Matsumae Castle

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 main keep 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.

Field Notes

Not personally visited. All pictures donated by Vic A.

Gallery

• 

  main keep
• 

  main keep
• 
• 

  Karamete Gate
• 

  Karamete Gate
• 

  Honmaru Gomon gate
• 

  Honmaru Gomon Gate
• 

  Tenjinzaka Gate
• 

  moat and main keep
• 

  Sannomaru Bailey
• 

  Outside the Karametemon Gate
• 

  Matsumae Clan Mansion reconstruction
• 

  Honmaru Palace Entrance
• 

  Map

Castle Profile
English Name	Matsumae Castle
Japanese Name	松前城
Alternate Names	Fukuyama-jo
Founder	Matsumae Takahiro
Year Founded	1849
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	Reconstructed main keep
Designations	Top 100 Castles, has Important Cultural Properties, National Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Main Keep Structure	3 levels, 3 stories
Year Reconstructed	1959 (concrete)
Artifacts	Honmaru Gomon
Features	main keep, gates, turrets, palace, water moats, stone walls, walls
Visitor Information
Access	Kikonai Sta. (Esashi Line), 1.5 hr. by Hakodate bus; Hakodate Sta (Hakodate Line), 3 hr. bus
Hours
Time Required
URL	Castle Website
Location	Matsumae, Hokkaido
Coordinates	41.42987, 140.10844
Loading map... {"minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"mappingservice":"leaflet","width":"auto","height":"200px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"Castlemarker.png","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"zoom":6,"defzoom":14,"layers":["CartoDB.Positron"],"image layers":[],"overlays":[],"resizable":false,"fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":true,"cluster":false,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clustermaxradius":80,"clusterspiderfy":true,"geojson":"","clicktarget":"","imageLayers":[],"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":41.42987,"lon":140.10844,"icon":"../images/1/1e/Castlemarker.png"}],"imageoverlays":null}
Admin
Added to Jcastle	2006
Contributor	VicA
Admin Year Visited	Viewer Contributed

2.92

(12 votes)

Loading comments...