Matsumoto City
A national treasure castle under the Alps — a town of music and crafts.
Matsumoto Castle: Japan's Oldest Five-Tiered Keep
Matsumoto Castle holds Japan's oldest surviving five-tiered, six-story keep — a national treasure. Its striking black-and-white walls earned it the name 'Crow Castle,' and backed by the Northern Alps it may be Japan's most photogenic fortress.
Inside, the original steep stairs, pillars, and musket loops remain, and the top floor opens onto a panorama of the Matsumoto plain. Cherry blossoms in spring, snow in winter, and illuminations at night give it a new face each visit.
The castle town below is a craft haven: folk-art furniture workshops, the storehouse-lined Nakamachi street, and Nawate-dori's frog statues by the river make for a lovely walking loop.
Gateway to the Alps: Azumino and Kamikochi
Matsumoto's appeal goes well beyond town. In about an hour you can reach Kamikochi — Japan's premier mountain resort — Norikura Highlands, or the birch-shaded farm country of Azumino. Whether you're climbing or just sightseeing, it's the perfect base.
Azumino spreads wasabi fields and spring water beneath the Alps. Daio Wasabi Farm's wasabi soft serve and wasabi rice bowls are local icons, and the pure water makes this soba country too.
The city also loves music: the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival, founded by the legendary conductor, fills late summer with world-class classical performances. Castle, crafts, music, mountains — Matsumoto has it all.