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Travel Guide - including
Matsumoto attractions, Matsumoto Castle, Matsumoto food and
Matsumoto hotels.
Matsumoto (松本)
is in Nagano Prefecture, in the Chubu region at the eastern end of the Japan Alps.
Matsumoto is surrounded by mountains and is acclaimed for its
beautiful views. Access to hiking and climbing in the mountains is
readily available by local bus transportation. Matsumoto has several
historic features, such as Matsumoto Castle (松本城 -jō, a traditional
Japanese castle), Kaichi school (Kaichi gakkō) and Temari (traditional
Japanese handball).
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Matsumoto Castle
was built more than 400 years ago. It is also called Crow Castle (Karasu
Jō) because of its black appearance. The castle is open to tourists
and displays many ancient weapons from and inspired by Europe
including muskets and rifles.
Matsumoto Castle
Kaichi School is
the first junior high school in Japan. The beautiful appearance of
Kaichi School is much acclaimed.
Matsumoto is attractive to travellers not only because of the
traditional culture but also its calm climate and its products.
Matsumoto soba is famous and many are delighted by its delicate taste.
Just north of Matsumoto is the world's largest wasabi farm. Wasabi can
only be grown in extremely clean water and there is much local pride.
In addition, Saitou Kinen Orchestra (Saitou commemorative orchestra)
performs every year from summer to autumn and many famous musicians
such as Seiji Ozawa come to play musical instruments. It is very
popular and difficult to get tickets and many people wait in the line
beginning two days before tickets go on sale.
Matsumoto, like many areas of Japan is home to abundant
onsen (温泉 or
hot springs).
Getting to
Matsumoto
By plane Matsumoto has a small local airport. Travel time to downtown is
roughly 20 minutes.
From the closest major airport, the new
Chubu Centrair International
Airport near Nagoya, Matsumoto can be reached
by rail in roughly three hours by the Meitetsu line and JR limited
express train (change in Nagoya). Buses connect Centrair with
Matsumoto in around 3 1/2 to 4 hours for ¥3500.
From Narita Airport,
Matsumoto can be reached in 4 1/2 to 5 hours by limited express rail
service (change in Shinjuku).
By train Matsumoto is on the Chuo Main Line between
Tokyo and Nagoya.
Limited express trains run to Matsumoto from Tokyo's Shinjuku station.
The Super Azusa (スーパーあずさ) makes the run in about 2 1/2 hours; the
Azusa (あずさ) makes the journey in about three hours (¥6710 for both).
Taking several local JR trains will cost roughly ¥4000, getting you
from Shinjuku to Matsumoto in
around six hours... in which case, you're better off using a bus (see
below).
From just north of Tokyo in Saitama,
there's the option of taking the Nagano Shinkansen Asama (あさま) from
Omiya to Nagano station, then taking the Wide View Shinano (ワイドビューしなの)
limited express to Matsumoto (2 1/2 hours, ¥8470).
The Wide View Shinano also runs from Nagoya
station, where there are connections with the
Shinkansen line (towards
Kyoto and Osaka). The
run from Nagoya to Matsumoto takes 2 hours on the limited express and
costs ¥6070; local trains cost ¥3260 and take between 4 and 5 hours,
depending on the available trains and connections.
All of the above mentioned rail trips are free when using the Japan
Rail Pass.
By bus Highway buses from JR Matsumoto station connect to
Shinjuku in
Tokyo (3 hours, ¥3400), and various
destinations in the Japan Alps, notably the Oku-Hida
Onsen Villages
(90 min, ¥2300-2800).
