松本城の前身は戦国時代に造られた深志城で、小笠原貞慶の時代に松本城と名を改められた。戦国時代そのままの姿の漆黒の天守は、現存する五重六階天守としては日本最古で、国宝に指定されている。北アルプスを背景にそびえ立ち、黒漆と白漆喰のコントラストが美しいこの城は、松本のシンボルとして親しまれている。

The predecessor of Matsumoto Castle was Fukashi Castle, which was built during Japan’s Sengoku (warring states) period. Fukashi Castle was renamed Matsumoto Castle when Sadayoshi Ogasawara ruled the area. With five tiers and six aboveground floors, the jet-black tenshu (main keep or castle tower) which remains as it was during the Sengoku period, is the oldest in Japan and has been designated a national treasure. Matsumoto Castle, with its beautiful contrast of black lacquer and white stucco set against the backdrop of the Northern Japanese Alps, stands as the symbol of the city that shares the same name.

人気ゲームシリーズ『戦国BASARA』に登場する真田幸村をフィギュア化。
歴史上の真田幸村は、名を真田信繁といい、戦国時代に活躍し「日の本一の兵」と称された武将。長野県上田市は真田家縁の地で、幸村の父・昌幸が築城した上田城は二度の上田合戦で徳川の大軍を退け難攻不落の城といわれた。

This is a figure of Yukimura Sanada, who appears in the popular game series, Sengoku BASARA.
Yukimura Sanada, whose real name was Nobushige Sanada, was considered the finest soldier in Japan, and recorded a number of great exploits during the Sengoku period. Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture possesses deep ties with the Sanada family. Ueda Castle, which was built by Yukimura’s father Masayuki Sanada, was considered to be impregnable because it twice repelled the attacks of the numerically superior Tokugawa forces during the Battle of Ueda.

野生のニホンザルの自然な姿を間近で見られる地獄谷野猿公苑。寒い季節になると、サルたちが温泉で暖を取る姿が見られ、世界で唯一「温泉に入るサル」として海外からも観光客が数多く訪れる。サル類の多くは暖かい地域に生息するが、ニホンザルは雪の上で生活することから「スノーモンキー」とも呼ばれる。

In Jigokudani Yaen-koen, you can see wild Japanese monkeys up close. These monkeys go to the hot springs during winter, and many visitors from other countries visit Jigokudani Yaen-koen to see the only monkeys in the world who supposedly enjoy taking hot spring baths. Although many types of monkeys live in warm areas, Japanese monkeys are also called snow monkeys because they live in snowy regions.

数々の銘酒の産地である米どころ新潟。中でも、越乃寒梅は「幻の酒」と呼ばれ、新潟を代表する日本酒のひとつとして知られる。明治40年創業の石本酒造は新潟市・亀田郷にある酒蔵で、亀田郷は江戸時代より梅の名産地でもある。初春の残雪の中、寒さに堪え凛とした美しさを放つ梅の花が、「越乃寒梅」の名の由来となった。

Niigata is an area renowned for producing many types of famous sake. One well-known brand representative of Niigata is “Koshi no kanbai,” which is called the “phantom sake.” Ishimoto Shuzo, which was founded in 1907, is a sake brewery located in Kamedagou in Niigata City. In addition to sake, Kamedagou has produced Japanese plums since the Edo era. The name “Koshi no kanbai” comes from the image of beautiful plum flower in the lingering snow on a cold, early spring day.

「草津よいとこ、一度はおいで〜」と唄われる日本屈指の温泉郷・草津温泉。名物の「湯もみ」は、熱い源泉を板で揉むことで、水で薄めることなく温度を下げ、更にお湯を柔らかくする効果もあるのだそう。温泉街の中心地・湯畑前に建つ「熱乃湯」では「湯もみ」の実演の観覧、体験ができる。

Kusatsu Onsen is considered to be one of Japan’s leading hot spring villages, a sentiment echoed in the words of the song, “Kusatsu Yoitoko, Ichidowa Oide...” (“Visit the Great Places of Kusatsu at Least Once”). The Japanese word yumomi describes the kneading of the hot spring source with boards to lower the temperature of the spring and soften it up without using extra water. You can view and experience yumomi at Netsunoyu, which is located in Yubatakemae at the heart of the hot springs resort area.

「国境の長いトンネルを抜けると雪国であった。」（川端康成・小説『雪国』より）という有名な一節にもあるとおり、関東から谷川岳を貫く長いトンネルを抜けるとそこは雪国・新潟。1982年に上越新幹線が開業し、現在新潟−東京間を最速1時間40分で結ぶ。開業時に活躍し「団子鼻」の愛称で親しまれた200系新幹線を造形化。

Niigata is snow country in winter, and can be reached by taking the long tunnel that extends from the Kanto region and runs through the Tanigawa Valley. Yasunari Kawabata perfectly captured this journey in Yukiguni (Snow Country) when he wrote “the train came out of the long tunnel and arrived in snow country.” In 1982, the Joetsu Shinkansen began operation, and today the fastest train connecting Niigata and Tokyo can make the journey in 1 hour and 40 minutes. The figure of the 200 series Shinkansen train-car, nicknamed the “Bulbous nose,” brings to life the train that ran when the Joetsu Shinkansen first began operation.

全国各地で活躍する多くの「ご当地キャラクター」の中でも人気ランキングで1位を獲得し、全国的にも人気者となった群馬県のマスコット・ぐんまちゃん。県外に出張したり、さまざまなイベントに参加したり、群馬の魅力をPRする群馬県宣伝部長として活躍。今回は群馬県の伝統工芸品「だるま」をもったポーズをフィギュア化。

Gunma Prefecture’s mascot character, Gunma-chan, won first place in a popularity ranking contest of local mascots and has become popular nationwide. Gunma-chan acts as an ambassador of Gunma, telling people about the wonders of Gunma Prefecture by going on business trips to other prefectures and participating in a variety of events. This figure shows Gunma-chan with a daruma (traditional craft of Gunma Prefecture).

関東随一の温泉天国『上州』、歴史と山岳高原が魅力『信州』、清らかな水に恵まれた米どころ『越後』。数々の名峰に囲まれその恩恵に育まれた群馬・長野・新潟それぞれの個性豊かな"名物”を集めました。

“JOUSHINETSU FIGURE MIYAGE” is the miniature figures of famous institutions in Jouetsu region : Gunma, Nagano, Niigata.