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Matsumoto Castle's keep complex reflected in the inner moat, with mountains behind, May 2019.
ManishprabhuneCC BY 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Nagano · Matsumoto

Matsumoto Castle

松本城

Matsumoto, Nagano

CastleFlatland castle (hirajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 27

What makes this castle distinctive

A black keep built for war is joined to a red-railed moon-viewing turret built in a time of peace.

Why?

The main keep, the smaller Inui keep and the corridor turret linking them were built at the end of the Sengoku (Warring States) period, ready for battles fought with guns. About 40 years later, in the peaceful Edo period, the Tatsumi Tsuke Yagura and the Tsukimi Yagura were added with almost no defenses at all. Matsumoto Castle says this is the only keep complex in Japan that joins buildings from two such different eras.[2]

Three things not to miss

01
The Tsukimi (moon-viewing) Yagura in spring, April 2012. Added in the early Edo period, it was built for viewing the moon and has almost no defensive features.KimonBerlinCC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons

Tsukimi Yagura, the moon-viewing turret

Where
The southeast end of the keep complex, in front and to the right of the main keep as seen from the Honmaru Garden.
What to look at
The veranda with its red-lacquered railing, and how open the building is compared with the black-walled towers beside it.
Why it's interesting
Added in the early Edo period under Matsudaira Naomasa, together with the Tatsumi Tsuke Yagura, this turret was built for viewing the moon. It has almost no defensive features, and when it was designated a National Treasure in 1936, the official description singled out its palace-like design as unusual among castle buildings. Like the main keep, it is a National Treasure.[2][5][12]
Can you see it?
Partly visibleYou can go inside as part of the paid keep visit. Until October 31, 2026, part of it is closed while fresh lacquer dries.
02
One of the steep staircases inside the keep, August 2016. Visitors remove their shoes and climb by stairs only.選挙権CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Steep stairs and gun defenses inside the keep

Where
Inside the main keep, the corridor turret and the Inui small keep.
What to look at
The stairs, as steep as about 61 degrees; the small openings in the walls for guns and arrows (sama); and the stone-drop hatches (ishi-otoshi) for shooting straight down.
Why it's interesting
The three buildings from the end of the Sengoku period have 115 loopholes and 11 stone-drop hatches. According to Matsumoto Castle, the walls on the first and second floors are about 29 cm thick, and the inner moat was made about 60 m wide, just within the range at which a matchlock gun stays accurate. Among surviving keeps, it is the oldest with five roofs and six floors.[1][2][9]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideTicket required. No shoes inside, and stairs only (about 140 steps); not accessible by wheelchair. Photography is not allowed near the stairs.
03
The inner gate of Taikomon, rebuilt in 1999, March 2018.Taka1CC BY-SA 4.0Wikimedia Commons

Taikomon gate and the giant Genba Stone

Where
The east gate on the way from the second enclosure toward the main enclosure.
What to look at
The square courtyard-style gate (masugata) and the huge stone set into its wall.
Why it's interesting
Taikomon was torn down in the early Meiji era. After excavations, it was rebuilt in 1999, with the pillars shaped to fit the original foundation stones. The Genba Stone in its wall weighs about 22.5 tons, the largest stone in the castle, and is said to have been brought in by the castle's builder, Ishikawa Yasunaga (whose court title was Genba-no-kami).[4]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideFreely visible from Matsumoto Castle Park.

At a glance for visitors

Nearest station
20 min walk from JR Matsumoto Station (Oshiro Exit)
Climb
Not confirmed
Time neededEditors' estimate
Inside the keep: 30–40 minutes when quiet, about 60 minutes when busy (official estimate). Allow about 1.5 hours to include the park and gates.
Admission
Adults 1,200 yen (e-ticket) or 1,300 yen (paper ticket); elementary and junior high students 400 yen; preschoolers free. Groups of 20+: 1,080 yen (e-ticket), 360 yen for students. Free for holders of a disability certificate plus one companion.
Hours
8:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Longer hours around Golden Week and other periods; 10:00–15:30 on January 1–3.
Access
Open to visitors

Matsumoto Castle Park is free to walk around. The Honmaru Garden and the keep require a ticket. The only entrance is the Kuromon gate; the Uzumimon entrance is closed. Pets are not allowed in the garden or keep (contact the office in advance about assistance dogs).

Checked:

View on mapOpen in Google MapsNational Treasure Matsumoto Castle (official site)Matsumoto Castle (English)

The story of this castle

01
Historical record

It began as Fukashi Castle on the plain

Matsumoto Castle is a flatland castle (hirajiro) on a basin floor about 590 m above sea level. An earlier castle, Fukashi Castle, stood here, and after Takeda Shingen drove out the Ogasawara clan, Shinano's governors, in 1550, he used it as a base for pushing into northern Shinano. When the Takeda fell, Ogasawara Sadayoshi took the castle back in 1582 and renamed the area from Fukashi to Matsumoto.[2][3]

02
Historical record

Ishikawa Kazumasa and his son built the keep

In 1590, on Toyotomi Hideyoshi's orders, Ishikawa Kazumasa took over Matsumoto. He had been a senior retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu before leaving him to serve Hideyoshi. When Kazumasa died two years later, his son Yasunaga pressed on with the work and built the main keep, the Inui small keep and the corridor turret between them. Matsumoto City's official view is that the keep was built in 1593–94.[3][6]

03
Scholarly interpretation

A castle to keep watch on Ieyasu

When the keep went up, Tokugawa Ieyasu had just been moved to the Kanto region. Matsumoto is said to have been one of a ring of castles around Edo, along with Kofu, Ueda and Komoro, that were given to Hideyoshi's loyal lords to keep Ieyasu in check. The gun and arrow loopholes, stone-drop hatches, thick walls and a moat sized to matchlock range all reflect that purpose.[2]

04
Historical record

A moon-viewing turret in the Edo period

In the Edo period, 23 lords from six families ruled Matsumoto, all closely tied to the Tokugawa. Under Matsudaira Naomasa, a grandson of Ieyasu who held the castle from 1633 to 1638, the Tatsumi Tsuke Yagura and the Tsukimi Yagura are said to have been added to the main keep, giving the complex its present form.[3][5]

05
Historical record

Local people saved a keep that had been sold

After the Meiji Restoration the keep was sold at auction and faced demolition. Ichikawa Ryozo, a local official, raised money with supporters to lease the keep and held five exhibitions inside it between 1873 and 1876, which kept it from being torn down. Later, when the neglected keep had begun to lean, Kobayashi Unari, principal of the local middle school, and others raised donations and repaired it from 1903 to 1913.[6][5]

06
Historical record

A full dismantling in the 1950s, and National Treasure status

The five buildings of the keep complex were designated National Treasures in 1936. Having escaped both war and fire, they were designated again under the new Cultural Properties Law in 1952. From 1950 to 1955 the national government fully dismantled and repaired the keep, returning parts altered in the Meiji repairs to their Edo-period appearance. The black lacquer on the outer walls is still recoated every year.[1][5][12]

People of this castle

Timeline

  1. Ishikawa Kazumasa arrives in Matsumoto[3]

  2. Matsumoto City's official view is 1593–94

    Ishikawa Yasunaga builds the main keep, Inui small keep and corridor turret[6]

  3. During Matsudaira Naomasa's rule, 1633–38

    The Tatsumi Tsuke Yagura and Tsukimi Yagura are added[3][5]

  4. Ichikawa Ryozo and others hold exhibitions in the keep, saving it from demolition[7]

  5. The Meiji-era repairs led by Kobayashi Unari are completed[7][5]

  6. The five keep buildings are designated National Treasures[1][5]

  7. The full dismantling and repair of the 1950s is completed[5]

Buildings and remains

The keep today

Original keep

An original surviving keep. All five buildings—main keep, Inui small keep, corridor turret, Tatsumi Tsuke Yagura and Tsukimi Yagura—are National Treasures. The wooden main keep has five roofs and six floors, the oldest surviving keep of that type.

The site today

The main and second enclosures form Matsumoto Castle Park, with the Honmaru Garden and the keep as the paid area. The inner moat, parts of the outer moat, and the Kuromon and Taikomon gates have been restored. The city of Matsumoto surrounds the castle.

Main buildings

OriginalNational Treasure

Main keep (Daitenshu)

Built 1593–94 (Matsumoto City's view). Five roofs, six floors.[2][6]

OriginalNational Treasure

Inui small keep

Linked to the main keep by the corridor turret.[2]

OriginalNational Treasure

Watari Yagura (corridor turret)

Connects the main keep and the Inui small keep.[2]

OriginalNational Treasure

Tatsumi Tsuke Yagura

Added in the early Edo period.[2][5]

OriginalNational Treasure

Tsukimi Yagura (moon-viewing turret)

Added in the early Edo period, with almost no defenses.[2][5]

Modern reconstruction

Kuromon gate (inner gate)

Rebuilt in 1960; with no original plans, the design is said to have been based on a Nagoya Castle gate. The outer gate and square courtyard were restored in 1989.[4]

Rebuilt in wood

Taikomon gate (inner gate)

Torn down in the early Meiji era and rebuilt in 1999 after excavations.[4]

Key facts

Type
Castle
Setting
Flatland castle (hirajiro)built on flat ground, defended by moatsEditorial article
Period
Medieval (c.1185–1570s), Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Original keepthe keep (tenshu) itself survives from before 1868Editorial article
Built by
Ishikawa Kazumasa, Ogasawara SadatomoJapan Castle Foundation
Built
1504Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords
Matsudaira clan, Ishikawa clan, Toda clan, Hotta clan, Mizuno clan, Ogasawara clanJapan Castle Foundation
Abandoned
1871Wikipedia (ja)
Remains to see
Stone walls, Earthen ramparts, Moats, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Gates, Keep base (tenshudai)Editorial article
Designation
National Treasures (five keep buildings) (1952); National Historic Site (1930)Editorial article
Selection
Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 27Japan Castle Foundation

Visiting

Access

Open to visitors

Matsumoto Castle Park is free to walk around. The Honmaru Garden and the keep require a ticket. The only entrance is the Kuromon gate; the Uzumimon entrance is closed. Pets are not allowed in the garden or keep (contact the office in advance about assistance dogs).

Address

4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0873 (Matsumoto Castle Management Office)[1][8]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Nearest stations and how to get there

JR Matsumoto Station (Oshiro Exit)JR Shinonoi Line and others

about 20 min walk · Not confirmed

About 20 minutes on foot. The Town Sneaker loop bus (North Course) or the Asama Line bus takes about 10 minutes to the Matsumoto-jo/Shiyakusho-mae stop.[8]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Hours and admission

Keep and Honmaru Garden (paid area)
Hours
8:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Longer hours around Golden Week and other periods; 10:00–15:30 on January 1–3.
Closed
December 29–31
Admission
Adults 1,200 yen (e-ticket) or 1,300 yen (paper ticket); elementary and junior high students 400 yen; preschoolers free. Groups of 20+: 1,080 yen (e-ticket), 360 yen for students. Free for holders of a disability certificate plus one companion.[1]
Checked: 2026-10-03

By car / parking

About 3.5 km (20 minutes) from the Matsumoto IC on the Nagano Expressway via Route 158. Nearby city-run lots include the multi-story Otemon parking garage (cars only).[8]

Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
Not confirmed (Matsumoto Castle Park)Checked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
Inside the keep: 30–40 minutes when quiet, about 60 minutes when busy (official estimate). Allow about 1.5 hours to include the park and gates.
Steps, slopes and footing
The grounds are flat, but inside the keep you climb narrow, steep stairs (about 140 steps, up to about 61 degrees).[1]
Wheelchairs and strollers
As an original National Treasure, the keep has no elevator and cannot be entered by wheelchair. Free loan wheelchairs are available at the Kuromon ticket office and the Kaichi and Otemon parking lots (no reservations). Strollers can be left at the management office or the keep entrance.[9]Checked: 2026-10-03
Toilets and rest
There are no toilets inside the keep. Accessible toilets: one in the Honmaru Garden and two in Matsumoto Castle Park.[9]
English signs / audio guide
The official website has an English version. Volunteer interpreter guides (Alps Goodwill Guides) are stationed in Matsumoto Castle Park except at New Year and some other times.[9][11]
Seasons
Cherry blossoms in spring. The keep is lit up every evening from sunset until 22:00 all year. Autumn brings events such as National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Week (November 3–10 in 2026).[9][12]
Photography
Photography near the stairs inside the keep is prohibited for safety. Flying drones anywhere on the grounds, including the park, is prohibited without special permission.[1][9]
Works, closures and restrictions
Routine lacquer and exterior maintenance runs from August 24 to October 31, 2026. The keep stays open, but parts of the exterior are covered with scaffolding and white sheeting, and part of the Tsukimi Yagura is closed. A tea ceremony gathering is held on October 12 and a matchlock gun demonstration on October 18 (canceled if it rains).[12][13]Checked: 2026-10-03

Around the castle

Museum

Former Kaichi School

An early Meiji-era school building and National Treasure, marking its 150th anniversary in 2026 with special exhibitions.[14]

Checked: 2026-10-03

Editors' guide

An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.

Who will enjoy it

Ideal for anyone who wants to climb a genuine surviving keep and compare how old castle buildings were put together. The stairs inside are very steep, so if you are unsure on your feet, focus on the views from outside and the Honmaru Garden.

What makes it interesting

From outside, take in the black main keep and the red-railed moon-viewing turret together to feel the contrast between an age of war and an age of peace. Inside, the gun loopholes, stone-drop hatches, thick pillars and steep stairs show that this was a building made for fighting.

Before you go

You take off your shoes to enter the keep, and there is no elevator. During holidays entry may be limited and waits can be long, so check the waiting-time display and crowd calendar on the official site. Until the end of October 2026, part of the exterior is under maintenance sheeting.

Ways to enjoy it

The classic view is from the south side of the inner moat, with the keep reflected in the water and the mountains behind. The keep is lit up every night, so it is worth seeing by day and again after dark. Knowing how Ichikawa Ryozo and Kobayashi Unari saved it in the Meiji era shows how much this castle belongs to the people of Matsumoto.

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Open questions

Sources

  1. 1
    観覧案内国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
  2. 2
    天守とその構造国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
  3. 3
    松本城の歴史国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
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    黒門・太鼓門国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
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    国宝指定と修理のあゆみ国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
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    住民が守った松本城国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
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    アクセス国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
  9. 9
    よくあるご質問国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
  10. 10
    日本100名城 一覧公益財団法人日本城郭協会jokakuChecked:
  11. 11
    Matsumoto Castle (English)National Treasure Matsumoto CastleofficialChecked:
  12. 12
    【8/24〜10/31】松本城天守の漆・外壁等定期メンテナンスについて国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
  13. 13
    【10月18日】国宝松本城古式砲術演武について国宝松本城(松本城管理課)officialChecked:
  14. 14
    国宝旧開智学校松本市立博物館municipalChecked:
  15. 15
    List of Japan's 100 Fine Castles and the Next 100公益財団法人日本城郭協会jokakuChecked:
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  18. 18
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Listing status

  1. Candidate foundChecked
  2. Confirmed as a castle siteChecked
  3. Basic informationChecked
  4. In-depth articleChecked
  5. Photo rights checkedChecked
  6. Visit info checkedChecked

Castles nearby

Igawa Castle1.9 km · Not yet confirmedHayashi Castle4 km · Not yet confirmedKirihara Castle5.2 km · Not yet confirmedHaibara Castle7 km · Not yet confirmedUenoyama Castle7.3 km · Not yet confirmedYamabe Castle7.8 km · Not yet confirmed

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