Matsumoto Castle

Kim had some work in Nagano so we decided to make a short trip together to the former site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. We ventured to the city of Matsumoto which is a 2+ hour train ride full of spectacular views through the mountains of rural Japan.

I was excited to go to Nagano as it is home to one of the 4 original standing castles (Matsumoto-Jo). Kim and I arrived in Matsumoto around 2:00 on Sunday afternoon. It was an overcast day with light rain (relative to typical Seattle) and a bit chilly. We checked into our hotel and had to make a quick dash for the castle as it closed at 4:30 PM. It is not necessary to catch a taxi and walking to the castle from the hotel takes about 20 minutes. Taxi service in this small city starts off at 700 yen but being that we were pressed for time and the poor weather, we decided to take a taxi.

Matsumoto-Jo is very flat. Unlike most (or all) of the other castles that we've visited, Matsumoto-Jo does not sit high on a hill. A moat filled with large grey koi and swans surrounds the castle. The castle is also know as the "Crow Castle" because of it's black exterior. It's design is simple as it is one of the older castles built in the Sengoku period (early 1500).

The castle has 6 floors but looks like 5 floors from the outside. The 6th floor is would act as the headquarters for the castle's "war lord" if the castle was under attack. Enshrined on the 6th floor is the Goddess Nijuroku-yashin (26 night goddess of the month). Legend has it that on the night of January 26, 1618, a servant of the castle saw a woman dressed in a beautiful kimono. She told the servant that "If the lord of this castle enshrines me with 600kg of rice on the 26th of each month, I will protect the castle from fire and enemy". It is believed that because the bag was deified, the castle was protected and has survived to be the oldest Japanese castle in original form.