Visit Matsumoto

The Matsumoto City Museum of Art is the place to experience the works of Yayoi Kusama, a world-renowned avant-garde artist originally from Matsumoto. 

At the museum’s entrance, the massive sculpture of vibrant tulips, *Phantom Flower* (2002), welcomes visitors, and the permanent exhibition allows you to fully immerse yourself in Yayoi Kusama’s works. The museum also features memorial galleries dedicated to Shinzan Kamijo, a calligrapher who is a local pride, and Kazuo Tamura, a Western-style painter who loved the mountains of Shinshu.

Since its opening in April 2002, the museum has aimed to be a comprehensive art museum rooted in the community, serving as a “forest of learning that opens the heart” for citizens.

The first floor features facilities to support educational activities, including a community studio, lecture rooms, and a printmaking room.

The second floor consists of a special exhibition hall, a multipurpose hall, and a community gallery, providing a space for appreciating a wide variety of art.

At the museum shop on the first floor, visitors can purchase original merchandise related to the collection and featured artists, items related to special exhibitions, and books on art.

We have also set up a baby care room so that visitors with small children can feel at ease.

Since the museum is within walking distance from Nakamachi Street, why not take a break from your stroll through the city to immerse yourself in the world of art?

The moment you step into the warehouse, you're enveloped by the rich, fragrant aroma that gently wafts through the air. Founded in 1868, this is one of the few remaining natural fermentation miso breweries, cultivating "Three-Year Miso" in massive cedar barrels—a rarity today.The sight of barrels holding 4,500kg of miso is nothing short of spectacular. Guided

tours, held regularly, offer insight into the depth of "living miso," which undergoes no additives or heat treatment. After the tour, visit the attached dining area. Savor the rich umami depth, cultivated over time, in signature dishes like the pork miso soup or lunch sets generously featuring three-year miso.

Please park your car at one of the parking lots near the museum or Matsumoto Castle and take a stroll.

(There is no parking at the Matsumoto City Museum.)

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.

Viewing the entire city as an “open-air museum,” the main building of the Matsumoto Marugoto Museum treats the environment itself as a museum, telling the stories of Matsumoto’s nature, culture, and the lives of its people. Here, visitors can experience Matsumoto’s origins, the development of the castle town, and its future through immersive exhibits.

With a long history dating back to the “Memorial Hall” that opened during the Meiji era, it serves as the core of the “Matsumoto Marugoto Museum,” where you can learn about every aspect of the castle town of Matsumoto. Visitors of all ages can enjoy the space in their own way—by exploring Matsumoto’s history and culture through the exhibits, playing together as families at the “Children’s Play Area Asobiba!” on the first floor, or relaxing in the café. If you’re visiting Matsumoto Castle, why not start here to discover the city’s story?It’s sure to make your trip that much more interesting.

Established in 1672, this venerable shop has safeguarded Matsumoto's candy culture for over 350 years, since the era of the fifth shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.Our traditional "rice syrup," made solely from rice and barley, features a simple, gentle sweetness not found in sugar. Among our offerings, the "Gin no Shizuku" rice syrup, luxuriously crafted using only the core part of the rice grain, is a masterpiece—pure, free of any off-flavors, and rich like honey. On weekends, we offer candy-making experiences by reservation (check availability). Spending time learning the artisan's craft within the charm of an old folk house will surely create unforgettable travel memories.

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.