Matsumoto City is located in the west of Nagano Prefecture and 240 km west of central Tokyo (75 km southwest of Nagano City.  Before the Meiji Restoration (明治維新) in 1867, it was a castle town nestled between the Japanese Alps (日本アルプス) and Utsukushigahara Heights (美ヶ原; meaning "beautiful plateau").  The altitude of the city center is 610 m ( lat. 36.15 N and long. 137.58 E) and it belongs to the inland climate area (hot-and-dry summer and cold-and-dry winter).
  The origin of the name "Matsumoto" is ambiguous.  However, it is said to be Sadayoshi Ogasawara (小笠原 貞慶, 1546-1595)'s saying in 1583: "Matsukoto Hisashikushite Honkai wo Togu" (「待つ [松]事久しくして本懐を遂ぐ」: "We have obtained our cherish desire after waiting so long").  Sadayoshi was the third son of Nagatoki Ogasawara (小笠原長時, 1514-1583), the former lord of Shinano Area including the present Matsumoto City before Shingen Takeda (武田 信玄, 1521-1573)'s invasion in 1548 (17th year of Tembun [天文17年].  They were defeated by the Takeda troops at the Battle of Shiojiri-toge (塩尻峠の戦い) in July 19, 1548: They lost 1,000 soldiers' lives out of 5,000 during the battle and were routed for fear.  Since then, the Ogasawara clan had been waiting for repossessing their father land since the Kamakura Period (鎌倉時代).  It was Ieyasu Tokugawa (徳川 家康, 1542-1616) who gave Matsumoto Castle to Sadayoshi in 1583.
  After the Ogasawara clan's moving to Sanuki-no-kuni (讃岐国; now Kagawa) in 1590, Kazumasa Ishikawa (石川k数正, 1533-1593) and his son Yasugnaga (石川康長, 1554-1643) constructed the present Matsumoto Castle in 1593-1594.  After the Ishikawa clan's moving, many lords in turn owned the castle and ruled this area .  Matsumoto developed as the largest castle town of the Shinshu area (Nagano Prefecture) with twenty thousand people (12,000 town people and over 7,000 samurai) during the Edo Period (江戸時代).
  Fortunately Matsumoto City was not targeted by the U.S. air raid during World War II, so it still maintains numerous historical buildings like Matsumoto Castle (松本城), and "Kyu-kaichi-gakko" (旧開智学校; the Fomer Kaichi Elementary School, est. 1873) which was one of the oldest Japanese elementary school buildings.  Matsumoto City is the second largest city of Nagano Prefecture next to Nagano City and it is considered to be the vice prefectural seat with FM Nagano (FM長野) radio station, the Matsumoto branch of the Bank of Japan (日銀松本支店), Matsumoto Airport (松本空港), the main campus of Shinshu University (信州大学) and the Matsumoto Fort of the Self-Defense Forces (自衛隊松本駐屯基地).  It merged with Azusagawa Village (梓川村), Shiga Village (四賀村), Nagawa Village (奈川村) and Azumi Village (安曇村) on April 1, 2005.  The current Matsumoto City has an area of 919.35 sq. km (its forest area occupied c. 81% [74,000 ha]) and the population is 227,394 (October 1, 2007).  Since the birth of the present Nagano Prefecture in 1876, People in Matsumoto City has been long conscious of Nagano City, the prefetural seat with the population of 378,035 (October 1, 2007).
  

IMAGE	IMAGE NO.	DATA
JR Matsumoto Station		JR Matsumoto Station is located in the city center at 1 Fukashi, Matsumoto City (松本市深志1丁目).  The name "Fukashi" (深志) originally derived from "Fukase-go" (深瀬郷) which was the former name of central Matsumoto.  The altitude is 586 m.  Matsumoto Station is the central station of Chushin Area (中信地方).  Chuo-honsen Line (中央本線) directly brings passengers to JR Shinjyuku Station (JR新宿駅) in the east (2h 36m-53m), Tokyo and JR Nagoya Station (JR名古屋駅) in the west (1h 59m), although trains on the Chuo-honsen Line are frequently delayed for some reason.
	nmt2007-001	(Sunday 18 November) JR Matsumoto Station, 1 Fukashi, Matsumoto City
	nmt2007-004	(Sunday 18 November) Statue of Banryu-shonin (播隆上人, 1786-1840, b. now Toyama City) in front of JR Matsumoto Station, 1 Fukashi, Matsumoto City.  Banryu-shonin was a Buddhist monk of the Jodo-shu sect (浄土宗) credited with the first ascent of Yari-ga-take (槍ヶ岳, or Mt. Yari, 1878 high), the most famous peak in the Japan Alps or the "Japanese Matterhorn."  He first climbed the peak in 1828, fifty years before British mining engineer Professor William Gowland (1842-1922) climbed and named the Hida Mountains (飛騨山脈; the North Japan Alps) as the Japan Alps in 1878.   Banryu scaled Yari-ga-take and other major peaks as part of his religious devotion.  This statue designed by Shunsuke Kamijo (上條 俊介) and built by Matsumoto Lions Club in August 1986 to commemorate Banryu's achievement in the early modern mountain climbing in Japan.  Banryu-shonin also established the climbing route to the peak of Kasa-ga-take (笠ヶ岳, 2898 m high) in 1823.  For further story about Banrty-shonin, read Jiro Nitta (新田 次郎)'s novel Yari-ga-take Kaisan (『槍ヶ岳開山』; The Pioneer of Yari-ga-take, 1974).
Matsumoto Castle		Matsumoto Castle (松本城), 4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto City.  The origin of Matsumoto Castle goes back to Fukashi Castle (深志城), which was built at the beginning of the Eisho Era (永正年間, 1504-1521) in the Civil War Period (戦国時代, c.1493-1573).  During those troubled times, Lord Ogasawara (小笠原氏) of Shinano (信濃; now Nagano Prefecture), moved his manor house from Igawa (井川) to the Hayashi Area (林地区) at the eastern foot of the mountain.  At that time, the center of Matsumoto Basin (松本盆地) was called Shinano Fuchu (信濃府中).  Lord Ogasawara's retainers protected themselves by building their houses around Hayashi Castle (林城), the new manor house of their lord.  Fukashi Castle (深志城) was built in front of Hayashi Castle (林城) around the same time to protect the front of the manor house.  After that, Shingen Takeda (武田 信玄, 1521-1573) of Kai (甲斐) chased away Lord Ogasawara to create a strongpoint for the conquest of Shinano.  Then, in the 10th year of Tensho (天正10年; AD 1582), Sadayoshi Ogasawara (小笠原 貞慶, 1546-1595) recaptured Fukashi Castle (深志城) by taking advantage of the protectors letting down their guard during the Hon-no-ji Incident (本能寺の変) in 1582.  Then he changed the name to Matsumoto Castle (松本城).   After Hideyoshi Toyotomi (豊臣 秀吉, 1536/1537-1598) dominated the whole region by defeating Ujinao Hojo (北条 氏直, 1562-1591) at Odawara Castle (小田原城) in the 18th year of Tensho (天正18年; AD 1590), he allocated the Kanto District (関東地方) to Ieyasu Tokugawa (徳川 家康, 1543-1616).  Hidemasa Ogasawara (小笠原 秀政, 1569-1615), the lord of Matsumoto Castle (松本城) at that time, also moved to Shimousa (下総) in Kanto following Ieyasu.  Hideyoshi appointed Kazumasa Ishikawa (石川数正, 1533-1593) as the new lord of Matsumoto Castle (松本城).  Kazumasa and Yasunaga (石川 康長, 1554-1643), the father and the son, maintained the castle and the town.  Yasunaga built not only the three towers, including the tenshu-kaku (天守閣; the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), inui-kotenshu (乾小天守; drum gate), and watari-yagura (渡櫓; connecting scaffold), but also the goten (御殿; residence), taiko-mon (太鼓門; drum gate), kuro-mon (黒門; Black Gate), yagura (櫓; scaffold) and hori (堀; trench).  He secured hon-maru (本丸; the main wing) and ni-no-maru (二の丸; the second wing), gathered warriors in san-no-maru (三の丸; the third wing), built up the infrastructure in the town, and created the sub-floors in Matsumoto Castle, much as they are today.  It is estimated that the towers were built during the 2nd and the 3rd of Bunroku (文禄2年-3年; AD 1593-1594) in Yasunaga's time.   The succession of the six families (23 lords in total) owing the castle is as follows: the Ishikawa family (石川氏) from 1590 to 1613, the Ogasawara family (小笠原氏) from 1613 to 1617, the Toda senior family (先戸田氏) from 1617 to 1633, the Matsudaira family (松平氏) from 1633 to 1638, the Hotta family (堀田氏) from 1638 to 1642, the Mizuno family (水野氏) from 1642 to 1725, and the Toda Junior family (後戸田氏) from 1726 to 1869.           (Quoted from the Official Pamphlet with additional information and some corrections)
	nmt2007-006	(Sunday 18 November) Signpost of Matsumoto Castle in front of the kuro-mon (黒門; the Black Gate).
	nmt2007-008	(Sunday 18 November) Panoramic Map of Matsumoto Castle in the Edo Period
	nmt2007-010	(Sunday 18 November) Information board of two notable benefactors who preserved the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Ryuzo Ichikawa (市川量造, 1844-1908) and Unari Kobayashi (小林 有也, 1855-1914) near the Kuro-mon Gate, Matsumoto Castle.   The tehshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle faced demolition following the belief in the Meiji Era that relics of the past should be destroyed.  The efforts of Ryozo Ishikawa and others who were concerned about losing the donjon tower, bought it and preserved it, overcoming many difficulties.  However, they could not stop the ruin of the castle.   Unari Kobayashi, the principal of Matsumoto Middle High School (旧制松本中学), and others who alsoo worried about this situation, established an organization to preserve the donjon tower in the 34th year of Meiji (AD 1901).  They completed the major work after 12 years' struggles, and saved the donjon tower from ruin.           (Quoted from the Official Pamphlet with additional information and some corrections)
	nmt2007-011	(Sunday 18 November) Monument of two notable benefactors who preserved the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Ryuzo Ichikawa (市川量造, 1844-1908) and Unari Kobayashi (小林 有也, 1855-1914) near the Kuro-mon Gate, Matsumoto Castle.
	nmt2007-012	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle with the inner moat, viewed near the Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; Black Gate)
	nmt2007-013	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle with the inner moat, viewed near the Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; Black Gate)
	nmt2007-016	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle with the inner moat, viewed near the Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; Black Gate)
	nmt2007-017	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle with the inner moat, viewed near the Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; Black Gate)
	nmt2007-018	(Sunday 18 November) The Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; the Black Gate or the main gate), Matsumoto Castle.  The Kuro-mon Gate actually consisted of two gates to the hon-maru (本丸;the main wing).  This is the first gate called "Yagura-mon" (櫓門; scaffold gate) which was rebuilt in the 35th year of Showa.
	nmt2007-020	(Sunday 18 November) The Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; the Black Gate or the main gate), Matsumoto Castle.  The Kuro-mon Gate actually consisted of two gates to the hon-maru (本丸;the main wing).  This is the first gate called "Yagura-mon" (櫓門; scaffold gate) which was rebuilt in the 35th year of Showa (AD 1960).
	nmt2007-021	(Sunday 18 November) The Kuro-mon Gate (黒門; the Black Gate or the main gate), Matsumoto Castle.  The Kuro-mon Gate actually consisted of two gates to the hon-maru (本丸; the main wing).  This part is the second gate called "Masugata-mon" (桝形門; square-shaped gate) and "Sode-bori" (袖堀; side wall) both of which were reconstructed in the 2nd year of Heisei (AD 1990).
	nmt2007-022	(Sunday 18 November) A stone lantern with The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle in the background, inside of the Kuro-mon Gate.
	nmt2007-023	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle, viewed from the inside of the Kuro-mon Gate
	nmt2007-024	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle, viewed from the inside of the Kuro-mon Gate
	nmt2007-026	(Sunday 18 November) The tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle, viewed from the inside of the Kuro-mon Gate
	nmt2007-027	(Sunday 18 November) Inside of the 3rd floor of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle.  Interestingly, the tower seems to have only five stories from outside, but it has actually six stories: It was a secret to the castle's enemies.  Therefore, warriors stayed here in wartime.  This floor is dark with very little sunlight coming in through the south kizure-goshi (木連格子).
	nmt2007-028	(Sunday 18 November) Inside of the 3rd floor of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle.  Interestingly, the tower seems to have only five stories from outside, but it has actually six stories: It was a secret to the castle's enemies.  Therefore, warriors stayed here in wartime.  This floor is dark with very little sunlight coming in through the south kizure-goshi (木連格子).
	nmt2007-029	(Sunday 18 November) A loophole (銃狭間) in the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle
	nmt2007-030	(Sunday 18 November) A machicolation (石落とし) in the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle
	nmt2007-031	(Sunday 18 November) The roof of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle
	nmt2007-032	(Sunday 18 November) The inner moat (内堀), viewed from the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle
	nmt2007-033	(Sunday 18 November) "Uzumi-no-hashi" (埋の橋; Uzumi Bridge), viewed from the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle.  The bridge was constructed during the major restoration between 1950 and 1955.
	nmt2007-036	(Sunday 18 November) The top (6th) floor of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high) of Matsumoto Castle.  Interestingly, the tower seems to have only five stories from outside, but it has actually six stories: It was a secret to the castle's enemies.  The top floor was used as a bourou (望楼), a watchtower for enemies during wartime.
	nmt2007-037	(Sunday 18 November) The ceiling of the top (6th) floor of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle.  The ceiling was built using the igeta-bari (井桁梁; curved beam) technique.  A god named "Nijuroku-ya-shin" (二十六夜神; God of 26 Nights), who protects the whole Matsumoto Castle, has a dedication in the center of the ceiling.           (Quoted from the Official Pamphlet with additional information and some corrections)
	nmt2007-039	(Sunday 18 November) Matsumoto City, viewed from the top (6th) floor of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle
	nmt2007-040	(Sunday 18 November) Matsumoto City, viewed from the top (6th) floor of the tenshu-kaku (the 6-storied donjon tower, 29.4 m high), Matsumoto Castle

        

Copyright (c) 2007 Eishiro Ito.  All rights reserved.