Matsumoto
Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, less than three hours from Tokyo by train, Matsumoto is surrounded by the Japanese Alps, several of whose peaks rise above 3,000 meters. The city is best known for its late 16th-century castle, one of the few in Japan to have kept its original keep, which is designated a National Treasure. It is also a starting point for Kamikochi, a high mountain valley known for its hiking trails, and for the Azumino plain and its wasabi fields. To the south, the Kiso Valley has preserved several post towns on the old Nakasendō road, which once linked Edo (present-day Tokyo) to Kyoto. The mountain climate and the quality of the water have also made the region a land of soba and sake.
Matsumoto at a glance
In Matsumoto, you discover a mountain side of Japan, quieter and more rural, just a few hours from Tokyo. The city itself is easy to visit in a day, but it is its proximity to the Japanese Alps that makes it a stop apart on any trip. Once there, a few highlights are not to be missed:
Climb to the top floor of Matsumoto Castle via its original wooden stairs, so steep that you go up them almost like a ladder,
walk through the Kamikochi valley early in the morning, when the peaks of the Hotaka range are reflected in Taishō Pond,
bathe at Shirahone Onsen, a hot spring whose water turns milky white on contact with the air,
taste Shinshū soba, named after the region’s former name, made with buckwheat grown on the surrounding plateaus.
Frédérique
Japan Expert 🇯🇵
WHAT TO SEE IN MATSUMOTO
What SEASON to go to Matsumoto?
The best time to visit Matsumoto is from mid-April to late May, and then from September to early November. In spring, the cherry trees bloom around the castle in mid-April, while the peaks of the Alps are still covered in snow. This is also when the Kamikochi valley reopens after winter. In autumn, the air is dry and temperatures are ideal for hiking. The leaves start turning orange in early October in Kamikochi, and later on the plains.
Summer is hotter in town, but the evenings stay pleasant thanks to the altitude, and it is the best season for hiking in the high mountains. You do have to contend with the rainy season, though, from June to mid-July. Finally, winter is cold, with temperatures often below freezing in the morning. Kamikochi is closed, but the castle under snow and the baths of Shirahone Onsen are a good reason to come at this time of year.
