8 Popular Tourist Spots in Matsumoto, a City Rich in Nature, History, and Culture

If you’re visiting Matsumoto, spring is recommended.
Approx. 300 cherry trees around Matsumoto Castle come into bloom from late March to early April.
At night, the Yozakurakai illumination event is held, where you can enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms at night together with the illuminated Matsumoto Castle.

Matsumoto is easily accessible from major cities such as Tokyo and Nagoya.
If you take the JR Limited Express Azusa from Shinjuku Station, it takes Approx. 2 hours 40 minutes with no transfers.
From Nagoya, taking the Chuo Main Line gets you to Matsumoto Station in Approx. 2 hours.

Opened in April 2002, this museum is known for its striking polka-dot exterior and the eye-catching work Flowers of Illusion by world-famous avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who was born in Matsumoto.
After completing large-scale renovation work that lasted for about one year, it reopened in April 2022, marking its 20th anniversary.
Inside, in addition to permanent exhibitions featuring everything from Yayoi Kusama’s early works to her latest series, as well as works by calligrapher Shinzan Kamijo and Western-style painter Kazuo Tamura, exhibitions from the museum’s own collection are also held.

A shopping street about a 10-minute walk from JR Matsumoto Station, lined with distinctive shops in rowhouse-style buildings.
It begins along the embankment of the Metoba River, and came to be called Nawate because it was a “long embankment like a rope.”
It developed as the approach to Yohashira Shrine, built in 1879, and because it is close to Matsumoto Castle, it is also popular with tourists.

A castle built in 1593–1594. Among the existing five-tier, six-story castle keeps in Japan, it is the oldest, and it is also designated as a National Treasure. (Five-tier, six-story: it appears to have five levels from the outside, but the interior has six floors.)
With its striking black-and-white contrast, the castle has a dignified appearance and is loved by many people as a symbol of Nagano Prefecture.

Because of its beautiful scenery, Kamikochi is one of Japan’s premier mountain scenic areas and has been given two distinctions: Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument.
British missionary W. Weston praised Kamikochi in his 1896 book Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps, which made it famous around the world.

From the well-maintained walking trails, you can view mountains rising to 3,000 meters, including the Hotaka range, up close.

An urban park located in the hills in the northwestern part of central Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.
It has been developed to make use of its varied terrain at an elevation of Approx. 800 m, with views of the Northern Alps and Azumino to the west, and Utsukushigahara and central Matsumoto to the east.
The park has a variety of facilities including a zoo, observation deck, and athletic playgrounds, allowing visitors to enjoy nature in their own way.

Located in Ote, Matsumoto City, Yohashira Shrine enshrines four deities from Japanese mythology, Amenominakanushi-no-Kami, Takamimusubi-no-Kami, Kamimusubi-no-Kami, and Amaterasu Omikami. Because each is believed to have especially great divine virtues, the shrine is famous as a “god of wish-fulfilling bonds” said to grant all wishes.
Known as one of the leading spiritual spots in the prefecture, it attracts many worshippers seeking blessings.

A mountain resort spreading across the eastern foothills of Mt. Norikura, located at the southern end of the Northern Alps.
Situated at elevations of 1,200–1,800 m within Chubu Sangaku National Park, it offers a wide variety of outdoor experiences amid beautiful seasonal scenery, from spring and summer when alpine plants bloom, to autumn with vivid fall colors, and winter wrapped in powder snow.

A highland area at an elevation of 2,000 m spanning Matsumoto City, Ueda City, and Nagawa Town in Nagano Prefecture.
It is known as a scenic spot with spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of the Northern Alps, Southern Alps, Mt. Fuji, and the Yatsugatake mountain range.
Another attraction is the chance to enjoy beautiful seasonal scenery with as many as 300 kinds of alpine plants growing naturally.

A dining hall on the second floor of the Kamikochi Tourist Center, facing the Kamikochi Bus Terminal, which is bustling with many tourists and climbers during the busy season.
While looking out at the magnificent Hotaka mountain range, you can enjoy dishes made with ingredients from Shinshu.
It opens at 6:00am, making it especially convenient when heading out for a trek early in the morning.

A karaage specialty restaurant with seven locations centered around Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.
Its signature karaage, which has won consecutive gold prizes at the National Karaage Grand Prix, is made by carefully hand-preparing fresh domestic chicken and marinating it thoroughly in a secret aged sauce.
Because each order is fried right before serving, you can always enjoy it piping hot.

A mountain lodge built in 1880 by Kamijo Kamonji, who served as a guide for Walter Weston, known as the father of modern mountaineering in Japan.
Long loved as a place of rest in Kamikochi, the base for climbing in the Northern Alps, it is now run by fifth-generation owner Mizuho Kamijo, who carries on its history and traditions while welcoming overnight guests and diners.

Opened in 1933 as Japan’s first full-scale mountain resort hotel.
Its red triangular roof and log cabin-style exterior remain unchanged from the time it first opened, and beyond the doors is a warm wooden interior centered around the mantelpiece, the symbol of the hotel.
With well-equipped facilities including restaurants, guests can enjoy an elegant stay surrounded by magnificent nature.

A hotel standing right in front of Kappabashi Bridge, the central landmark of Kamikochi, one of Japan’s most scenic destinations, and only a 5-minute walk from the bus terminal.
It is also close to spots such as Taisho Pond and Myojin Pond, making it a convenient base for exploring Kamikochi.
The guest rooms come in various types to suit different travel styles, including rooms with spectacular views of the Hotaka mountain range filling the windows and sophisticated rooms blending Japanese and modern design.

A long-established hot spring inn founded in 1931, standing in a valley about 30 minutes by car from central Matsumoto.
Located in a quasi-national park at an elevation of 1,050 m, it has welcomed guests for more than 90 years in a relaxing space surrounded by greenery.
In 2008, it joined Relais & Châteaux, whose membership is limited to properties that pass a strict screening process, and it has also received Kushi Macrobiotic certification and Green Key certification.