| Alternate Name | Fukashi-jo |
| Founder | Ishikawa Kazumasa |
| Year | 1590 |
| Type | Flatland |
| Structure | 5 levels, 6 stories |
| Condition | Original |
| Rating | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
| Historical Site | National Historic Site |
| Historical Value | Top 100 Castles, National Treasures |
| Historical Artifacts |
National Treasures: tenshu, Inui Kotenshu, Watariyagura, Tsukimi Yagura, Tatsumi Tsukiyagura |
| Location | Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture |
| Map | Google Map |
| Access | Matsumoto Station, 15 minute walk |
| Website | Matsumoto Welcomes You |
| Visited | August 1992, May 13, 2002 |
| Notes | This was the first large castle and first original extant castle I ever visited. I was so impressed it sparked my future interest in castles. |
| History | Next to Himeji-jo, Matsumoto-jo is the next best extant castle donjon in Japan. Built by Ishikawa Kazumasa and his son Yasunaga in 1590, Matsumoto-jo is designated a National Treasure. After Hideyoshi took Odawara he stationed Ishikawa Kazumasa in Matsumoto to govern his eastern provinces. The history of Matsumoto-jo actually begins with a castle called Fukashi-jo which was built by Shimadachi Sadanaga in 1504. That castle was attacked and captured by Takeda Shingen in 1550. |
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