Matsumae Castle (Fukuyama Castle)

Matsumae Castle, formally Fukuyama Castle, is the northernmost Japanese-style castle ever built and the only feudal castle on the island of Hokkaido. It stands at the far south-western tip of the island in the town of Matsumae, once the seat of the Matsumae clan who governed Japan's northern frontier and monopolised trade with the indigenous Ainu people during the Edo period.

Unusually, the castle was completed extremely late in Japanese history. It was finished in 1854, just as the feudal era was ending, built on the orders of the shogunate to strengthen the northern coast against the growing presence of foreign ships. Its design reflects that anxious moment: the layout blends a traditional donjon with gun batteries facing the sea, making it one of the last true castles constructed in Japan. During the Boshin War of 1868-69 it was captured by rebel forces of the short-lived Republic of Ezo before falling back to imperial troops.

The original three-storey keep survived until 1949, when a fire destroyed it. The present tower is a faithful 1961 concrete reconstruction that now houses a museum of clan armour, documents, Ainu trade goods and artefacts telling the story of the Matsumae domain. From the top floor you look out over the Tsugaru Strait toward Honshu on clear days. At the foot of the hill, the Matsumae Han Yashiki open-air village recreates the castle town, and several original gates and earthworks remain scattered through the park.

What draws most visitors, however, is the cherry blossom. Matsumae is celebrated as one of Japan's finest hanami destinations and the northern end of the country's blossom front. Roughly 10,000 trees of more than 250 varieties bloom across the castle grounds and the surrounding Matsumae Park, and because early, mid and late-blooming types were deliberately planted together, the flowering season stretches for nearly a month from late April into May. The annual cherry blossom festival fills the town with food stalls, illuminations and crowds who have travelled the length of Japan to catch the last blossoms of the year.

Because Matsumae lies well beyond the rail network, it takes real effort to reach, which keeps it quieter than mainland castles. Come by car if you can, allow a full half-day, and combine the visit with nearby Matsumae Han Yashiki and the temple district of Teramachi, where several historic clan temples still stand. Spring is the obvious highlight, but autumn brings quiet koyo colour and far thinner crowds for travellers who prefer the frontier town at its most peaceful.