Completed at the beginning of the 16th century (1504), the fortress in the city of Matsumoto is considered a classic example of a hirashiro, a “castle built in the plain”. The six-storey main tower, which was only added a hundred years later (1594-97), provides a good view of the nearby mountain range of the Japanese Alps. Matsumoto-jô is one of the few castles in the country still preserved in its original state.
other castles
