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Located in the heart of Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture, Matsumoto Castle is designated a National Treasure. Its jet-black keep and the serene moat surrounding it embody the dignity of one of Japan’s most celebrated castles.
As you walk through the grounds, each area reveals a different atmosphere and scenery, allowing you to enjoy the castle’s many faces.
This article takes you through the gates, gardens, and the keep of Matsumoto Castle, sharing the atmosphere of the entire castle complex. We hope it serves as a useful guide when you visit.
Your castle walk begins at the Taiko Gate on the west side. This gate consists of two structures that form a fortified square called a “masugata.”
The first gate you encounter is the Koraimon, or Second Gate.
Passing through, you step into a masugata space enclosed by stone walls and turrets.
Directly ahead stands the Ichinomon, or Main Gate (Yaguramon).
The gate’s stone wall contains the colossal Genba Stone, larger than a man’s height and weighing an astonishing 22.5 tons.
Passing through the heavy Yaguramon leads you toward the remains of the Ninomaru Palace, marking the start of your journey deeper inside the castle.
Beyond the Taiko Gate lies the site of the Ninomaru Palace.
After the Honmaru Palace burned down, this was the central building where the feudal lords lived and conducted government affairs.
Though the structures no longer remain, the grounds are laid out with foundation stones and markers showing where the rooms once stood. Walking through, you can easily imagine the grand scale of the palace. The expansive site conveys the magnitude of its former presence.
From here you can see the keep of Matsumoto Castle, just as the lords and retainers once did in their daily lives. Standing in the same spot, you can reflect on the history and life of those times.
The castle grounds are maintained as Matsumoto Castle Park. The outer paths along the inner moat are free to enter, allowing you to stroll around at leisure.
It is from this park that you’ll find the iconic view of the castle. The black keep mirrored in the moat, blending with the sky and clouds, is the classic “Matsumoto Castle landscape” often seen in photos. Standing here in person, the commanding presence leaves you captivated.
As you walk the path, the keep reveals different expressions from each angle. You can admire its stately face head-on or appreciate its mirrored form in the water—both quintessential views of Matsumoto Castle.
From here, you enter the paid area. To access the keep, you must pass through the Koraimon Gate.
Visitors with electronic tickets reserved online line up on the right, while those buying same-day tickets line up on the left.
Buying tickets at the counter takes time, but with an e-ticket you only need to show the QR code, making entry much smoother.
Past reception, you’ll immediately come to the Kuro Gate. This served as the main entrance to the Honmaru, functioning as the castle’s formal front gate.
You may encounter ninjas here! They are members of the “Hospitality Team,” actors dressed as ninjas and samurai. They appear inside the castle between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm. If you’re lucky enough to meet them, don’t miss the chance to take a photo together.
Beyond the Kuro Gate spreads the Honmaru Garden. Once home to the Honmaru Palace where lords conducted governance and lived daily life, it is now a landscaped garden open to all.
Coin lockers (¥100) are available here. Since the castle’s keep has steep and narrow stairways, large luggage is inconvenient. It’s recommended to leave backpacks and other big items here before climbing. For suitcases too large for lockers, you can ask at the shop or office for storage.
I stored my luggage in one of these lockers.
Now, let’s head to the keep itself.
Proceeding through the Honmaru Garden, you finally come face-to-face with the National Treasure keep of Matsumoto Castle.
Up close, the black keep is overwhelming—its presence all the more striking.
From here, you are about to embark on a tour inside one of Japan’s oldest surviving keeps.
For details on the interior and highlights of the keep, see below:
Read more about Matsumoto Castle Keep Interior
Read more about Highlights of Matsumoto Castle Keep
Matsumoto Castle reveals different faces with each step—the keep, the gates, the palace remains, and the scenic park views. The black keep mirrored in the moat, the historic stone walls, and the expansive garden all convey the weight of history worthy of its title as one of Japan’s great castles.
In person, the overwhelming presence goes far beyond photos or video. Even among the bustling crowds, the dignified keep, with its striking black and white contrast, commands attention. Matsumoto Castle truly deserves the title “A National Treasure of dignity and beauty.”
Though located in the heart of Matsumoto City, the castle continues to stand with grace. When visiting Nagano, be sure to experience this space for yourself.
