We left our bags in a coin locker at the station so that we could explore the streets of Nagano unencumbered. After just a brief visit, it was back on another train to continue to Matsumoto. Our hotel was very convenient to the station and Matsumoto is small enough to easily explore on foot. It's picturesque and compact Old Town features two main tourist streets: Nawate Street and Nakamachi Street, known for its black and white geometric design "Namako-Kabe" on the old Kura storehouses. Matsumoto-jo, nicknamed "Crow Castle" due to its black colour, is Japan's oldest existing castle. It's a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain. Matsumoto-jo is unique for having both a secondary donjon and a turret adjoined to its main keep. The castle structures, in combination with their characteristic black wainscoting, give off an air of grandeur and poise. The wooden interior of Matsumoto Castle provides an authentic experience unlike that felt at many other castles rebuilt of ferro-concrete. Interesting features of the castle include steep wooden stairs, openings to drop stones onto invaders, openings for archers, as well as an observation deck at the top, sixth floor of the main keep with nice views. Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614. Both these structures were well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle. We also visited Kyu Kaichi Gakko, the oldest elementary school in Japan (1873).
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