Matsumoto Castle

The ancient Matsumoto, located just 3 hours from Tokyo, thanks to its location, not only escaped death during the Meiji Restoration, but also gained fame as one of the most popular castles among tourists. It's understandable: after watching the modern and largely dizzying sights of the country's capital, all travelers are eager to look at Japan archaic - with samurais, natural beauties and romantic legends. All this can be found in Matsumoto.

It is interesting not only the history of the castle, which is described in more detail below, but also its architecture. For example, Matsumoto is in a marshy area, and not on a high hill or bank of a fast river, like almost all other ancient castles in Japan. Another "chip" of this complex - three secret passages (while the rest of the country's stronghold could boast only one). Finally - the secret floor. If you look at Matsumoto from the outside, you can count only five floors, and in fact six - closed by defensive plates, without windows and natural light sources, this secret floor was intended for storing ammunition and food.

In general, the owners of the castle carefully took care of their own security, so the fortress has long been surrounded by a triple moat and high external stone walls, which stretched for 3 km - the distance of the cannon shot of that time.

Built in 1580 by the Ishikawa clan, the castle repeatedly suffered sieges and fires. One of the last overtook Matsumoto in the late 19th century. After it, the castle took a long time to rebuild, and began restoration only in 1969. Works lasted until 2007, so that by the jubilee of the castle this pearl of the medieval architecture of Japan could rejoice its visitors again. Today in Matsumoto there is a museum where a collection of firearms and swords is kept. On the top floor of the castle is the samurai hall, and around the citadel there is a moat with huge colored carp, along which white and black swans swim.