Matsumoto-jo, also known as “Crow Castle,” is located in Nagano Prefecture and has been designated as a National Treasure of Japan. Surprisingly, the photo above isn’t that of a professionally made model of the famous castle. A Japanese artist that goes by the moniker, Upunushu, created this replica of Matsumoto Castle entirely out of cardboard. Each intricate detail, from the stone walls to the tiny emblem designs below the roof, were made by hand.
▼ This talented artist turned a humble pile of cardboard…
▼ …into a beautiful work of art.
▼ Here’s a picture of the real Matsumoto Castle for reference. It’s remarkably similar!
It took one week of planning, six months of building, and 300 yen (US$2.95) in materials to complete this stunning cardboard recreation. Let’s take a look at some of the work that went into it:
▼ Making the stone wall base.
▼ Putting each cardboard stone in place, bit by bit. This part alone took two months to complete.
▼ Guard rails to go around the castle.
▼ Guard rails in place.
▼ The roof must have taken an especially long time to build. Here you see small strips glued to each piece of cardboard.
▼ Each piece is then cut apart…
▼ …and then glued in place as the roof.
▼ Another view of the roof.
▼ Yes, this castle really was made entirely of cardboard. Incredible!
▼ View the full video of the making of cardboard Matsumoto Castle here.
Upunushu has been making cardboard recreations ever since she was a fifth grade elementary school student. Now in her mid-twenties, she has perfected her craft and produces some amazing works. If you are interested in viewing more of Upunushu’s work, take a look at two more videos uploaded to NicoNicoDouga:
Source: IT Media
Image: Lami Japan
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