1-23 Matsumoto Castle

After the snow monkeys, we drove about an hour's nap to Matsumoto Castle.
This is the first castle I've seen in Japan that isn't on a hill. It's in the middle of the town!
Tim got this beautiful shot. Remember that you can double-click on any picture and see it full-sized. As soon as Tim got off the bus with the good camera, I said, "Go get the perfect light shots! I'll stick with William." Notice how I take credit for letting him get this shot! :)
William woke up grumpy from his nap, and so it took awhile to get inside the castle. Original and cool looking. The stairs up were steep and narrow, and hurt the knees!
I guess the Japanese kneel to eat, and to shoot arrows...
This is a good-luck charm up in the rafters.

At least this time, William got out of the bus. At the stop before this one (to eat), Wm was overly hungry and grumpy. In his 'frump,' he did not get off the bus with the rest of us. Tim stayed with him. We were inside, ordering our meal, and I get a phone call. It is Tim. He is on the bus, and they can't get out. Apparently, all the buttons that might have said "open door" were in Japanese. The tour guide wasn't answering her phone, and the bus drivers were having a break (there were 2 since it was such a long day). They did get out and got something to eat. Now William sometimes worries that the bus will stop, and he won't be able to get out! I guess that'll teach him not to have a frump and not exit the bus!

There's always a part towards the end of the castle tours, where they show you historical stuff. No, we don't hate UConn.
Rocket?
Every castle has some samurai warrior armor. Samurai's originally were really good swordsmen, who would 'call out' another samurai to fight. Eventually, samurai became a group of men who fought together in a battalion type of formation.
William and I in a room facing East, a summer moon viewing room.
The backside of the castle. Where's Waldo? I mean, Tim? (He's in a red coat.)
Diane was enchanted that they were beginning an ice carving festival here.
This was the back gate area.
They had a lot of things ready for the ice sculptors to sculpt all night for a morning judging.
Okay, I love that this says 'chiken.' We didn't eat dinner here, but later, at one of the many rest stops. William got off the bus, got an egg sandwich, and got back on the bus to eat it. He was going home after a L-o-n-g day.