Visit Mastumoto

JR Matsumoto Station is the representative transport hub of Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture, and is the starting point of your trip, where the limited express trains from the Shinjuku area and regular trains arrive and depart. The station has two exits, the Castle Exit (East Exit) and the Alps Exit (West Exit), and is characterized by its structure, with views of the mountains of the northern Alps from the free walkway running east-west. The station also houses a tourist information center, where you can discover information about tourism in Matsumoto City and discuss plans for excursions. There are plenty of hotels and eateries in this area, making it a convenient base for sightseeing in Matsumoto.

Matsumoto Castle boasts a magnificent jet-black keep that stands against the backdrop of the northern Alps. Like Himeji Castle, Hikone Castle, Inuyama Castle, and Matsue Castle, it has been designated as a National Treasure. The castle was built during the warring states period of the 15th and 16th centuries (Sengoku period), and takes pride in having the oldest extant keep with five external stories but six internal floors. Its stunning black form possesses a power and gracefulness that other castles lack, and never fails to fascinate visitors.

The castle’s greatest feature is the integration between its keep, built in a war-torn world, and its elegant Tsukimi Yagura (moon-viewing tower), which was added in an era of peace. The exquisite harmony formed by the architectural styles of the different eras is an absolute must-see.

Thanks to its history of overcoming numerous ongoing crises with the enthusiasm of the local people, Matsumoto Castle is deeply beloved as a symbol of the city and a source of comfort for its people. Make sure you experience the stunning views of the castle town from inside the castle, and the hopes and feelings of the people who live with it, for yourself.

Nawate Street once lay between the southern outer moat of Matsumoto Castle and the clear stream of the Metoba River; its name comes from the thin and long rope-like (""nawa"") riverbank (“dote”). Since the construction of Yohashira Shrine in 1879, it has developed as the approach to the shrine.

Frogs are the symbol of this street. Kajika frogs, which once lived in the Metoba River, can only survive in clean rivers. Nawate’s mascot characters Metoba and Gota represent the wish for the Metoba River to once again become clean enough for kajika frogs to live there, and stand at the eastern and western entrances to the street.

You’ll find rows of individual shops here, from old-fashioned hardware stores and florists to fashionable general goods stores, which have recently increased in number.

As this street is a year-round pedestrian zone, small children, pets, and even wheelchair-users can explore with peace of mind.

Why not visit Nawate together with Matsumoto Castle and Nakamachi Street?

Nakamachi Street is a street of merchant houses that flourished in the Edo period (1603–1868) along the Zenkoji Temple road. A large number of clay-walled buildings in the style of traditional kura storehouses, with white and black namako walls made of plaster, were built here to protect the street from great fires at the end of the Edo period and during the Meiji period (1868–1912), and still remain today, creating the feel of the Matsumoto of the past.

Old and new stores coexist in Nakamachi Street, which preserves the vestiges of the old wholesale district (tonyagai). It’s loved by many people of all ages for its Matsumoto Mingei Kagu showroom, craft shops, fashionable cafes, and restaurants. You’ll find wells throughout the merchant area, quietly telling of life in a castle town.

Every Saturday from April to December, a morning market is held from 9:30 AM,  where local farmers sell fresh vegetables and seasonal flowers. The spectacle of what is known as “Japan’s shortest morning market,” which can sell out in just 10 minutes, is another of Nakamachi’s attractions.

We recommend visiting this street together with Matsumoto Castle and Nawate Street.

Matsumoto City Museum of Art is a space where you can discover the powerful works of internationally acclaimed avant-guarde artist Yayoi Kusama. Visitors to the museum are greeted by “The Visionary Flowers,” a giant sculpture of brightly colored tulips, at the entrance. Take a step inside, and you’ll find a unique and extensive art space made up of polka dots and net patterns.

The permanent exhibitions offer the chance to enjoy the works of Matsumoto-born Yayoi Kusama, from her early pieces to some of the most recent, to your heart’s content. The museum also features memorial galleries for Shinzan Kamijo, a calligrapher who was equally proud to call Matsumoto his birthplace,  and Kazuo Tamura, a western-style painter who loved the mountains of Shinshu.

This is more than a place to appreciate their works. It also houses workshops for city residents and a lecture room, and offers the joy and excitement of creation to all visitors as a  “forest of learning” that is rooted in the community. Visit this facility to immerse yourself in a shower of art and unleash your sensitive side. 

A multi-purpose facility designed by Toyo Ito, like the Matsumoto Civic Art Center, built in 2018.This open-concept building, with one basement level and five above-ground floors, houses restaurants, cafes, craft beer bars, outdoor gear shops, and variety stores, making it an easy stop during a stroll through town. Regular markets, workshops, and concerts are held here, creating a place where Matsumoto's daily life and tourism naturally intertwine. The upper floors also house newspaper offices, making it a beloved, open face of Matsumoto for the city.

Founded in 1884, this long-established Japanese confectionery shop offers signature sweets like "Shinmito" and "Kaiun Rōmatsu," alongside unique creations such as "Swan Lake" and "Kore Umai."The shop also features an attached cafe, where you can relax with a traditional sweet. In the back, a soft-serve ice cream robot—born from local precision machinery technology—operates, offering daily rotating flavors. Why not spend a quintessentially Matsumoto moment within this historic setting?

JR Matsumoto Station is the representative transport hub of Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture, and is the starting point of your trip, where the limited express trains from the Shinjuku area and regular trains arrive and depart. The station has two exits, the Castle Exit (East Exit) and the Alps Exit (West Exit), and is characterized by its structure, with views of the mountains of the northern Alps from the free walkway running east-west. The station also houses a tourist information center, where you can discover information about tourism in Matsumoto City and discuss plans for excursions. There are plenty of hotels and eateries in this area, making it a convenient base for sightseeing in Matsumoto.