Matsumoto Castle
松本城
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Black and White in Contrast — Japan's Oldest Surviving Five-Story Castle Keep
Matsumoto Castle is a historic castle. Travel through its seasons and highlights across 5 on-location videos before you visit.
Set against the backdrop of the Northern Alps, Matsumoto Castle — a National Treasure — is famous for the striking contrast between its jet-black wooden siding and brilliant white plaster walls. It is Japan's oldest surviving five-story, six-floor castle keep, its sturdy Sengoku-era construction still intact today. Visitors are drawn to the castle's reflection in the moat and to the ever-changing seasonal scenery that frames it.
History & Culture
A Castle Built for Battle
Built in the closing years of the Sengoku period, the castle retains numerous defensive features designed for real combat, including gun ports and stone-dropping chutes. Though built as a flatland castle, it is firmly protected by its moats and stone walls.
The Moon-Viewing Turret Tells a Story
The vermilion-lacquered Moon-Viewing Turret, added during the Edo period, embodies the elegance unique to an age of peace. The coexistence of martial strength and refined beauty within a single castle is one of Matsumoto Castle's defining highlights.
4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano
- ~15 min walk from Matsumoto Stn
8:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Keep ¥700
Hours and fees are a guide and may change — please check official information before your visit.
