ABOUT
About this spot
The Former Kaichi School in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, is a school building completed in April 1876 (Meiji 9). It is a leading example of "giyofu" architecture, which blends Western design with traditional Japanese craftsmanship. It was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1961 and, on September 30, 2019, became the first modern school building to be designated a National Treasure. The two-storey wooden building has a tiled roof, an octagonal tower and plastered walls made to look like stone, together with a curved Japanese-style entrance porch and a carved dragon. It was designed and built by the local carpenter Tateishi Kiyoshige, and about 70 percent of the cost is said to have come from donations by Matsumoto residents. The building was moved to its present site in 1963 to 1964 and has served as a museum since 1965. After a closure for seismic and fire-safety work, it reopened in November 2024. Matsumoto Castle is nearby, so the two can easily be combined in a single day. Allow about an hour. It is closed on the third Tuesday of the month until November, and every Tuesday from December.
Last updated October 25, 2026