Yayoi Kusama is one of the most widely recognized artists working today, known for her polka dots, net patterns, and mirror rooms. Her life has moved between three places: Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture, where she was born in 1929 and spent her childhood; New York, where she built her early career in the 1950s and 1960s; and Tokyo, where she has lived and worked since the 1970s. The Matsumoto Years Yayoi Kusama was born on March 22, 1929, in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture. Her family ran a plant nursery and seed farm, and she was one of four children. The business was established enough to give the family financial stability through […]
A short walk east of Matsumoto Castle, the Agetsuchi district is lined with early-twentieth-century shop fronts. The area is associated with Taisho roman, the nostalgic look and mood of Japan’s Taisho era. Among those buildings stands a former movie theater that closed in 2008 and reopened in the summer of 2024 as the Agetsuchi Cinema Museum. The building no longer shows feature films, but its interior, collection, and equipment have largely been kept in place. A theater that changed its name for ninety years The theater opened in 1917 in the Agetsuchi district, when residents of central Matsumoto pooled their money to start a cinema called Matsumoto Denkikan. Over the […]
At an altitude of more than 1,400 m in the mountains of Nagano, on the shores of Lake Shirakabako, Shirakaba Resort is more than just an amusement park. It is a place where spectacular nature, family activities, seasonal flowers, spa relaxation and lake recreation come together. Whether you’re visiting in spring, summer, fall, or winter, this resort offers rich and varied experiences that suit all ages and paces. Spectacular Colour in Nagano’s Highlands A natural setting that changes with the seasons Lake Shirakabako and its surroundings are a living canvas that evolves with the seasons. In spring, nature awakens: the hills turn green, the woods come alive and walks around […]
Located between the city’s two National Treasures, the historic Matsumoto Castle and the Kaichi School, the “Matsumoto Shrine” is also preparing for the summer festivities. Every year on July 10th and 11th , Matsumoto Shrine celebrates Reitaisai (例大祭), its main annual summer festival and fireworks. Held for generations, this event marks the beginning of the city’s summer festival season and brings residents, families, and visitors together around Shinto traditions that are still alive and well. A celebration at the heart of local traditions A stone’s throw from Matsumoto Castle, the history of Matsumoto Shrine is very much linked to its history. Indeed, Matsumoto Shrine is essentially a memorial shrine of […]
Kurobe Dam sits wedged into a steep valley in the Northern Japan Alps, one of Japan’s most ambitious postwar engineering projects. The massive concrete arch changed how the country generated power and turned this remote gorge into one of the most striking stops on the Tateyama–Kurobe Alpine Route. At 186 meters tall, it remains Japan’s highest dam, a structure so remote and difficult to build that its construction claimed 171 lives over seven years. Today, visitors come for the roar of the discharge plunging into the gorge, the alpine air, and the rare chance to walk across the crest of something built against considerable odds. A Dam Built Against the […]
Matsumoto Castle is one of the few original feudal castles still standing in Japan and a cultural jewel of the city of Matsumoto. Therefore, it continues to undergo essential work to preserve its historical and environmental integrity. Over the past several years, the municipal authorities have embarked on an extensive dredging work and maintenance program of the moats surrounding the Matsumoto castle. It aimed not only at restoring the aesthetics of this national monument, but also at maintaining a healthy and sustainable ecosystem. In 2026, this dredging work will be part of a long-term approach that combines modern techniques and respect for heritage, while consolidating the castle’s role as a […]
