The inside of the castle is as beautiful as the outside!
Here's some shots of the latticed-windowed corridors of
Matsumoto-jo.
To the right is a suit of
traditional samurai armor; this
set worn by Toda Yasunaga. The
Toda family ruled over Matsumoto
and her lands for nine generations.
The inside rooms are still intact
unlike so many other Japanese castles which have only been
reconstructed for their outside appearance. This was the lord's
sitting room on the fourth floor of the main donjon.
Goza-no-ma or the "lord's sitting room"
Here's a shot of the open walkways
of the regal Moon Viewing Keep.
Matsumoto-jo's Moon Viewing Keep
The bridge leading up to the donjon complex
Loopholes were made throughout every
floor of the donjon where defenders could shoot guns or rain
arrows down upon attackers. There were eleven places in the
donjon from where defenders could drop stones.
The opposite side of the moat
as seen from a loophole
The three gables of the south side of the main
donjon covered with black Japanese tiles. The six floored donjon
is truly an impressive site from any area of the grounds around
the castle.
