Asia · Japan · Nagano
Matsumoto Castle
The story
History of Matsumoto Castle
Japan's oldest surviving five-tiered keep, its black and white lacquered walls reflected in a moat that once doubled as a reservoir.
Japan · Nagano · Japanese
- Built
- from 1504
- Era
- Medieval
- Style
- Japanese
- Country
- Japan
- Region
- Nagano
- UNESCO
- —
- Coordinates
- 36.238, 137.969
In depth
The fuller history
Matsumoto Castle dates to the Sengoku period. A fortification was built at this location by the shugō of Shinano Province, Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan during the Eisho era (1504–1520). This minor border post was originally called Fukashi Castle. In 1550 it was seized by the Takeda clan following the Siege of Fukashi. Takeda Shingen appointed his retainer Baba Nobuharu as castellan. The castle was the Takeda field headquarters for their conquest of the Matsumoto Basin and as a redoubt in the constant conflict between the Takeda and the powerful Uesugi clan to the north.
Key dates
- 1550In 1550 it was seized by the Takeda clan following the Siege of Fukashi.
- 1617They were followed by the Toda-Matsudaira clan from 1617 to 1633, Matsudaira clan from 1633 to 1638, Hotta clan from 1638 to 1642, Mizuno clan from 1642 to 1725 and by the Toda-Matsudaira clan again from 1725 to the Meiji…
- 1878The loss of this building decided the location in favor of Nagano city, and the Matsumoto District Court was built on the site in 1878.
- 1950This enabled access to government funding for a major restoration project from 1950 to 1955, during which these buildings were dismantled and rebuilt.
- 1990In 1990, the Kuromon-Ninomon (second gate of the Black Gate) and sodebei (side wall) were reconstructed.
- 2011Matsumoto Castle was damaged in a 5.4 magnitude earthquake on June 30, 2011.
Historical summary drawn from Wikipedia. Read the full article.
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