Is it worth seeing Matsumoto?

Is it worth seeing Matsumoto? YES! Matsumoto is the gateway to the Japanese Alps, this interesting city and its very beautiful castle are well worth seeing for a couple of nights. Let me explain why and what to do…

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Why is it worth seeing Matusmoto?

Matusmoto is a really lovely Japanaese town. It is not small but has a lot of quaint streets to check out. We loved the castle, it was so worth visiting with stunning views all around. Matsumoto is so well placed for day trips as well, we really loved our time here. I will go into more details about what to do in Matusmoto in this blog, I think you will really love it!

Is Matsumoto a day trip from Tokyo?

Matsumoto can definitely be a day trip from Tokyo. It is reasonably close and you can see the old streets as well as the castle in one day. If you don’t have enough time to stay overnight I would consider these tours, both starting from Matsumoto Train Station, as it will make your day trip from Tokyo so much easier!

Matsumoto and the Kamikochi Alpine Valley – This tour will take you to Matsumoto and its famous castle, one of the few remaining castles in Japan. You’ll also head high into the grandeur of the Northern Alps and to the alpine oasis of Kamikochi.

Matsumoto Castle and Town Walking Tour – Explore the stunning castle and visit other key points around Matsumoto.

Alternatively, you can just visit it all yourself! Walking between the highlights we list below is not difficult or too far.

How to get to Matsumoto

From Tokyo the cheapest and best way is to take the highway bus from the Shinjuku Station. Check out my You Tube Vlog on our trip to Matsumoto by bus to see where to find the bust stop as it’s a huge station! You’ll need to book the tickets at least the day before. This is the booking site or you can do it at the station.

You can take the train which is much faster and a little more expensive. It will definitely save you time if you are planning on coming to Matsumoto from Tokyo for a day trip.

When to go to Matsumoto

The best times are autumn for changing leaves, spring for cherry blossoms and winter for snow. We went in November and the weather was perfect!

Where to stay in Matsumoto

We found the best hotel in Matsumoto. It’s the Super Hotel Matsumoto Ekimae and it is indeed super! The rooms are impeccably clean, the staff are wonderful and you get to choose your own pillows from the reception. There is a free breakfast, welcome drinks and amenities! Honestly we couldn’t ask for more at such a reasonable price.

What to do in Matsumoto and why it is worth seeing Matsumoto!

Matsumoto Castle

Matsumoto Castle is incredible! One of the 5 National Japan Treasures and in original condition. (Heads up-you will often hear people online and in person call this Crow Castle, this is incorrect. That is a castle in the south and we double checked this with a local!)

Built in the 16th century with its original wooden structure still intact, it’s Japan’s oldest surviving castle tower. The space is impressive, surrounded by 3 moats and 2 gates, the views across the final moat are stunning. Walk around the the red bridge for more pretty views.

Entering you’ll notice a booth with tour guides. These volunteers are practising languages and are not only free but will not accept tips. We went with a lovely lady, she was so kind and informative we really enjoyed learning the history of the castle from her. Once you enter the gate you can purchase your ticket if you haven’t pre-purchased a digital one.

Head through the second gate and meander around the gardens before walking through the castle. It’s a huge wooden structure inside with 6 floors and you can go all the way to the top. Inside there are artefacts of weaponry, samurai history as well as the castles history. It is a really interesting castle to see from the inside and we really recommend it. It is not common to see the original inside of these castles so we jumped at the chance. Outside you will find some men dressed as samurai, grab a photo with them!

There are also a couple of pretty cool tours you can do of Matsumoto castle, one includes a samurai experience and the other a soba noodle experience!

Nawate-dori

This is a 200-meter stretch between the castle’s south moat and the Metoba River. It is a sweet avenue known as “Frog Street,” in a tribute to the frogs that call it home.

Here you will find lots of little second hand shops, cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops.

Matsumoto-jinja Shrine

Located on the street behind Matsumoto Castle this shrine is a nice stop off. There is a well here as well which you can use to fill your water bottle.

Former Kaichi School

A few streets behind the shrine above lies this unique school, now museum. Its beautiful architecture is a must see and you can go inside to check out the relics. Closed on Mondays and costs 300 JPY to enter.

Nawate Shopping Street and Nakamachi Shopping Street

These are two cute stopping streets that you’ve got to wander. Filled with souvenir stores, restaurants and cafes they have a really fun atmosphere. There is an old sake brewery turned to mueseum to walk through, they are really quaint streets.

Matsumoto Brewery Tap Room Honmachi

A great local brewery there’s a tap room located on Nakamachi Shopping Street. Walk in to enjoy some locally brewed beers, they are really good!

Genchi Well 源智の井戸

A little well where you can fill your bottle, as Matsumoto is located at the start of the Japanese Alps the water is clean and fresh!

Kasamori Inari Daimyoujin and Jorinji

A shrine near to Nakamachi Shopping Street, this is a really cute little shrine, with some red tori gates and foxes. It is nestled in a quiet street and perfect for a quick visit. Jorinji is the larger shrine connected.

Asama hot spring

This hot spring is only 20 minutes by bus from Matsumoto and perfect for an onsen experience. I am planning to visit here when we return, hopefully very soon!

Daiso Wasabi Farm

Hop on a bus and head out to Daiso Wasabi Farm. From here you’ll see wasabi being grown, wander the beautiful farm and taste wasabi! There’s everything from wasabi beer to wasabi icecream.

Day trips from Matsumoto

If you have a few more days these are the best places to go, some may not fill up a whole day so you could combine them with other attractions.

Snow Monkeys

A trip to see the snow monkeys is very VERY high on my list when we visit in winter next! It looks incredible, this is the Snow Monkey trip I will be booking!

Narai-juku

My absolute favourite place in Japan…so far! I dreamed of visiting this town for years and it did not disappoint. The 34th of the 69 towns along the Nakasendo Trail and one of the best preserved. There are lots of cute stores amongst the beautiful wooden buildings. Wander the 1km street and take in the charming Edo Period ambiance. Take a little (or big if you like a hike!) walk along the trail, soak up the natural environment and imagine the samurai travelling between towns on this same path.

Check out our Naria-Juku You Tube Vlog for inspiration to add to your itinerary, and check out our Narai-Juku blog to make sure you see everything! If you are keen this tour to Narai-juku will meet at Matsumoto Station and take you to Narai-Juku, which is a fantastic way to learn more about the history!

Shinhotaka Outdoor Public Onsen

This looks like a magical location and one I’m definitely getting to on our next Japan trip. It’s 2.5 hours by public transport so you’ll need a day for it but experiencing a natural hot spring next to a rushing river is worth it to me! The cost is 3750JPY each way for transport and 300JPY entry.

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