[Matsumae] Superb Cherry Blossoms and Hisotry of Samurai Can Be Enjoyed at Castle Town Only in Hokkaido

MATSUMAE

Matsumae (松前) that about 7,000 people live is the 76th largest fishery town in Hokkaido, and is locateed in the southwestern part of Hakodate city. It takes about 90 minutes from the Hakodate to the Matsumae by a car. The Matsumae has Cape Shirakami (白神岬), the southernmost tip of the Hokkaido, and is well-known as the southernmost town in the Hokkaido, and used to prosper as the center of Matsumae Domain (松前藩), and is famous for ever beeing the only castle town in the Hokkaido. It has appeared since 1400's in Japanese's history, and has uniquely long history in the Hokkaido. The Matsumae used to flourish for catch of herring, but Tuna fishing is famous at present, and the tuna is one of local specialities. As for a climate, it is comfortable, and the average temperature is about 10 C. It is cold in a summer, and it does not snow very much.

Movie of Matsumae

The Hokkaido used to be called Yezo (蝦夷地), and Ainu people lived in most of the Hokkaido at that time. Mr. Yoshihiro Matsumae (松前慶広), the first lord of the Matsumae Family, constructed Matsumae Castle (松前城) in 1606, and that is the only now-existing Japanese-style castle in the Hokkaido. * Only the main gate designed as an important cultural property remains today. In the vast Hokkaido, only the Matsumae, the southernmost place in the Hokkaido, was developed as a place lived by Wajin (和人 * Japanese). They became rich by trading with the Ainu people, and 30,000 people lived in the Matsumae at its peak. The western side of Oshima Peninsula (渡島半島) was called the Matsumae Domain until the Meiji Restoration. By the way, Mr. Shinpachi Nagakura (永倉新八), a famous samurai of Shinsengumi (新撰組 * They faced tragedy by the Meiji Restoration (明治維新)), was former Matsumae clansman.

It is said that the Hokkaido has a short history of Wajin (和人 * Japanese), and Meiji High Collar and Taisho Roman can be enjoyed in some places, But the Matsumae with more than 600 years is an unusual place in the Hokkaido, and an atmosphere of samurai society in the Edo period can be felt. I think that it is only Matsumae's charm in the Hokkaido. For example, a type of bamboo is not root bend bamboo, and moso bamboo grow at the site, and it has an atmosphere of non-Hokkaido. The Mastumae has a lot of tourist attractions associated with Matsumae history. The Mastumae Castle, Matsumae Feudal Clan Mansion (松前藩屋敷), Tombs of Feudal Lords of Matsumae (松前藩主松前家墓所), Temples and Shrines (寺町), Cape Shirakami (白神岬) and Matsumae Local Museum (松前町郷土資料館) are famous. Especially, Matsumae Park (松前公園) containing the Mastumae Castle, the Matsumae Feudal Clan Mansion, the Tombs of the Feudal Lords of the Matsumae, the Temples and the Shrines is well-known as a good place to see cherry blossoms.

Speaking of the Matsumae, Matsumae-zuke (松前漬け * Matsumae Style Pickle) is famous, too. It is a sticky fermented food that chopped kombus, dried squids, herring roes, chopped carrots are soaked in soy sauce, and is a local specialty in the Matsumae, and a lot of families in the Hokkaido eat rice topped with it at the breakfast. In addition, Matsumae Tuna Sanshoku Rice Bowls (松前マグロ三色丼) using a tuna landed in Matsumae become new noted product recently. By the way, hot spring called Matsumae Onsen (松前温泉) has been gushed since the Matsumae Domain period, and a type of the hot springs that the Matsumae Lord used to take a bath can be enjoyed.

Events held in the Matsumae are as follows. Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival (松前さくらまつり) is held from late April to mid May, and Matsumae Hydrangea Festival (松前あじさいまつり) is held only in a day, early August, and Matsumae Castle Town Period Festival (松前城下時代まつり) is held between 3days in mid August, and Matsumae Castle Town Tuna Festival (松前城下マグロまつり) is held between 2days in mid September.