Matsumoto
Apart from big metropolises like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, many cities in Japan have a rich history. Usually, these are the cities where castles are overshadowing them. From a historical point of view, these were mighty fortresses that concentrated power and were the centre of the region’s management. Around castles was an environment for trade and culture to be established and developed. Each of these cities had its unique character, which we can admire in many places today. One of the most famous cities of its kind is Matsumoto.
Matsumoto is the second-largest city in Nagano Prefecture, on Honshu island. This extremely picturesque town is between the Japanese Alps and the Utsukushigahara Heights (“Beautiful Plateau”). Matsumoto is one of Japan’s most beautiful and best-preserved castles.
The city was initially called Fukashi. It was developed in the sixteenth century around the castle, which still towers over the city centre. The castle is recognized as a National Treasure and boasts the oldest wooden watchtower in Japan.
How can you spend time in Matsumoto?
In Matsumoto, you can spend time, for example, visiting the castle or one of the many museums. You can also stroll through the city’s old and new districts or take one of the local buses to the city’s outskirts and see the panoramic view of the region from the nearby hills. The town is tempting to experience its leisurely atmosphere, sophisticated culture and picturesque views. Within the urban agglomeration of Matsumoto (including the rural outskirts), there are about 220 thousand inhabitants. You will not experience crowds of people in the streets here or traffic jams in the morning. In the morning, you will not encounter crowds or traffic jams on the roads. Here time goes slower and people are always smiling and friendly.
The city is also a good base for trips to the Japanese Alps, such as the Kamikochi, the Norikura or the Tateyama-Kurobe alpine trail (also known as the “Roof of Japan”), where the mountain trail runs at an altitude of 2400 meters.
The region is famous for its delicious apples and soba pasta (made of buckwheat flour), is the birthplace of contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama and Suzuki’s method in music education.
How to get there, transport?
It is easy to reach Matsumoto from almost any place in Japan. The choice of the type of transport is extensive and depends on where we are going, how much time we want to spend on the journey and how much we have to pay for it.
You can get from Nagano to Matsumoto by JR Shinoi line (78 min). On the way to Matsumoto, the train stops at every train station, but all are clean and tidy. One of the train stations is worth a brief description because the place and the views that can be seen from there are unusual.
Obasute
The Obasute station was opened on 1st November 1900. It is situated on a switchback and has two side platforms serving two tracks connected to the station building by a level crossing. The station is unattended. Trains that stop at this place enter the station and go back! The train first enters the hill and turns left. After the whole train turns left, the engineer uses a return switch and returns to the Obasute station.
Here, the train stops for a while (5 minutes). After a short message in Japanese (which I did not understand), all the train doors were opened, and people started to get off. Except for the vast panorama of the region in this place, there is nothing else to do. So, we understood that we had stopped here to take pictures and enjoy a fantastic view of the river, mountains, and green rice fields. After a short break, we all got back on the train, and the train went in the same direction we had just arrived from.
Trains that do not stop at Obasute do not use the switchback, so they do not return to the station after turning left. This station is tiny. Statistics say that 2015 it was used by an average of 60 passengers daily (boarding passengers only).
The luxury trains
Obasute station will be on the route of Japan’s most modern and luxurious trains shortly. JR-East and JR-West introduced luxury cruise trains in 2017. These train hotels offer luxurious conditions for a few days’ trips through Japan. Single and double rooms are available; you can rent an entire carriage with your balcony and private bathroom. The offer is aimed at wealthy people because a 3-day trip, with 2 nights in a private car, costs about 950 thousand yen (over 8,5 thousand $).
Obusate Station will benefit from this project. Due to its attractive location, an evening bar will be built here. Luxury trains will stay here overnight and offer their guests the opportunity to have dinner surrounded by the beautiful nature of the Zenkoji Valley.
Matsumoto – local transport
After leaving Matsumoto Station, you can take the local “Town Sneaker” tourist loop bus (link to Matsumoto buses), which will take you through four routes along the city’s main attractions. The one-day ticket costs 500 yen ($4,5$) and guarantees discounts to Matsumoto Castle and several museums.
You can also cycle around the city, which you can rent here for free! Free “Sui Sui” bikes are available daily from 9 am to 5 pm in various city locations. They can be found in front of the “M Wing” City Hall (5 minutes walk from the station), in the Nakamachi parking lot or front of the City Museum next to the Castle. New “Rikisha” bikes are also available to rent and can be found in selected hotels or shops.
The castle can also be reached from the station by foot in about 15-20 minutes. I sincerely recommend taking a walk, as walking around the town allows us to examine it from a closer distance and see more details.
Matsumoto Castle – History
Before Matsumoto Castle was built, the Fukashi Castle stood there. This castle was built at the beginning of the Eisho Era (1504) during the civil war, on the order of Sadanaga Shimadachi. It is said that Fukashi Castle was the predecessor of Matsumoto Castle, but historical records are incomplete, and it cannot be deduced how this story began. It is not known yet how the castle of Fukashi became the Matsumoto Castle, but it is known that its construction ended in 1594. At that time, the castle changed its owners and was expanded several times to strengthen its defensive functions. Finally, the castle remained in the hands of the Ishikawa family.
Matsumoto Castle is the oldest in Japan and one of the five best-preserved original castles in the country. There are many castles in Japan, but most are exact replicas of originals. Matsumoto Castle is one of the best-preserved examples of a flatland castle; it is not built on a hilltop or amid rivers, but on a plain. It is surrounded by a triple deep moat, thick walls, narrow and winding stairs, narrow passageways and numerous machicoulis, so it had excellent defence functions. The castle was made of wood, so it was an easy target for flaming shots during the siege. However, its strategic position made the castle challenging to take. On the way to the main hall, it was necessary to overcome three more defensive walls, behind which was the palace of the ruler and more than 1200 samurai houses.
The “Crow Castle”
The castle’s base surface is 600 m2, and it is built on a square plan. In the middle, there is a tower 30 meters high. Next to it are two lower towers connected by a corridor. Donjon was built on a stone pedestal, with smooth and steep walls falling directly into the water.
The castle’s location is also unusual—on a hill (590 meters high) but on flat ground. Castles of this type are called ” flatland castles.” Due to the black colour of the exterior walls and roof, it is also called a “crow castle.” It was recognized as a monument in 1930 and as a National Treasure in 1936.
The castle is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (the last entrance is at 4.30 p.m.). Visiting the castle is impossible on Mondays. Admission ticket 610 Jen (about 5,5$). During the Golden Week and the “Summer Season” (2017 – 5-16 August), the castle is open from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Matsumoto Castle – what to see?
Matsumoto lies at the foot of the Japanese Alps, and the soil in this area is prone to erosion. Therefore, the castle was renovated several times, and the main renovation focused on strengthening its structure and stopping the building’s tilt.
The castle has five floors, but in fact, there are six floors because, in the third – secret one, samurais gathered together in case of a siege. To get to the castle, you must pass through the lower fortress, Inui Kotenshu, which has a hidden floor as the armoury. This place was also connected to the main hall by roofed upper corridors.
On the second floor of the central tower, there is the Teppo Gura Museum, which displays weapons and armour. It is a gift from the private collection of one of the citizens of Matsumoto (Akahane Michishige), who, in his will, left the entire collection for the city’s use.
Being in the castle you can look closely at the thick wooden pillars on which all its construction is based. Old weapons were also displayed on the sites: firearms, muskets, mortars, and arquebuses. On the last floor is a tiny sanctuary devoted to the goddess of fire protection. From the windows on this floor, there is a magnificent view of the countryside and the snowy peaks of the Japanese Alps. The tour of the castle ends in a tsukimi-yagura turret, which was used in the past to watch the moon.
Matsumoto city, what can you see besides the castle?
Matsumoto City was included in the list of cities with “special meanings” created in February 2017. There are currently 36 Japanese cities with more than 220,000 people, and their functions complement those of the major cities in the region. The Parliament recognized the final list of cities of “special importance” based on applications raised by local authorities.
In the city, you should also visit places related to the history of Matsumoto or the whole region. Apart from the castle, it is also worth seeing:
Temple and a tea house
- Kasamori Inari Temple was built in the 16th century by Lord Ogasawara. It is mainly known for the wooden entrance gate, built between 1688 and 1704, the oldest gate in the city.
The temple is a 5-minute walk from JR Matsumoto Station. Free entrance.
- Ikegami Hyakuchikutei Tea Room is a historic Japanese garden house just a few minutes ‘ walk from the castle. It has a full-size tea room and a small but charming garden. The local community often uses the tea house for family celebrations so that it can be fully booked and unavailable to the public.
When there are no reservations, you can visit it from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Entry is free.
Other interesting places
- Kaichi School, built in 1876, was the first public school in the region to offer education to anyone, regardless of origin or degree of wealth. It was one of the first buildings of this type in Japan. Currently, the school is closed and is only available to visitors.
The school is a 10-minute walk from Matsumoto Castle or a 25-minute walk from JR Matsumoto Station. Entry is possible from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (the last entrance is at 4:30 p.m.). The entrance fee is 300 JPY ($2.7). It is closed on Mondays.
- The Baba family residence was built at the end of the Edo period. A wealthy farming family that descended from samurai inhabited it. The primary residence was built in the typical Matsumoto area folk architecture style. There is also a small but beautiful garden. The residence and the surrounding garden have been preserved for public display. It was also recognized as an “Important Cultural Property.”
The residence is open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (last entrance at 4.30 p.m.), and the entrance fee is 300 Jen (2,7$). Visiting is possible daily except Mondays.
Matsumoto – museums
There are also several museums in the city. Worth visiting:
Museum of Clocks
The museum idea was born in 1974 when Chikazo Honda donated his collection of clocks to the city. Clocks
were made in Japanese and Western styles and preserved very well. He believed that his collection could interest others and that finding it in a suitable place would be worthwhile. Over time, other citizens of Matsumoto also handed over their old antique clocks to the city. That allowed the museum to be open in 2002. The great value of this museum is that most of the clocks are still working well. Outside the building is the largest swing clock in Japan (“Pendulum Clock”). The museum’s collection has over 300 clocks dating back to the Middle Ages. Exhibits are still being collected, hoping that one day, the collection will grow to such an extent that it will become a significant landmark in the city.
Open from 9 am to 5 pm (last entrance at 4.30 pm), entrance fee 300 yen (2,7$). The museum is closed on Mondays.
Ukiyo-e Museum
It is a private collection of Japanese paintings and woodcuts. It houses over 100,000 works collected by several generations of the Sakai family. The museum’s rich collection consists of woodcuts, old paintings, and books. This is the most extensive collection of this type in Japan. Be aware that in the museum, information in English is minimal. When buying an admission ticket, I recommend taking a leaflet in English that will provide you with essential information.
It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the admission fee is 1,000 yen (about $ $9). It is closed on Mondays. From JR Matsumoto Station, you can get to the museum by the Town Sneaker bus, the Western Course (Government Regional Office stop), and from there, it is about a 15-minute walk.
Through the eye of the camera
Walking around the city, you can find some old architecture and examples of contemporary art.
Useful links
My other posts about Japan
TRIPS:
- Himeji – White Egret Castle
- Kamakura – the seat of the first Shogun
- Kanazawa – Kenrokuen Garden and Castle
- Kyoto and Kansai region
- Matsumoto – city overshadowed by the Castle
- Mount Fuji – the most popular icon in Japan
- Nagano Prefecture – The Roof of Japan
- Nara -Japan’s first permanent capital
- Nikko – the light of the sun
- Tokyo – Western capital