Matsumoto-jo

Third stop on the Nagano trip was Matsumoto Castle in Matsumoto. We spent the morning at the Sanada Museum and Matsushiro-jo, then haigh-tailed it to Mastumoto, but due to the early sunset this time of year, it was well on its way down, and castles close at dark. We got pictures from the moat side (where it always looks like the castle is rising out of a lake, but it's really just a fairly wide moat), then hurried inside to try to get some pictures with the sunset in the background. I call this a fair success.

Matsumoto-jo as it stands today is an 'original' castle, but was built pretty late in the game. There was another castle in the same location which saw battle, but this one never did. It's got some cool features, like a secret floor that can't be seen from the outside.

It was hella crowded when we were there, but it was a Saturday night on a holiday weekend, so I guess we weren't the only ones with the idea to go castle-ing that weekend. Signs are in Japanese and English, which is nice.

November 2012

Other castles in Nagano: