MATSUMOTO CASTLE

So... on Sunday we decided to stop off at Matsumoto Castle. Good times...

Surrouding the Castle is its grounds...
1 Golden coy
Swans a-swimming
Pigeons a-crapping

funny signs
you know I had to take a pciture
The Entrance

The origin of Matsumoto Castle goes back to Fukashi Castle which was built at the beginning of the Eisho Era.

During the civil war period, Lord Osagawara in Shinano moved his manor house to the Hayashi district at the eastern foot of the mountain. Lord Ogasawara’s retainers protected themselves by building their houses around Hayashi Castle, the new manor house of their lord. Fukashi Castle was built in front of Hayashi Castle at around the same time to protect the front of the manor house. After that, Shingen Takeda of the Kai chased away Lord Ogasawara, to create a strong point for the conquest of Shinanao. Then in year 1582 (Tensho Era) Sadayoshi Ogasawara recaptured Fukashi Casles by taking advantage of the protectors letting down their guard during the Honnoji incident. Then he changed the name to Matsumoto Castle.

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of dismantling and rebuilding the national trasure. After WWI the belief that cultural properties should be protected was strengthening and the national government conserved the towers from years 25 o 20 of the Showa Era (1950-1955). This year is the 50^th anniversary of dismantling and rebuilding. Since then, the infrastructure of the building and the facilities was preserved. In year 60, the historic park on the old site of the ninomaru-goten (residences in the second wing) were preserves. The rebuilding programs returned the castle to its earlier historic state and increased its cultural value.

Original thingy over the door

Yazama and Teppozama-

Each floor is fitte dwith holes for firing weapons.

The long rectangular holes, Yazama, were for shooting arrows at the enemy. The square ones, Teppozama, were for firing muskets.. Prior to the introduction of the firearms from Europe only Yazama were used in castle construction.

Ishiotoshi-
The shelves porjecting out were constructed at intervals along the 1st floor for (believe it or not) dropping stones on the enemy who were attempting the scale the castle walls.

The 3rd floor
A kind of attic to the second floor, is called "Hidden Floor" because there are no windows. The lack of windows made the main tower appear to have five floors instead of 6.

I should really not take myself so seriously ..ha ha

Staircases

Passage from the 1st-6th floor consists of discrete, unconnected staircase segments. They --as well as the fact that the stairs are placed steeply at 55-61 degree incline (great after climbing Mnt. Fuji) -- prevent someone from quickly ascending the floors. Thus the castle was structured to be easy to defend and hard to attack.

6th Floor

This was designed for the "War Lord" to stay if the castle was under attack and it is 22.1 meters above the ground. Lowered from the ceiling is the Goddess of Nijuroku-yama (26th goddess of the month) is enshrines.

There is a legend connected to the Goddess (of course). On the night of Jan 26, 1618 in a vision, one of the young vassals on duty saw a woman dressed in beautiful clothes. Handing him a brocade bag, she said "If the lord of the castles enshrines me with 600kg of rice on the 26th night of every month, I will protect the castle fro seige and enemy" It is beleive that b/c of that bag the castles had been protected and has survivies to be the oldest castle in original form.

This floor also has each window pointing East, West, North, South w/
maps of nearby Mountains and potential attacks.

This is also only 1 of 2 castles in the entire world that has a moon viewing room.

Just something that made me smile today:
I guess some love actually does last forever

"...because in the past and in the present
in the East and the West
I Believe that "warm and fuzzy feeling" in people's
hearts are essentially the same"
-Ayumu Takahashi