Winter nights in Matsumoto bring a transformation that would have astonished the samurai who once stood guard in this castle's wooden towers. From December 13, 2025, through February 15, 2026, one of Japan's five National Treasure castles becomes a canvas for light, as projection mapping transforms its black-lacquered walls into a living chronicle of history, art, and seasonal beauty.
A Canvas of Black Lacquer and Stone
Matsumoto Castle, completed around 1593, stands as Japan's oldest surviving five-story keep. Its distinctive black exterior earned it the nickname "Crow Castle" during the feudal era. Now, against the winter darkness and often dusted with snow, that same black facade becomes the perfect surface for digital storytelling. The projections run nightly from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, free of charge, with roughly nine-minute shows followed by three-minute breaks, looping throughout the evening.
Three Seasons of Light
This year's event unfolds in three thematic periods. "Castle Beyond Time: Story of Light" runs from opening night to early January, layering archival imagery and nishiki-e woodblock print patterns over the castle’s stone walls and turrets. The projections draw from the Matsumoto City Museum’s collection of ukiyo-e and folding screens, alongside traditional crafts specific to the region: Matsumoto temari balls, indigo textiles, and festival lanterns. These aren't simply decorative flourishes. They connect the castle to the craftspeople and artists who shaped this city's identity long after the samurai era ended.
From January 8 through 28, "Memories of Light" condenses highlights from previous years into a digest format, shifting the visual focus toward ice crystals and winter landscapes. The final period, "Light Blooming Keep: Dawn of Spring," carries the event through mid-February with imagery that anticipates the seasonal turn, even as snow might still blanket the castle grounds.
Architecture Illuminated
The production is handled by HITOHATA, a digital creative company, in collaboration with Epson affiliates including Seiko Epson, whose projection technology handles the technical challenge of mapping images onto irregular stone surfaces and curved architectural details without distortion. The result emphasizes the castle's structure rather than obscuring it. Turrets, eaves, and defensive stonework become visible in new ways as light traces their contours and catches details that daytime visitors might overlook.
Beyond the main keep, the event includes interactive installations along park walkways and projection mapping at the castle gate, creating multiple vantage points throughout Matsumoto Castle Park. Last season drew over 170,000 visitors, making this winter illumination a fixture on the regional calendar alongside the National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival, held in late January 2026. Weekends and holidays draw the heaviest crowds; if you prefer more space to photograph or just stand and watch, weekday evenings are quieter.
Tips for Visiting the Event
The projections continue in rain or snow, though severe weather can suspend the shows. Paths in the park can be icy or slushy on cold nights, so winter shoes with good grip and warm layers are recommended. Most of the main viewing areas are on flat paths around the inner moat, so visitors who prefer to avoid stairs can still enjoy the projections from multiple angles.
As sunset arrives later toward February, images may be less visible at 6:00 PM. For the deepest colors and best contrast, aim for full dark between about 19:00 and 21:00, especially later in the season. The event asks visitors to avoid flash photography and to keep tripods at or below head height during busy periods, preserving sightlines for others. Matsumoto Castle Park sits about twenty minutes on foot from JR Matsumoto Station, or a short bus ride to the Matsumoto Castle/City Hall stop.
What makes this event distinctive is not only the technology or the castle’s history as a National Treasure. It is the contrast between a fortress built for war and imagery that celebrates peacetime culture: traditional crafts, artistic heritage, and the slow turn of the seasons. A castle that once stored weapons and guarded the city now hosts a winter gathering that draws families, photographers, and travelers looking for something more thoughtful than a typical illumination show.
Experience the Samurai Legacy by Day
The projection mapping brings the castle to life at night, but stepping inside by daylight reveals the structure samurai actually inhabited. Our castle and samurai tour takes you through the castle's interior, climbing its steep staircases past displays of armor and weaponry from the Warring States Period. The experience culminates with hands-on samurai sword training, where you learn the basics of handling a katana under the guidance of an instructor who explains both technique and the cultural philosophy behind these practices.
The daytime tour and evening projection mapping complement each other naturally. One gives you the physical reality of the castle's architecture and purpose. The other reimagines that same structure through light and local artistry. Together, they offer a fuller sense of how this National Treasure has evolved from feudal fortress to cultural landmark. Learn more about our Matsumoto Castle and Samurai Sword Experience and discover what it means to step inside four centuries of history.
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