Matsumoto Castle

　There are only five castles designated as National Treasures in Japan. Among them, Matsumoto Castle is particularly popular with French visitors. A hospitality team dressed as ninjas and other characters helps to entertain the visitors.

　It is said to have originated as Fukashi Castle, built by the Ogasawara clan who ruled Shinano Province during the Warring States period; the main keep and the castle town were subsequently developed by Ishikawa Kazumasa, a close aide to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Shogun of the Edo Shogunate.

　During busy periods such as public holidays, queues can stretch to over two hours, and the steep internal staircases can be quite strenuous; as a result, some tours simply view the main keep from the outside before returning. However, the collection of some 140 firearms on display inside—belonging to Mr Michishige Akabane, a firearms collector from Matsumoto—is well worth seeing. If you visit first thing in the morning or after 3 pm, you can explore the castle grounds at a relatively leisurely pace.

　Following the establishment of a sister-city partnership with Château de Chambord in the Loire region of France this April, the castle is likely to continue attracting attention in the future.