dividing the land of the castle, dividing the territory of San-no-Kuruwa, digging a moat, and building an embankment. However, following Tokugawa Ieyasu's move to Kanto, Hidemasa Ogasawara, the lord of Matsumoto Castle at the time, also moved to Shimousa Koga.
After the Ogasawara clan moved, Kazumasa Ishikawa entered Shinano. Kazumasa Ishikawa and his son Yasunaga took over the renovation of Fukashi Castle, building the castle tower and adding stone bridges, Watari Yagura, Kuro Gate, Taiko Gate gate tower, etc.
At this time, the current form of Matsumoto Castle was completed.
However, Yasunaga Ishikawa was subsequently ousted due to the Okubo Nagayasu Incident, and Hidemasa Ogasawara was once again transferred as the lord of Matsumoto Castle.
After that, Matsumoto Castle became the domain office of the Matsumoto clan throughout the Edo period.
Matsumoto Castle in the Edo period
Matsumoto Castle was renovated several times during the Edo period, changing from a castle used for war to a castle used for politics. In addition, in 1727, the Honmaru Palace was destroyed by fire, and from then on, the Ninomaru domain came to be ruled by the domain.
Matsumoto Castle after the Meiji era
In the Meiji era, Matsumoto Castle was put up for auction and was in danger of being demolished. However, it was bought back by volunteers, including Minamisaku District Mayor Ryozo Ichikawa, and the crisis was averted.
However, as the Ninomaru Palace was destroyed by a suspicious fire and the castle tower was significantly tilted, large-scale repairs later called the ``Meiji Great Repairs'' were carried out from 1903 to 1913. Masu.
In addition, most of the main moat was filled in for reasons such as securing residential areas.
Later, in 1930 (Showa 11), five buildings, the castle tower, Inui small castle tower, Watari turret, Tatsumi turret, and Tsukimi turret, were designated as national treasures under the National Treasure Preservation Act.
After the war, a second major repair was carried out from 1950 to 1955.
In the Heisei era, the Kuromon, Ninomon, Sodebei, and Taikomon Masugata, which had been demolished, were restored, and the castle regained its appearance similar to the Edo period Matsumoto Castle.
In 2006, it was selected as one of Japan's top 100 castles.
Current Matsumoto Castle
Today, Matsumoto Castle is both a tourist attraction and a place of relaxation for people. There is a fee to enter the Matsumoto Castle Tower, but the surrounding Matsumoto Castle Park is free.
Matsumoto Castle Park is home to a variety of plants, including cherry blossoms and wisteria, and hosts various events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival.
In addition, food-related festivals such as the Soba Festival and joint tea parties are held, and the area is crowded every time.

Read about incidents related to Matsumoto Castle

Tensho Migo RebellionTokugawa vs Uesugi vs Hojo! The conflict immediately after the Honnoji Incident
In June 1582, the Tensho Migo War took advantage of the confusion that followed Nobunaga's defeat in the Honnoji Incident. While the Tokugawa family, Uesugi family, and Hojo family fought over the former Takeda territory that Nobunaga ruled, the former Takeda territory was ruled by Nobunaga.
Tensho Migo Rebellion
Battle of Komaki and NagakuteToyotomi Hideyoshi vs Tokugawa Ieyasu
The only battle in which Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu faced each other directly was the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute in 1584. Approximately two years have passed since the Honnoji Incident in 1582, when Oda Nobunaga was defeated. There was Hideyoshi who killed Mitsuhide Akechi.
Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
Okubo Nagayasu IncidentAn embezzlement case in the early Edo period? Or a political change? What is the “Okubo Nagayasu Incident”?
Political factionalism is always present. However, now even if you lose, you won't lose your life. However, during the Edo period, there were cases where clans were destroyed as a result of losing the battle for power. One of them was Keicho 18 (1613).
Okubo Nagayasu Incident

Read biographies of people related to Matsumoto Castle

Naomasa MatsudairaSuccessful stock who played an active role in Osaka no Jin
The late Muromachi period was a time of war and turmoil, also known as the Sengoku period, which was compared to the history of China. Tokugawa Ieyasu brought an end to this era. Supported by many retainers, Ieyasu established the Edo Shogunate and became a ruler of Japan. As Ieyasu's grandson, he played an active role in the Osaka Siege.
Naomasa Matsudaira
Kazumasa IshikawaFrom a loyal subject to a traitor
The late Muromachi period was also called the Sengoku period, which was compared to the history of China. It was Tokugawa Ieyasu who put an end to this era. Supported by many retainers, Ieyasu established the Edo Shogunate and became a ruler of Japan. Supported Ieyasu from a young age
Kazumasa Ishikawa

History of the Matsumoto clan, with Matsumoto Castle as its domain office

Matsumoto domainruled by six houses
The Matsumoto domain was a 60,000 koku domain that existed in Nagano prefecture during the Edo period. It was ruled by six families until the end of the Edo period, including the Ogasawara clan, which was a feudal lord and the shugo of Shinano from the Muromachi period, the Mizuno clan, and the Toda clan. The domain office was located at Matsumoto Castle, which still stands today.
Matsumoto domain
Matsumoto clan DATA
Domain officeMatsumoto Castle
old areaChikuma District, Shinano Province
stone height60,000 koku
Fudai/TozamaFudai
main lordMr. Ogasawara, Mr. Ishikawa, Mr. Matsudaira, Mr. Hotta, Mr. Mizuno, Mr. Matsudaira (Mr. Toda)
Estimated population120,000 people (first year of Meiji)

Kazumasa Ishikawa, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu, built the castle, but it was destroyed after only two generations. It was followed by Fudai and Okinawa clans, including the Ogasawara family and the Matsudaira family.

Japanese Castle Photo Contest.03