is a castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

 located in Matsumae in Hokkaidō

Hokkaido

, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...

, Japan. It was the home of the Matsumae Han

Han (Japan)

The or domain was the name of the estate belonging to a warrior in Japan after the 17th century. The fiefs of the daimyos of the samurai class of Japan during the Edo period were called han.-Edo period:...

. It is perhaps the only traditional style Edo period

Edo period

The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....

 castle in Hokkaidō.

History

Built in 1606 by Matsumae Yoshihiro

Matsumae Yoshihiro

was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through early Edo period who was the daimyo of Ezochi . Yoshihiro built Matsumae Castle was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through early Edo period who was the daimyo of Ezochi (Hokkaidō). Yoshihiro built Matsumae Castle was a Japanese...

, it burned down in 1637 but was rebuilt in 1639. Later, modern defences were built on the site in 1850. In 1875, the administrative building, three turrets, and an artillery position were torn down, before the remaining Donjon and main gate burned down in 1949; it is now all a park.

It once controlled all passengers through Hokkaidō to the rest of Japan.

Literature