Visit Mastumoto

After you pass through the railway’s ticket gates, the “Castle Exit (East Exit)” on the right is where your sightseeing begins. The Town Sneaker city loop bus, which will take you toward Matsumoto Castle, the Matsumoto City Museum of Art, Asama Hot Springs, and Utsukushigahara Hot Springs, departs from the rotary-style bus stop in front of the train station. On the other hand, you can board the express buses for the mountain resorts of Kamikochi and Norikura and the Takayama area, as well as the highway buses for Tokyo, Nagoya, and other destinations, at Matsumoto Bus Terminal, a two-minute walk from the station. As the location is completely different depending on your destination, first you'll need to distinguish between the two.

Japanese buses have different boarding rules and payment methods depending on the type of vehicle.

On the regular local buses that take you around Matsumoto City, you board via the back door and alight via the front door. When you board, make sure you take a boarding ticket from the ticket machine by the entrance. This ticket acts as important proof when calculating your fare. On the other hand, you board and alight from the front door on the long-distance buses that take you to Kamikochi and Norikura. You might find yourself confused by the unfamiliar rules, but everything will go smoothly if you copy what the other passengers are doing. Many of these long-distance buses require you to reserve a ticket in advance.

It's convenient to pay by cash or using the latest touch payment. As of 2026, you can use credit card/touch payment on all Gurutto Matsumoto bus routes within the city. Simply hold your card, etc. to the reader when you board and alight to complete your payment. If you’re using cash, you can’t get change for 5,000 or 10,000 yen notes on the bus, so make sure you have a 1,000 yen note or coins in advance. Note that public transport IC cards such as Suica and PASMO are currently only accepted on certain routes.

HELLO CYCLING share cycles are perfect for sightseeing in the city. There are numerous stations at key spots throughout Matsumoto City, and you can do everything from booking to paying on one smartphone app. All bicycles are power-assisted, making even gentle hills a pleasant experience. Payment is made by credit card, and this is the means of transport that offers the most freedom to solo travelers.

Kamikochi is one of Japan’s representative mountain resorts. To protect its beautiful environment, there are restrictions on private cars, so you cannot directly enter these highlands in your own car or a rental vehicle. Plus, Kamikochi is only accessible from mid-April to mid-November—it’s closed due to snow in the winter, making it impassable

Access routes are broadly split into three patterns: take a train then a bus, take a direct bus, or take a shuttle bus after using your own car. Pick the route that works best for you based on your schedule and amount of luggage.

The “train + bus” route provides the most frequent service. Take a Matsumoto Dentetsu Kamikochi Line train from the track 7 platform in Matsumoto Station and head to Shin-Shimashima Station, the final stop on the line. You can change to a bus for Kamikochi here. The total travel time is approx. 1 hour 40 minutes. The train and bus connection is designed to be smooth, minimizing the stress of waiting times. Note that you will need to make a reservation for the local bus. You can buy tickets for the train and bus in a set as a reduced-price connecting ticket at the ticket machines in Matsumoto Station, or make an advance reservation online for the bus.

If you have large luggage, it’s more convenient to take the National Park Liner, a direct bus that departs from Matsumoto Bus Terminal. There are a limited number of services a day, but there are no changes, and you will reach Kamikochi Bus Terminal in around 1 hour 30 minutes. All seating on the bus requires a reservation, so make sure you secure your seat via the official ALPICO Kotsu website as early as possible once you’ve determined your schedule.

If you are traveling by rental car, you should arrive at Sawando Car Park in around an hour from Matsumoto City. This is the end point for private vehicles. After stopping your car, you can head to Kamikochi by taking the shuttle bus (which runs at 30 minute intervals) or a taxi. The Sawando area has multiple car parks, but it's not uncommon for these to fill up in the early morning during summer vacation in August, the autumn leaf season in September, and on consecutive holidays. We recommend checking the latest congestion levels in advance using the live camera.

Highway and express buses run directly between Kamikochi Bus Terminal and major cities at limited times of the year (mid-April to mid-November).

*You must make an advance reservation for all of these services. As they are very popular, we recommend doing so as early as possible. Check the linked website for more information.

<From Tokyo>

1. Sawayaka Shinshu (Shinjuku Line)

Arrival and departure: Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal

Duration: Approx. 7 hours overnight/ approx. 5 hours in the day

2. Sawayaka Shinshu (Shibuya Line)

Arrival and departure: Shibuya/ Futako Tamagawa

Duration: Approx. 7 hours 30 mins overnight 

<From Osaka>

3. Sawayaka Shinshu (Osaka Line)

Arrival and departure: Osaka (Umeda)/Shin-Osaka/Kyoto Station

Duration: Approx. 8 hours overnight

<From Nagoya>

4. Meitetsu Bus (Nagoya Line)

Arrival and departure: Meitetsu Bus Center (Nagoya)

Duration: Approx. 7 hours overnight/approx. 5 hours in the day

<From Nagano Station>

5. Seseragi (Nagano - Kamikochi Line)

Arrival and departure: Nagano Station

Duration: Approx. 3 hours in the day