Matsumoto Castle is an ancient Japanese castle in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. By analogy with the Castle of the white heron, it is called the Crow Castle (for the black color of the walls and the spread out “wings” of the side towers). During the Sengoku period, Jidai Matsumoto was a stronghold of the Takeda clan, which by the end of the XVI century ceded the supremacy of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was by his order that in 1593-1594 the existing castle with a five-tiered tenxu was erected. One side of the complex was designed to contemplate the moon and was called "lunar rests". During the Meiji Restoration, the castle was auctioned off and threatened with demolition. In the XX century, the proximity to Tokyo made it a favorite object of tourist excursions.Solid areas: 6%