Matsumae Town, located at the southernmost tip of Hokkaido, is a two-hour drive from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. Overlooking the magnificent Tsugaru Strait, this town was once home to the Matsumae Domain and flourished as a trading center connecting Ezo (Hokkaido) and Honshu. It is also renowned as Hokkaido's only castle town.

Matsumae Town is also known as one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Hokkaido, and every spring, it attracts many tourists from both within and outside the prefecture.

Local specialties include fresh seafood caught in the Tsugaru Strait, such as bluefin tuna and squid. If you're visiting Matsumae Town, seafood cuisine is a must-try.

So, this time, we'll introduce some recommended tourist spots and gourmet food in Matsumae Town!

<Table of Contents>
1. What kind of place is Matsumae Town?
2. Let's take a walk around Matsumae Castle.
3. Cherry blossom hospitality in the city
4. A trip back in time to the Edo period at the Matsumae Domain Residence
5. Seafood gourmet at the roadside station "Kitamaebune Matsumae"
6. Matsumae-zuke is a popular souvenir from Matsumae.
Summary

Matsumae Town is located about two hours by car from Hakodate City and about one hour by car from JR Kikonai Shinkansen Station. Situated at the southernmost tip of Hokkaido, it is a town surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Tsugaru Strait.

Matsumae was once ruled by the Matsumae Domain, and the town still retains remnants of the castle and temple district from that era. As the only castle town in Hokkaido, traces of the Edo period can be seen everywhere in Matsumae.

Furthermore, the town boasts over 10,000 cherry trees that have been carefully nurtured by local flower guardians since the Matsumae Domain era, and they bloom in full glory every spring. These cherry trees, said to number 250 varieties, include early-blooming, mid-blooming, and late-blooming types, delighting our eyes for approximately one month, from mid-April to late May.

Local specialties include "Matsumae bluefin tuna" and "natural rock seaweed" caught in the Tsugaru Strait. In winter, "spear squid" and "rock oysters" are in season, allowing you to enjoy fresh seafood throughout the year.

Matsumae Park is located in the heart of the town. Within it lies Matsumae Castle, built by the Matsumae clan. Its official name is Fukuyama Castle, and it is the last Japanese-style castle built in Japan in 1854.

In 24, the castle was destroyed by fire, with only the main gate remaining. However, restoration work was carried out afterward, and it now looks just as it did back then. The surviving main gate was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 25.

The interior of the castle tower houses a museum, displaying works of art such as the "Matsumae Folding Screen," which depicts the Matsumae castle town during the Edo period, and Kakizaki Hakyo's "Beauty Under Cherry Blossoms," as well as valuable materials related to the Matsumae domain and the "Kitamae-bune," trading ships that connected Matsumae with Honshu during the Edo period.

Matsumae Shrine

Located north of Matsumae Castle is Matsumae Shrine, a shrine dedicated to Takeda Nobuhiro, the founder of the Matsumae Domain.

Within the temple grounds are the "Garyuume" plum tree, which is said to have been bestowed upon the third head of the Matsumae family, Kimihiro, by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun, and the "Enmusubi no Ki" (matchmaking tree), where two Japanese maple trees grow close together as if holding hands.

Centered around Matsumae Castle, the town boasts approximately 10,000 cherry trees. Matsumae's cherry blossoms include about 250 varieties, some of which were brought to Matsumae from Honshu, and others that were created locally by flower growers. Each variety blooms at a different time, allowing visitors to enjoy the full bloom of cherry blossoms for over a month, from mid-April to late May.

When I visited Matsumae in early April, most of the cherry blossoms were still in bud, but in one corner of Matsumae Castle, there were cherry blossoms in full bloom.

These cherry trees are called "Fuyuzakura," a rare variety that blooms twice a year, in spring and autumn. The autumn blooming period is said to be from November to December. If you visit Matsumae in the autumn, be sure to see these beautifully blooming winter cherry blossoms.

Located about a 15-minute walk from Matsumae Castle is the "Matsumae Clan Residence," a theme park that recreates the streetscape of Matsumae during the Edo period.

Walking through the grounds, where buildings such as the magistrate's office and samurai residences have been restored, you'll feel like a Matsumae samurai. You can also enjoy trying on samurai armor and making Matsumae-zuke, a local Matsumae dish.

Country Park Japanese Garden

Next to the Matsumae Clan Residence is the "Country Park Japanese Garden," a vast 17,000 square meter site featuring a picturesque waterfall pond and walking paths. From the gazebo within the garden, you can leisurely admire the cherry blossoms in spring and the autumn foliage in fall.

Now, after your stroll through the park, how about lunch featuring seafood from Matsumae? This is Kitamaebune Matsumae, a roadside station built on the site of a port of call for the Kitamaebune, the trading ships of the Matsumae Domain. It's located along National Route 228, with the rough Sea of ​​Japan stretching out before you.

And in one corner of the roadside station is the restaurant "Kitamae Shokudo." Inside, with its ocean view overlooking the Tsugaru Strait, you can enjoy dishes made with ingredients from Matsumae.

The restaurant's most popular dish is the "Tairyo-kun Donburi," a bowl overflowing with fresh seafood caught in the Tsugaru Strait. Tuna, sea urchin, salmon roe, squid, and other seafood adorn the bowl to the brim.

In addition, there are plenty of other Matsumae-specific dishes, such as "Matsumae Yakisoba" which uses Matsumae-zuke (pickled seafood and vegetables) as an ingredient, and "Matsumae Nori Bento" which is packed with seaweed.

★Let's go on a long-distance trip to Hakodate with JAL!★

Matsumae-zuke is a local dish from Matsumae that has been loved since the Matsumae Domain era. It is made by pickling finely shredded kelp and dried squid in soy sauce. This delicacy is characterized by the umami of the kelp and dried squid, as well as the sliminess of the kelp, and is popular as a snack with alcohol or as an accompaniment to rice.

You can purchase the shop's proud homemade Matsumae-zuke (pickled seafood and vegetables) at souvenir shops in town. With a variety of options available, including those with added chili peppers and those containing crunchy herring roe, why not find your favorite flavor?

We introduced Matsumae Town, the southernmost town in Hokkaido. In Hokkaido, which is said to have a relatively short history, Matsumae Town was settled by Japanese people at the end of the Heian period and built a samurai culture.

It is the only castle town in Hokkaido, and traces of that era still remain in the town. The cherry blossoms that bloom profusely in spring are said to have been planted by people who came to this area from Honshu and longed for their distant homeland, and they have been carefully preserved to this day.

Matsumae Town, blessed with abundant seafood from the Tsugaru Strait, has a rich culinary culture. Why not enjoy a trip to Matsumae, strolling through its charming castle town and savoring delicious seafood?

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