Of course, there were some new defensive innovations introduced at Matsumoto. There was the traditional gate that had to be entered, or, if that proved to be a hassle, invaders could wade across the shallow moat instead. However, the moat was filled with expensive ornamental fish, and accidentally killing one of them could cost a soldier a fortune. But if they managed to get past the fish without a debilitating lawsuit, they had to face the tea lady. At one hour per cup of tea, the obligatory tea ceremony could slow the enemy advance to a crawl.

The castle was built in 1504 by the local noble family, and they seemed to have learned nothing about defensive techniques from the earlier Himeji castle. While incorporating the same design flaws as Himeji, i.e. no rooftops or windows from which to attack invaders, they also did away with the idea of putting the castle on a defensible place like a hilltop or cliff. So instead this castle seems to be built on a large playing field, allowing the invaders ample time to organize their assault plan, then amble in the front door while the defenders sit inside and wait to be taken over. On a positive note, they do have beautiful views to keep them occupied while they waited for their demise.