Matsuyama Castle Town

Matsuyama Cultural Heritage Museum

  The museum displays various armor and helmets specific to the prosperity of a former castle town. Its collection includes paintings of artists with ties to Matsuyama and privately owned items.

Matsuyama Castle

  Tadatsune Sakai, the first feudal lord, set up Nakayama Camp in the village of Nakayama in 1662. At the time, Matsuyama was a poor village of only 17 homes called Nakayama. In 1779, the third lord, Tadayoshi was permitted to build the castle in recognition of his long years of service. However, the castle was never completed due to his death and financial difficulties in the feudal domain.

Ote Gate

  Ote Gate was completed in 1782, but was burned down by a lightening in 1790. A new gate was rebuilt two years later with money donated by the wealthy Honma Family from the city of Sakata.

  The two-story gate, made of zelkova wood, is the symbol of the castle. It is said that guardsmen used a rope ladder to go up and down rather than stairs to prevent it from easily being overtaken should enemies attack.

  Emergency supplies of weapons and food were kept on the second floor, which was also used as a place to educate and train youth.

  The gate is the only castle in Yamagata prefecture and was designated a cultural property by the prefecture in 1970.

Mushroom Cedar Trees (Natural Monument)

  About 390 years ago, the 28th Buddhist priest of Sokoji Temple, named Gishun, planted these cedar trees on both sides of the temple approach to form a hedge.

  The trees are clipped once a year and have taken on a mushroom-like shape, so they and are called mushroom cedar trees or ponpoko cedar trees (ponpoko) means a little child. The proper name for the trees is Tsuchiyu cedar, which differ from other cedar trees. They have small, soft leaves and trunks that fork into several branches. There are about 120 cedar trees planted along the temple approach.

Chokai no Mori

  This offers the best view of the Japan Sea and the Shonai Plain. The magnificent Mt. Chokai and beautiful sunset over the Japan Sea are truly impressive sights.

  In the vicinity, there is a monument dedicated to the author, Jiro Abe, who was a scholar and educator born in Matsuyama. His masterpiece is “Santaro’s Diary.”

Takigi Noh

  Takigi Noh has been preserved and passed down in Matsuyama (now a part of Sakata) for generations. It is performed every year in June. Audiences enjoy the subtle and profound atmosphere produced by burning bonfires.

  Matsuyama Noh perpetuates more than 350 years of history and has been designated an intangible folk cultural property by the prefecture. The art has been kept alive by the community Noh troupe, Shofusha. 

(Sei Igarashi et al., VIPS)