This guide covers a day in Matsumoto, the castle town in Nagano: how to reach it from Tokyo and move around once there, the keep of Matsumoto Castle, the old merchant lanes of Nakamachi and Nawate, the Old Kaichi School, and Yohashira Shrine with ideas for a meal. It ends with how to fit everything into a single day.
Getting to Matsumoto from Tokyo and Around Town
From Tokyo, Matsumoto is reached either by JR limited express train, the Azusa, or by express bus from Shinjuku. Once you arrive, Matsumoto Castle itself is within walking reach of JR Matsumoto Station, so the day can begin on foot. The bullets below give the journey times and the fares you can plan around.
- By train from Tokyo: the JR Chuo Main Line and Shinonoi Line limited express Azusa takes about two hours thirty minutes.
- By express bus from Shinjuku to Matsumoto Bus Terminal: three hours twelve minutes to three hours fifty-three minutes. Adult one-way fares on the express bus are listed at four thousand five hundred yen on peak days and from three thousand three hundred yen depending on the day.
- From JR Matsumoto Station to Matsumoto Castle: about twenty minutes on foot.
For moving between the sights, the circular bus Town Sneaker loops through the town, and the table below shows what an adult pays for one ride and for a one-day pass, so you can decide which suits the shape of your day.
| Matsumoto loop bus Town Sneaker | Adult |
|---|---|
| One ride | two hundred twenty yen |
| One-day pass | five hundred yen |
Once your dates are set, browse guided tours around Matsumoto and check what runs on those days.
Matsumoto Castle and Its Keep
Matsumoto Castle is a National Treasure, and its keep is described as the oldest surviving five-tiered keep in Japan. Inside, the guidebooks note devices built with combat in mind, and climbing the stairs from floor to floor gives the visit the air of an exploration, so leave time to go all the way up rather than glancing from the courtyard.
The castle stands at the centre of Matsumoto's old town, with the keep set inside the Honmaru garden and surrounded by the inner moat. Seen from across the water, the cluster of towers appears to float, and on a clear day the Northern Alps rise behind it, so take in the view from across the moat before going in.
Web tickets can be bought in advance and paid for electronically, which the guidebooks say shortens the wait at the ticket window; in busy seasons a queue is to be expected. The admission fee for the keep is set out in the table below, and the timing to plan around is in the final section of this article.
| Matsumoto Castle keep, admission fee | Adult | Elementary and junior high school student |
|---|---|---|
| Web ticket, bought in advance | one thousand two hundred yen | four hundred yen |
| Paper ticket at the window | one thousand three hundred yen | four hundred yen |
Nakamachi and Nawate Streets
South of the castle the old merchant streets of the castle town spread out. Nakamachi-dori runs along the Zenkoji Kaido, the old road to Zenkoji temple, and both sides of the street are set with storehouse-style buildings finished in namako-kabe, walls of flat tiles joined with raised plaster. Today these house shops and cafés, so allow time to browse.
Nawate-dori follows the Metoba River, with rows of low tenement-style buildings along the water, and the name is said to come from a long embankment likened to a rope. A kajika frog serves as its symbol, and the shops range from small everyday goods to places to eat, which makes it a natural spot for a slow wander.
The street is said to have grown as the approach to Yohashira Shrine. Across the old centre, springs and wells still surface between the streets, each with its own character, and pausing at them as you move between the castle and the shops is an easy detour.
Where to stay
Places to stay near Matsumoto →
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The Old Kaichi School
North of the castle stands the Old Kaichi School, designated a National Treasure together with Matsumoto Castle. Guidebooks describe it as a leading example of pseudo-Western architecture, Western in appearance yet built with traditional Japanese craft, from the years when the country was modernising. Start at the front, where the porch is said to be the chief sight.
Above the porch rises an octagonal tower, and over the entrance a carving of dragons, clouds and angels holds up a banner with the school's name, so look up as you enter. It serves as an education museum, with displays on its construction and history, plus a shop of original goods. The window admission fee is in the table below.
| Old Kaichi School, window ticket | Admission fee |
|---|---|
| Adult (high school age or older) | seven hundred yen |
| Elementary and junior high school student | three hundred yen |
- Combined web ticket for Matsumoto Castle and the Old Kaichi School: one thousand six hundred yen for adults and six hundred yen for elementary and junior high school students, valid for two days.
Yohashira Shrine and a Bite to Eat
Yohashira Shrine stands at the entrance to Nawate-dori. It enshrines the deities of creation and Amaterasu, four in all, which is described as rare in Japan; known affectionately as Shinto, it draws worshippers from across the country for wishes and matchmaking. Paying your respects is free and possible at any time, so it fits wherever your walk brings you.
When you are ready to eat, the guidebooks point to a handful of long-standing places in the castle town, and the list below describes the kinds of food and rooms to look for, so you can pick by appetite rather than by reputation.
- Old-style coffee shops, where stained-glass lamps are said to give the room a retro atmosphere.
- Long-established Western-style diners, where the guidebooks single out Volga rice: omelet rice and a chicken cutlet under hayashi sauce.
- A long-established Western-style confectioner, with a model of Matsumoto Castle made in sugar craft and a place to eat in.
- Eel restaurants that grill domestic eel over high heat without steaming it first, a style called jiyaki.
Fitting It Into One Day
Both Matsumoto Castle and the Old Kaichi School have afternoon last-entry times, as the table below shows, so see them first; the school is north of the castle, the streets south. Leave Nakamachi, Nawate, the shrine and your meal for afterwards; the combined web ticket is valid for two days if you prefer a slower pace.
| Timing to plan around | Detail |
|---|---|
| Matsumoto Castle, hours | opens at half past eight in the morning and closes at five in the afternoon, with last entry at half past four in the afternoon; hours are extended in Golden Week and summer and shortened at New Year |
| Matsumoto Castle, closed days | December twenty-ninth to thirty-first only; open all other days of the year |
| Old Kaichi School, hours | nine in the morning to five in the afternoon, with admission until half past four in the afternoon |
| Old Kaichi School, closed days | December twenty-ninth to January third |
When the day is settled, compare places to stay in Matsumoto and pick the night before or after your visit.