Matsumae

What to know

Matsumae (松前) is a historic castle town located just west of Cape Shirakami, the southernmost point of Hokkaido. Only 20 kilometers across the Tsugaru Strait from Aomori, Matsumae was the northern frontier of Japan during the Edo Period and the only feudal domain on the wild frontier of Hokkaido. The prosperous town attracted merchants involved in shipping, and was defended by Matsumae Castle, the only Japanese-style castle ever built on Hokkaido.

Perched on a hillside, Matsumae Castle (also known as Fukushima Castle) established a foothold on Hokkaido to exploit the island's abundant natural resources. Toward the end of the Edo Period, cannons were added to counter foreign ships. Like many Japanese castles, the original keep was destroyed several times. The current three-story structure is a modern concrete reconstruction from the early 1960s, housing a local history museum with artifacts of the Matsumae clan, including items related to the Ainu.

The former castle grounds north of the keep have been transformed into the expansive Matsumae Park, planted with rows of cherry trees. Over ten thousand cherry trees of more than 250 varieties bloom here, earning the park a spot among Japan's top 100 cherry blossom spots. A small Sakura Museum just north of the keep provides information on cherry blossom development, along with photos and preserved specimens of the trees found in the park.

Thanks to the wide variety of cherry trees, Matsumae enjoys an unusually long blooming season from late April to late May. A sakura festival is held during much of this period, featuring food stalls, festival booths, and occasional live events. The castle keep is illuminated in the evenings until about 21:00 from April to November.

Matsumae's temple district lies adjacent to the castle grounds, northwest of the keep. It is filled with temples of various Buddhist sects, many predating Matsumae Castle, making them some of the oldest and most culturally significant structures in Hokkaido. Other notable sights include the graveyard of the Matsumae lords and the 200-year-old Kechimyaku Sakura (bloodline cherry), from which many park cherry trees have descended.

Along the western edge of Matsumae Park is the Matsumaehan Yashiki, a small historical theme park recreating Edo Period Matsumae with 14 buildings, including merchant houses, a magistrate's office, a shipping agent, and a guard station. Some buildings are open to explore, displaying life-sized mannequins in period costumes. Visitors can also rent period costumes to wear while exploring the town.