SilkCode LibraryCastles of Japan
No. 026Kanto & KoshinetsuNagano

Matsushiro Castle

松代城

Ruins & historic sites

First known as Kaizu Castle, this site later became the Sanada family’s seat. Walls and reconstructed gates and bridges reveal a lowland castle that incorporated the Chikuma River into its defences.

A reconstructed gate and bridge at Matsushiro Castle
A reconstructed gate and bridge at Matsushiro CastlePhoto: baku13 · CC BY-SA 2.1 jp · Resized and converted to WebP. Cards crop the display.This photograph shows the site at the time it was taken. Check the notes and official sources for current restoration work and access.

Get to know the castle

Castle at a glance

Site & layout
Lowland castle using a river for defence
Origins
Mid-sixteenth century
Builders & patrons
Takeda clan; later Sanada rulers and others
Other names
Kaizu Castle
What remains today
Walls and moat remains; reconstructed gates and bridges

THE STORY

The story behind the walls

The site developed as the Takeda’s Kaizu Castle in the mid-sixteenth century and was associated with the Kawanakajima conflicts. After changes of lord, Sanada Nobuyuki moved here from Ueda in 1622. Ten generations of Sanada rulers held it until abolition in 1871. Gates and bridges were restored or reconstructed in 2004 after a long period dominated by masonry remains.

LAYOUT & ARCHITECTURE

Read the landscape and the buildings.

The Chikuma once protected the northern side, while moats defended the east and south. Gates and bridges linked enclosures defined by water and masonry. The historical river course is essential to understanding the location.

A CLOSER LOOK

Details worth a closer look.

01

Taiko Gate

The main entrance took its name from a drum used for timekeeping and signals. Its reconstruction conveys the scale of the approach to the inner enclosure.

02

Northwestern turret platform

This platform supported a high turret in the northwestern corner. It is a turret site, not an original keep, and helps explain observation across the plain.

03

Local building stone

The walls use local stone from Shiba and Mount Minakami. Their largely unshaped blocks connect the castle’s construction with regional materials.

THROUGH THE YEARS

A short timeline

  1. Mid-1500s

    The site developed as Kaizu Castle.

  2. 1622

    Sanada Nobuyuki moved here from Ueda.

  3. 2004

    Gate and bridge conservation was completed.

BEFORE YOU GO

A note before you go.

Conservation works restrict some areas. Check the Sanada Museum and Nagano City for current access, and confirm openings at nearby Sanada-related facilities separately.

Official visitor information ↗Find it on a map ↗

Information checked: 27 September 2026

Sources & official information

Some official sources are available in Japanese only.

Keep exploring this volume

Which castle is next?