The area centered around Matsumae Castle, the only old-style Japanese castle in Hokkaido and selected as a Hokkaido Heritage site in 2004, is known as one of the '100 Most Beautiful Historical Landscapes of Japan'. Local residents have a deep affection and pride for the town's scenery, and just by walking around, you can feel the unique atmosphere of a castle town. It is famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot with approximately 10,000 trees of about 250 varieties. It is a popular destination visited by many people, as the blossoms can be enjoyed over a long period, from the winter cherry blossoms in early April to the late-blooming varieties in late May.

The origin of this famous cherry blossom spot dates back to the Edo period, when trees were brought by local merchants, the wife of a feudal lord who married from the capital city of Kyoto, and samurai returning from Edo after completing their alternate attendance duties. As the haiku master Matsuo Basho wrote, 'For a league, are all descendants of blossom guards?', Kanesuke Kamakura propagated the trees through grafting from the Taisho period onward. Starting in the 1940s, Masatoshi Asari, a local elementary school teacher, collected cherry trees from all over the country and worked on breeding new varieties, leading to the park we see today.

Within the approximately 213,500 square meter grounds, there are many highlights, including Matsumae's three great cherry trees: the 'Kechimyaku-zakura' at Kozen-ji Temple, estimated to be over 300 years old; the 'Ezo Kasumi-zakura' at Ryuun-in Temple; and the 'Meoto-zakura' (Couple's Cherry Tree) at Tenjinzaka-mon Gate. It is a paradise for cherry blossom lovers, with the beautiful combination of the castle and cherry blossoms, the 'Sakura Sample Garden' which can be called a living encyclopedia of cherry trees, and the 'Sakura Museum' which opens during the cherry blossom festival period.

Additionally, Matsumae Fukuyama Castle, the last Japanese-style castle completed in 1854 (Ansei 1), was designated a National Treasure in 1941 (Showa 16) but was destroyed by fire in 1949 (Showa 24). The current castle keep was rebuilt in 1961 (Showa 36). The Honmaru Gomon Gate is an original structure from the time of construction and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.