Matsumae Castle

Matsumae Town has a history of being the northernmost castle town in Japan, and the first lord of the domain built a castle here in 1606. After a series of fires and restorations, the last Japanese-style castle in Japan was completed in 1854. However, the castle fell during the Boshin War, and although it was regained the following year, most of it was demolished by the Kaitakushi (Japanese government) in 1875. The remaining castle tower and the Honmaru Gate were designated as national treasures in 1941, but in 1949, all but the Honmaru Gate were destroyed by a flying fire, and the current castle tower was rebuilt in 1961. The inside of the castle tower is open to the public as a museum, where valuable materials are displayed.