Ultimate Guide to Matsumoto

Tour the elementary school grounds with the air of the good old days when the school was built in the 19th century. Its unusual design combining Japanese and Western styles is not to be missed.

Head over to the National Treasure of Matsumoto Castle. Explore the interior of the castle which hasn’t changed since its original construction, and then take in the full view of the city and the Japanese Alps from the castle tower. Following the tour, enjoy a walk through the garden. It’s also great to have lunch here since there are many restaurants in the vicinity. Try the soba and the popular oyaki dumplings, both specialties of Matsumoto.

On this small road which has been called a long embankment resembling a rope, an Edo Era castle town shopping district has been recreated. Take a look into the row of shops where you can do some shopping and sample some light snacks.

Nakamachi Dori is a district consisting of a row of white-walled earthen kura-style buildings. There are stores selling high-quality local handicrafts and household goods shops which are famous even in Japan, along with cafés and restaurants. There are also small museums such as the Matsumoto City Timepiece Museum and the Matsumoto City Hakari Museum so it’s fun to drop by those places as well.

The works of world-famous Matsumoto-born artist Yayoi Kusama are on display here along with other works collected by the city of Matsumoto. An incredible display of Kusama’s works greets you at the entrance.