Take a trip to yesteryear by visiting Matsushiro, a neighborhood in Nagano City with preserved samurai residences, the Matsushiro Literary and Military School, Sanada Residence and Edo period streetscapes. The ruins of Matsushiro castle have also been graced with restored structures, making Matsushiro a major "timeslip" destination. Everything within the town can be conveniently accessed on foot.

Explore Matsushiro Castle

Matsushiro Castle is a flatland fortress featuring moats, earthen ramparts, stone-piled walls, and restored gates and bridges, principally the main gatehouse complex which was authentically reconstructed in 2003.

The castle structure - ramparts and moats - we see today was built by Sanada Nobuyuki of Eastern Nagano’s powerful Sanada Clan in 1622. An earlier castle, called Kaizu Castle, had been built on this site by the warlord Takeda Shingen in 1560 as part of his Warring States Era campaign to conquer Shinano Province (present-day Nagano Prefecture). Sanada Yukimichi, the third Sanada lord of the castle, changed the name to Matsushiro in 1711. Major reconstructions and expansions took place following fires and floods in 1717, 1742, and 1853. The late Edo period saw the construction of the Sanada Residence and Matsushiro Literary and Military School.

Learn how samurai were trained and take a gunnery lesson at the Matsushiro Literary and Military School

The Matsushiro Literary and Military School (bunbu gakko), the Matsushiro Domain’s school for training young samurai, was built in 1853, and all of its main structures remain intact, making it the most well-preserved domain school out of only a handful in the whole country. The buildings consist of classrooms, dojo for martial arts and an archery range. Here sons of the samurai were educated in everything from Confucian ethics to swordsmanship. Through immersive interactive exhibits, modern visitors can take a realistic and engaging tutorial in Edo period marksmanship and gunnery! Once you have a go, you won't want to put your musket down again.

Artistic refinement and gardens at the Sanada Residence

The Sanada Residence was built in 1864 by Sanada Yukinori, ninth lord of Matsushiro Domain. Here we can see how daimyo lived during the late Edo period. The residence's beautiful interiors are a showcase of traditional Japanese aesthetics. Garden views can be admired from luxurious tatami-floored rooms; Nagano's alpine winter brings scenes of frozen beauty.

See how samurai lived in Matushiro's samurai homes

The town has at least eight extant samurai residences, and half of those are open to the public (the Higuchi, Maejima, Yamadera and Yokota residences). The most magnificent is the Yokota residence, which is designated as a prefectural treasure. Built in 1800, it belonged to a mid-ranking retainer family, the Yokota. Several structures are preserved here, including the main gate, main residence, and earthen wall storehouses. A secondary residence, used by the retired patriarch of the family, is attached to the main building via a covered walkway. The house's picturesque, thatched roof and gable-covered balcony evoke the rustic splendour of provincial Japan.

The Maejima Residence is also a worth a visit. Its buildings include a front gate, storehouse, and a main residential building built in 1759, making it the oldest of the samurai homes in Matsushiro. There is a large front garden with koi pond. Inside, the earthy orange-colored walls were familiar to generations of samurai. Books containing the Maejima family's history lie on a table in the drawing room.

Sanada Treasures Museum

It's a good idea to contextualise and underscore your experiences in Matsushiro with a visit to the Sanada Treasures Museum, which features exhibits relating to the Sanada Clan, as well as a fantastic model of Matsushiro Castle in its prime.

Getting to Matsushiro

Take the no.30 Alpico bus from Nagano Station's Zenkoji side (bus stop #3) and get off at Matsushiro Eki bus stop (30 min.).

External link

・Matsushiro Tourism Association