Matsumoto City Museum of Art

Matsumoto Castle

Also known as "Crow's Castle" because of its unusual black exterior, Matsumoto Castle is one of the three most beautiful castles in Japan, along with Himeji and Kumamoto Rule of the Takeda clan and later the famous Tokugawa Ieyasu. The wooden interior of Matsumoto Castle offers an authentic experience that is different from what you get in many other castles rebuilt from reinforced concrete. The castle's most interesting features include steep wooden stairs, openings for archers, and an observation deck on the sixth floor of the main tower with great views of the surrounding city. In spring, Matsumoto Castle is a popular spot for the cherry blossom. Many visit the extensive castle grounds and the park for a walk. Hundreds of cherry trees stand along the outer moat and are in full bloom in mid-April each year.