| Founder | Matsumae Takahiro |  |
| Year | 1849 | |
| Type | Flatland | |
| Condition | Reconstructed | |
| Alternate Name | Fukuyama-jo | |
| Reconstructed | 1959 (concrete) | |
| Structure | 3 levels, 3 stories | |
| Admin's Rating | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | |
| Historical Site | National Historic Site | |
| Historical Value | Top 100 Castles, Important Cultural Properties | |
| Historical Artifacts |
Important Cultural Properties: Honmaru Gomon |
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| Location | Matsumae, Hokkaido | |
| Map | Google Map | |
| Access | Kikonai Sta. (Esashi Line), 1.5 hr. by Hakodate bus; Hakodate Sta (Hakodate Line), 3 hr. bus | |
| Website | Guide of Sightseeing in Matsumae | |
| Notes | not personally visited. All pictures donated by Vic A. | |
| History |
In 1849 the The Tokugawa government commanded Matsumae Takahiro to build a castle to enhance the defenses of the area. It was completed in 1854. The location of Matsumae Castle on the Southwesternmost tip of Hokkaido was a vital point for controlling the passage between Hokkaido and Honshu. At the time, the Matsumae did not have the funds to build a new castle at Mt. Hakodate, the recommended site, so they decided to fortify the home of Matsumae Takahiro at Fukuyama instead. During the Boshin War in 1868, the remnants of the Tokugawa Government that took control of Goryokaku in Hakodate also attacked and defeated Matsumae Castle. In 1941, the donjon was designated a National Treasure, but it burned down in a fire that spread from the town hall in 1949. It was rebuilt in 1959. Matsumae Castle is considered to be the last of the traditional Japanese castles. |
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6 Viewer Comments
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Frank T.
on
My Page
September 21, 2011 at 11:41 AM
This is the only traditional Japanese castle in all of Hokkaido, but not easy to get to without private transportation. The road from Hakodate can be long and winding if there's traffic since there's no way to pass. Otherwise, the coast road is not bad. Matsumae is a nice little town, but there's not much else this far down the coast.
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Eric
July 27, 2011 at 11:54 PM
Kris, thanks for your comments. I also updated the link.
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Kris
July 26, 2011 at 10:37 PM
By the way, the link is broken. Try http://www.asobube.com/. Matsumae city had a very good English-language pamphlet too. I have photos of Matsumae keep, Honmaru gates, Karamete outer gate, Tenjinzaka gate and others if you would like.
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Kris
on
My Page
July 26, 2011 at 10:31 PM
After hearing a lot of people say bad things about this reconstruction, then actually going there, let me point out a few good things about it. If you look at the old photos, the outside actually resembles them very closely. It`s supposed to look small and half-done. The inside is the usual concrete museum, but really no worse or better than other reconstructions of the same time period, and their small collection is quite interesting because it has Hokkaido-specific weaponry and clothing and the Ainu names for everything. You`re allowed to take photos, too. The only really bad thing about this reconstruction was the long white tunnel underground to enter the keep. The castle town road here is very nice and there are a lot of very old shrines and temples nearby. Near the san-no-maru hiroba there was a reconstruction of the Mastumae Clan yakata, an Edo village of sorts with quite good displays that were lots of fun to play around. A final bonus point, in my book, is it is technically a Takeda castle, they have a big sign out the front explaining the genealogy dating from Lord Harunobu, and the town has the Takeda mon everywhere.
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SHS
July 05, 2011 at 10:40 PM
Bad Reconstruction
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john
June 21, 2010 at 06:24 AM
Looks like they didn't do a good enough job on the reconstruction, on both exterior and interior.
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