Boshin War Memorial
This tall stone monument commemorates the 261 samurai from Matsumoto who fought in the Boshin War (1868–1869), a conflict between the forces of the last Tokugawa shogun and revolutionaries who supported a return to imperial leadership. The Boshin War was the first stage of the Meiji Restoration, which brought about the end of the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868), initiated sweeping social and political changes, and ushered in the country’s rapid industrialization.
Matsumoto domain ultimately sided with the imperial loyalists, and on February 29, 1868, the daimyo sent troops to lend support in several regions north and northwest of Edo (now Tokyo). Their battles are described in the inscription on the front of the monument, and the name, position, and fate of each of the 261 Matsumoto samurai is recorded on the back.
Castles of the National Council of Castle Overseers
A long wall lined with castle photographs marks the southern border of the Honmaru Garden. The castles pictured there are all associated with the National Council of Castle Overseers, a coalition of local officials and castle administrators that oversees the operation of castles throughout the country.
Each photo is accompanied by information that includes the castle’s name, any nicknames it may have, its location, its type (mountain castle, flatland castle, etc.), its builder, and the year of its construction.