Matsumoto Castle, in the city with the same name, is one of a handfull of remaining original castles still standing in Japan. With the castle tower standing intact, it is one of five castle towers designated as National Treasures by the Japanese government along with Himeji, Hikone, Inuyama, and Matsue Castles. Built in the late 15th century, the castle tower is one of the oldest still standing along with its corresponding turrets. Known for its black and gray exterior, Matsumoto Castle picked up the nickname of “Raven Castle” and has often been seen as one of the more stoic castles in Japan. What really makes this castle stand out is where it’s located, and I don’t mean where it is in greater Japan, I mean where it is geographically. Unlike most castles in Japan which were built upon hills or bluffs to grant a larger range of oversight, Matsumoto Castle is built on a flat plain and had no elevation advantage other than the height of the tower keep itself. Many castles used the hills they were built upon and their associated steep slopes to make it more difficult for an invading force to climb up to the tower keep, and therefore make it easier for archers, gunmen, and other defense forces to thin out attackers. Matsumoto Castle, on the other hand, used a series of canals to function as moats, filled by the melting snows from the Japanese Alps which loom above. Largely the castle didn’t need to make use of these fortifications in the long run, because shortly after the completion of the castle and its fortification, the Edo Period was founded and with it came 250 years of peace. As a result, a moon viewing room and an additional defense turret (for added drama) were constructed on the castle grounds.

For visitors: 9.

There are a couple of reasons why I really think that people should visit this castle and the first reason is because it’s not near any of the main cities. Being in Japan, it’s easy to get caught in the typical locations: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, etc. These cities are wonderful but they now only present a small percentage of authentic Japanese culture and tradition. For this reason, I and many others recommend spending some time in the countryside of Japan. If going to the middle of nowhere isn’t your thing, places like Matsumoto are fantastic alternatives; it’s a major city within Nagano Prefecture, but it is so far from any of the other major centers that it still retains a large percentage of authentic culture. At the castle alone visitors can enjoy hanami (flower viewing parties) in spring, the Matsumoto Taiko Matsuri in July, Moon Viewing in early fall, and Takigi Noh performances by torchlight making the keep a lightning rod for local activities and traditions. Entering the keep is an equally interesting activity that grants access to several viewing platforms and rooms for the aforementioned activities, as well as displays of arms and armor which would have been used in the case of an attack.

Dramatic lighting for the Taiko Festival.