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| "Koe Nobori" or flying fish. I don't really understand the significance, but it is popular. |
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| Looks like something from Naruto or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Some samurai frogs. |
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| The main keep and third moat of Matsumoto Castle itself. |
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| The entrance to the main enclosure, called the "Black Gate." |
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| View of the keep from inside the enclosure. The rows of black stones mark where the residence of the lord used to be. They burned down (by accident, I think). |
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| View from one of the windows |
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| This was the "Last Stand" for the lord if the battle was going badly. On the fourth floor, it was wide open and there was a special room. Here, the lord would commit suicide. This is significant because "4" can also be pronounced the same as "death" in Japanese. |
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| The small tower on the left is the "Moon Viewing" room. The idea is to look at the moon at night and get drunk. It is said that you can see three moons at once: one in the sky, one in the moat, and one in your sake cup. |
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| The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum. |
