Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle (Matsumoto-jo) was begun in 1504 as Fukashi Castle by the daimyo Shimadachi Sadanaga, but it subsequently changed hands in war, and it was completed by the daimyo Ishikawa Kazumasa and his son Yasunaga to its present form. The donjon and other buildings are positioned within a 600 m square. The five-tiered, six-storied donjon is one of the oldest extant donjons in Japan and has been designated a National Treasure. It is roughly 30 m tall and was restored over a five-year period starting in 1950. The nearby turret is also a National Treasure, and these buildings and their positioning create a very stable composition.