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Matsue Castle

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Matsue Castle (松江城, Matsue-jō?) is a feudal castle in Matsue in Shimane prefecture, Japan. Nicknamed the "black castle" or "plover castle", it is one of the few remaining medieval castles in Japan – at least of the few remaining in their original wooden form, and not a modern reconstruction in concrete.

The construction of Matsue Castle began in 1607 and finished in 1611, under the local lord Horio Yoshiharu. In 1638, the fief and castle passed to the Matsudaira clan, a junior branch of the ruling Tokugawa clan.

Most Japanese castles have been damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, or other causes. Since a large part of their construction was wooden, fire was a major hazard. Matsue castle was built after the last great war of feudal Japan, so it never saw a battle. Yet only some of the walls and the keep exist today.

How to get there
Matsue Castle can be reached in a 30 minute walk from JR Matsue Station or in a 15 minute walk from Ichibata Dentetsu's Matsue-Shinjiko-Onsen Station. The castle is also connected with both train stations by the "Lake Line" loop bus.

Click here for the map

Hours and fees
Hours: 8:30-18:30 (April-September), 8:30-17:00 (October-March)
Admission: 550 yen (50% off for foreign visitors!)

History
Of the 12 castles remaining in Japan, this is the only one remaining in the Sanin region. This castle is the second largest, the third tallest (30m) and the sixth oldest amongst castles. It was built over a period of 5 years by the daimyo of the Izumo region, Yoshiharu Horio, and was completed in 1622.

After reigns of Tadaharu Horio and Tadataka Kyogoku, Naomasa Matsudaira, a grandson of Ieyasu Tokugawa, became Lord of the castle, after being transferred from Matsumoto in Shinshu province, and thus began a reign that lasted 10 generations of the Matsudaira clan over a period of 234 years.

In 1875, all of the buildings within the castle were destroyed, with the exception of the castle tower itself, which was allowed to remain due to pressure from interest groups. The castle underwent a complete reconstruction between 1950 and 1955.

The castle is a complex structure, built in a watchtower style, that appears to be five storeys from the outside, but has in fact six levels inside. Most of the walls of the castle are painted black, it is a strong structure, built to withstand warfare while at the same time it is majestic and solemn, reminiscent of the Momoyama style.
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