Japan: Matsumoto castle Photo

Photographer’s Note

"Copyright © – Attila Szili.
The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained herein for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved."

Matsumoto Castle (松本城, Matsumoto-jó), also known as Fukashi castle, is a flatland castle and one of Japan's historic castles. Located in the city of Matsumoto, in Nagano Prefecture, it is within easy reach from Tokyo.
This castle is also called Crow Castle because of its black walls and spreading wings. It is an example of a flatland castle, not being built on a hilltop or amid rivers.
The castle's origins go back to the Sengoku (Warring States) period. At that time, Shimadachi Sadanaga of the Ogasawara clan built a fort on this site in 1504, which was originally called Fukashi Castle. In 1550, it came under the rule of the Takeda clan and then Tokugawa Ieyasu. It is believed much of the castle was completed in 1593-4.
In 1872, following the Meiji Restoration, the tower was sold at auction and was at risk of being dismantled. However, with the cooperation of Ichikawa Ryozo and other people of Matsumoto, it was spared. The Kuromon-Ninomon (second gate of the Black Gate) and sodebei (side wall) were reconstructed in 1990. The Taikomon-Masugata (square-shaped drum gate) was reconstructed in 1999.

The tower of Matsumoto Castle is listed as a National Treasure of Japan.

pasternak, Deepforest, patshoo, Valerka, paololg, Dpbours, alvaraalto, manada, Vato_Law, MikiM, edytungkal, bostankorkulugu, wishlist, Cricri, Emile, Jakab, rigoletto, jhm, Buin, Maged, ocskaymarci has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

kadirim (879) 2008-07-12 3:07

Merhaba dear Attila
Wonderful interesting building and roofs.Wonderful colours and reflections.Good light and composition.Well done.
Best regards.
KadiR.

Gustaw (21670) 2008-07-12 3:10

Hi, my friend!
Japan! Wow! I never been in Japan. Very oryginal architecture. I like your reflections in water. Good colours and good light. Well done.
Marek

davide (1144) 2008-07-12 3:15

Ciao Attila,
a very very beauty photo, the disposition, PoV, colours and sharpness are very well coice; and tghe subject is wonderful.
Bravo,
Davide

pasternak (14191) 2008-07-12 3:19

A classic composition with pleasant reflections and row of trees leading to the castle. Well done!

jonathan_hart (22926) 2008-07-12 3:20

good light and colours, well framed off centered, the architecture is elegant, the red spots add to the compo and complete the colour pallet
regards
jo

Deepforest (9105) 2008-07-12 3:25

Hi Attila,
beautiful composition and great POV! Matsumoto Castle is really interesting for the sake of architecture and it's location. I like fantastic reflections of the buildings and the trees the same as an appearance of the sky. Very good colours and sharpness. Impressive capture my friend. Thanks for sharing.
Have a nice weekend,
Andrzej

patshoo (944) 2008-07-12 3:48

Impressive POV,Nice composition of castle that good choice of two leading line from stone wall and reflection on water surface,Good sharpness and well prepare story.Good work,TFS.

baladeva (215) 2008-07-12 5:07 [Comment]

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Valerka (8159) 2008-07-12 5:50

Hello, Attila,
A nice introduction to Japanese theme:)
I like the pagodas' outlines.
TFS
Valerka:)

hatti52 (12654) 2008-07-12 8:06

Hi Attila
it is like a postcard
excellent sharpness,wonderful colours
regards

paololg (15482) 2008-07-12 8:21

Ciao Attila,
composizione perfetta, dove tutti i fondamentali della fotografia, dal POV alla saturazione, dalla gestione della luce allo sharp, sono da manuale della fotografia. Questa è una immagine che non ci si stanca mai di ammirare. Bravissimo.
Ciao e buona domenica.
Paolo.

Dpbours (220) 2008-07-12 8:23

Hi Attila,

Nice reflections! Like the composition and a good note. The only thing is that the clouds feel a slight bit blueish. But a nice compo it is!

Greetings,
Dennis

alvaraalto (5353) 2008-07-12 14:46

Hi Attila,

Interesting architecture and remarkable place of the Japanese castle. Your excellent info gives us a good view about this historical place.

Groet Rob

npecanhuk (16416) 2008-07-12 21:55

Hello Attila!
What a wonderful picture!
I love the incredible architecture of the japanese building... the vegetation around and the reflection of everything on the water!
TFS - Congratulations!
Greetings from Brazil,
Neyvan Peçanhuk

manada (6237) 2008-07-13 0:37

Perché quella scritta a destra della foto?
Pensavi che nessuno conoscesse il famoso Castello di Matsumoto?
Io, ad esempio, pensavo Chissà perchè il mio amico Attila ancora non ha mostrato una sua immagine... :-D
Ottima compo col riflesso intero, nitidezza super e tutto il resto intorno.
Buona domenica
Freddy

Clementi (47668) 2008-07-13 1:24

Ciao Attila,
bella lezione di fotografia dove tutto le cose sono al posto giusto e perfetto uso della luce e del colore, la parte riflessa completa l'opera.
Giorgio

Graal (60312) 2008-07-13 2:15

Jó napot Attila,
pleasant composition with reflections in water. Unusual place, nice old architecture, good informations. Well done photo.
Gr., Aleksander

berek (29235) 2008-07-13 4:38

Hi Attila.
nice reflections and beautiful architecture. clear picture.
have a nice Sunday.
Burak Erek

Bruno40 (6442) 2008-07-13 5:38

Hi Attila,
Long time I ahve been away from TE. Nice to see some of your recent photos.
I like this one, the framing is great with full refelction and in 2/3. Textbook framing.
I visit this castle some 10 years ago.. I was touring on my motorbike from Tokyo to Toyama. Too bad I didn't have a good camera at that time.
cheers
Jorge

Scharan (13957) 2008-07-13 10:50

Olá Attila

Linda foto, um cenário encantador.
Boa nitidez e cores muito bonitas.
Ótima composição e reflexos.
Parabéns
GA
Vera

Vato_Law (11828) 2008-07-13 13:20

Hello Attila,
Beautiful photo from this castle and all the surrounding environment resulting on a photo which shows well how peacefull this place must be.
I like a lot this mild colours you show on the photo and these reflections on water surface.
Doesn't surprise me at all this place is under protection of japanese authorities as it is really a treasure with its unique architecture.
Cheers.
Paulo

MikiM (1916) 2008-07-13 15:13

SZia Attila,

OK, induljon Japán :)) Szinte rajzszerű szépségben mutatod be a kastélyt - nagyon szép színekkel. ( Még egy Kung Fu Panda is beleférne...)
A keretezés is különleges - függőlegesen igazi japán módra... azt hiszem ehhez hasonló szépett nem lesz könnyű találnom...

Szép hetet és jó fotózást!
Miklós

edytungkal (4521) 2008-07-13 19:06

This one absolutelety the nice and beautiful post card from Japan, that fantastic double faces castle (incl the reflections) showing the perfect asian style's picture. Nice shot Attila-san :-)

daniel

bostankorkulugu (34562) 2008-07-13 23:14

beautiful presentation of the japanese architecture in a vivd colour palette... good to have the whole reflection in the compo attila, very nice as usual...

regards... krkt

wishlist (4133) 2008-07-14 14:47

Ciao Attila!
spettacolo di foto che proponi qui; il castello sti stampa sul cielo pastellato in una maniera favolosa e la sua bellezza viene enfatizzata ancor di piu' dal bel contorno che lo circonda. Il laghetto e i suoi riflessi bilanciano bene la composizione col ponte rosso sulla sinistra che si fa notare ed apprezzare come un alternativo punto di fuoco per partire alla scoperta delle bellezze della foto. Bel lavoro davvero!
Ciao,

Igor

p.s: 4 o 5 ottobre TE meeting in quel di Spilimbergo, spero davvero potrai essere dei nostri anche perche' sarebbe un piacere conoscerti!

Cricri (45241) 2008-07-15 7:50

Hi Attila,
Un cadrage réussi avec les reflets du château et le bleu du ciel pour le mettre encore plus en valeur, trés belle et intéresante architecture
Good day for you
cricri

gilou530 (36769) 2008-07-15 9:18

salut attila
une belle lumiére sur ce cadrage un lieu typique du japon pays que je rêve de visiter belle capture des reflets
amitiés
gilbert

Emile (20189) 2008-07-16 10:25

Hola Attila.
Beautiful castle with interesting black walls and grey roofs, very well placed in your shot, off center to let our eyes follow the stone wall until we reach the magnificent architecture, the colors, POV and reflection are very good.
Well done. TFS.
Best regards.

Jakab (3622) 2008-07-16 14:42

Szia Attila!
Ó, milyen szép klasszikus kép, mint egy japán akvarell. (Elnézegetve persze az emberben fölmerül, könnyű volt nekik azt a sajátos, lebegő és redukált festészetet kitalálniuk, ha maga a valóság is ilyen volt. Érdekes tapasztalat, eddig még nem láttam így.)
Üdv
Laci

rigoletto (27404) 2008-07-17 14:32

Hi Attila,
This is no different than a superbly executed professional calendar photo from a Nipponese company :))
Excellent place photographed in perfect light and colors. TFS,
Deniz

Silvio1953 (45136) 2008-07-18 13:15

Ciao Attila, magnifica vista di questa affascinante architettura, fantastici riflessi e splendidi colori, bravo, buon week end, ciao Silvio

jhm (85052) 2008-07-20 5:06

Hello Attila,

Lovely composition with the splendid reflection.
A picture with a lot different details, also the real colours care for a good presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice sunday,
John.

Buin (39562) 2008-07-22 12:31

Hallo Attila!
The other TE friends already have said all - but this one, and the note, deserve another two points. Here they are ...
There's a lot of beauty in the skillful buildup of this picture!
Greetings from nearly autumnal Germany!
Frank

Maged (1666) 2008-07-23 11:56

Hello Attila

Excellent shot for a pretty Japanese Castle, the colors are amazing with pretty excellent details, your POV is superb .
Well Done
Maged

paura (40841) 2008-08-02 9:52

Attila,
A well composed shot here to show the majestic structure. Lighting and colors management are great.

In a next time in Brazil, told me some days before in order to get time of planing something special.

A nice weekend, friend.

Paulo

Angshu (34841) 2008-08-04 6:46

Hello Attila
A very long time indeed. Had you been globe trotting in the meanwhile? How are you my friend? Superb crisp & beautiful shot which is better than any postcard we can see. Love the colours, the red of the bridge standing out & the reflections also lovely in the FG. Afine work!
Regards
Angshu

pablominto (42522) 2008-08-07 1:10

Hello Attila,

An attractive composition, including the distorted reflection of the castle!
Seems like they have an attraction to colourful rails, hehehe...
Attractive colours and fine details!

Greetings,
Pablo -

andymast (15) 2008-08-13 9:28

Ciao Attila,
Complimenti per la bellissima foto: perfetta inquadratura e piacevole effetto tridimensionale, mi sembra di vedere il castello dal vivo. Merita sicuramente una stampa in formato A3.
Alla prossima.
Andrea

ocskaymarci (2520) 2008-09-11 8:14

Remekül megkomponált kép tele szép élénk színekkel. Csodálatos! Kiváló a tükröződés a vízben és minden részlet szép tiszta, éles. Nagyon ott van ez a kép!

Photo Information

Copyright: Attila Szili (atus) (15476)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-23
Categories: Castles, Architecture
Camera: Nikon D80, Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S VR, Hoya Pro1 DIGITAL C-PL 72mm
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-12 2:58
Favorites: 1 [view]