Matsumae Castle & Park
Open by month
Partly closed in January: some days or parts are closed — see the official site. New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 3): shorter hours or partly closed.
Partly closed in February: some days or parts are closed — see the official site.
Partly closed in March: some days or parts are closed — see the official site.
Open in April — at its best. Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival, mid-April to early May.
Open in May — at its best. Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival, mid-April to early May.
Open in June. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in July. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in August. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in September. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in October. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in November. No seasonal closure recorded.
Partly closed in December: some days or parts are closed — see the official site. New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 3): shorter hours or partly closed.
Checked against the official site on 2026-10-15.
Matsumae (Fukuyama) Castle, finished in 1854, was the last castle in Japan built in the old style; the keep is a 1961 rebuild. Around the castle some 10,000 cherry trees of 250 varieties bloom in turn from mid-April to late May.
National Historic Site (Fukuyama Castle ruins); the Honmaru Gate is an Important Cultural Property
Nearby
- Cape Tappi ≈ 1 h 5 min by car
Travel times are rough estimates by car.
- Best time
- April, May — Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival, mid-April to early May
- Getting there
- Hakodate Bus from Kikonai Sta. (Hokkaido Shinkansen) to Matsushiro stop, about 1 h 30 min
- Fee
- Park free; Matsumae Castle Museum inside the keep ¥360 (adults)
- Good to know
- Castle museum open Apr 10 – Dec 10, 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); closed for winter Dec 11 – Apr 9
- Time needed
- 1 h 30 min
Checked against the official Japanese website on 2026-10-15. Report outdated info