Mini Josie scales Matsumoto Castle in Japan!

Photos from Mini Josie's visit to Matsumoto Castle in Japan!

Hi everyone! My host took me to visit Matsumoto Castle today! Japanese castles look really different from western castles huh? But one thing is still the same, there's a big moat!

Matsumoto castle is older than the USA! It was built back in the 1500s, when the United States of American didn't even exist as a country. Let's go!

Hmmmm.... Now where am I? Of course, my Japanese is not what it used to be, but luckily my host can help me out. There's only a few places to safely cross the moat and I am not ready to go swimming today.

Okay, this seems like a safe path. But first, I need to take a breather. Eeesh the grounds are huge!

There were a lot of other people out and about but I didn't see anyone as small as me running around. Matsumoto castle towers above everything here. It's called a hirajiro castle because it was built on flat land, instead of on a hill. Thank goodness to or I'd have to do even more serious climbing!

Luckily there aren't any dangerous beasts in the moat today, just fat fish. If Lissie were here, I know she'd try to catch one. I think I'll let them be since I doubt my host will let me mail a fish back to Texas.

Hi-ho! Matsumoto is a National Treasure in Japan and you can go around and collect stamps from all the National Treasure places you visit.

There we go! Uh oh... Getting this one stamp makes me want to... collect them all!

It's a cute samurai mascot guarding the castle!

Ahhhhhh! It's a real samurai guarding the castle!!!! Okay, it's at least a person dressed in samurai armor guarding the castle. His armor covers up almost his entire body. Can you imagine how hot and heavy it must be? And can you imagine how scary it would be if this warrior was charging at you with sword raised?

Fun trivia fact, Darth Vader from the Star Wars series was actually modeled off a samurai. That's why his outfit, especially his helmet is similar in design to samurai armor!

I wonder how much farther away it is to the main castle? Let me climb one of these pine trees and take a look...

Wow! It's even more magnificent up close! Matsumoto Castle is also called karasu-jo or Crow's Castle because it is black on the outside. It looks like they're doing some renovations to restore it right now. The castle has been repaired and renovated multiple times through the years after damage and earthquakes, but a lot of it is still the same! For example all the woodwork on the inside and the stonework on the outside is all original. 

Speaking of stone work, it's time to scale the wall! Here I come Matsumoto Castle! Jeez, I wonder how people back then moved all these heavy stones and got them to stick together? 

We made it at last to the keep of the castle itself! It just goes to show there's nothing a traveling mini doll can't do if she's aided by her host! Bye for now everyone! 

To see more of Josie’s adventures, click here to view her Travel Log!