Matsumoto Castle becomes Japan’s most followed official castle account on Instagram; Overtakes Kumamoto Castle

MATSUMOTO, Nagano – The official Instagram account of Matsumoto Castle overtook that of Kumamoto Castle on Tuesday to become the most followed official account of all Japanese castles.

The account, which is operated by the Matsumoto Municipal Government in Nagano Prefecture, reached 27,940 followers as of 5 p.m. that day, while Kumamoto Castle’s follower count reached 27,793.

The official account of Matsumoto Castle was launched on May 22, 2021. The account posts photos of the castle and information about events. About 600 posts have been made so far. Photos with the Northern Alps in the background and an upside-down reflection of the castle tower in the moat have created many views, with the number of followers steadily increasing.

Hashtags in English, Chinese and other foreign languages ​​have also helped attract foreign tourists.

“The staff has come up with ways to convey the various sights of Matsumoto Castle from different angles,” Mayor Yoshinao Gaun said at a regular news conference on Tuesday. “We will continue to actively promote the castle with Instagram as the focus of our efforts,” he added.