Matsushiro Castle

Matsushiro Castle (Japanese: 松代城, Matsushiro-jō) is a flatland-style castle located in present-day Matsushiro Town, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. Originally named Kaizu Castle (Kaizu-jō), historical documents have also recorded variant names such as Kaizu, Kaitsu, or Chitsu Castle, reflecting the area's once-abundant growth of thatched grass (chigaya), from which the name is believed to have originated. Matsushiro Castle is a rinkaku-style flatland castle, characterized by its outer defense lines built on flat terrain. Today, it is designated as a National Historic Site.

The Matsushiro area held significant strategic value throughout history, particularly during the Sengoku period and the early Edo period. The castle later became well known as the residence of the Sanada clan, serving as the political center of the Matsushiro Domain in the former Shinano Province. The Sanada family ruled here for ten generations. Today, the well-maintained and partially reconstructed castle site has been developed into a public historical park, alongside preserved samurai residences, the Bunbu School (traditional martial and literary academy), and the Sanada Treasure Museum, making the area a key destination for historical and cultural tourism.

It is important to note that another castle with the same name, Matsudai Castle, is located in Jōetsu District, Niigata Prefecture, but it is pronounced "Matsudai" and is unrelated in both geography and history to Matsushiro Castle in Nagano.