Matsumoto Castle Becomes Japan’s Most Followed Official Castle Account on Instagram; Overtakes Kumamoto Castle

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:05 JST, May 29, 2024

MATSUMOTO, Nagano – Matsumoto Castle’s official Instagram account on Tuesday overtook Kumamoto Castle’s to become the most followed official account of any of Japan’s castles.

The account, which is run by the Matsumoto municipal government in Nagano Prefecture, reached 27,940 followers as of 5 p.m. on the day, while Kumamoto Castle’s follower count was 27,793.

Matsumoto Castle’s official account launched on May 22, 2021. The account posts photos of the castle and information on events. It has made about 600 posts so far. Photos with the Northern Alps in the background and an upside-down reflection of the castle keep in the moat have racked up views, with the number of followers steadily increasing.

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

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