Matsumoto has forged strong connections with sister cities around the world including Salt Lake City in the United States, Grindelwald in Switzerland and Kathmandu in Nepal. Established to foster cooperation and exchange, these relationships are also replicated within Japan through Matsumoto’s sister city arrangements with cities including Fujisawa, Himeji and Takayama – with each relationship serving slightly different purposes. Fujisawa / Kanagawa Prefecture Established in 1961, Matsumoto’s sister city relationship with Fujisawa was created to promote tourism between the two cities. Fujisawa is a coastal city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, known for its surfing and as the “Miami Beach of the East”. As such, the beach lifestyle of Fujisawa contrasts […]
Matsumoto is a historic city that grew out of the wealth generated in rice fields and farmlands that surround its urban center and famous castle. Even today, it remains a city reliant on agriculture and one where you can enjoy an expansive rural landscape only a short distance from the city. It makes Matsumoto an ideal location to enjoy the Japanese concept of “satoyama” with an overnight stay at the family-friendly, Satoyama Doors. The “Satoyama” Concept: Rural Revitalization in the Okada District At its heart, Japan is a rural country and that spirit is expressed through the concept of “satoyama” – a word that refers to the border land between […]
The TV show “Why Did You Come to Japan?” is a very popular program in Japan. Hundreds of thousands of viewers regularly watch the show to discover why foreigners choose to visit Japan. During the recent health crisis however, the program’s original format was no longer possible due to the border closure. A change was necessary. So what was that change? The Original Concept The show involves a television crew greeting foreigners at the arrival hall of Japan’s major airports. Most guests were therefore approached at Haneda International Airport or Narita International Airport in Tokyo, or even Kansai International Airport in Osaka. Then the crew would then follow the visitors […]
Matsumoto is a city proud of its samurai heritage, a past that can be explored at multiple historic sites. Matsumoto Castle is of course the most famous and prominent of those – a registered National Treasure and pride of the city. Popular shopping streets including Nawate Dori and the Nakamachi also align with the original moat and defensive systems of the castle complex, while to the north of the castle, the Takahashi Family Residence is one of Matsumoto’s last remaining samurai residences. A Short Distance from Matsumoto Castle Located 10 minutes walk from Matsumoto Castle, the Takahashi Family Residence is situated nearby the Former Kaichi School – Matsumoto’s second National […]
Shinshu Matsumoto Airport is a modest affair. There’s just one gate, one luggage carousel, and one runway for the twelve flights going in and out daily. But dive in and you’ll see not only why at least one person thinks this is the world’s greatest airport, but why this quiet strip of asphalt has earned the nickname Gateway to the Center of Japan. Anatomy of an Airport in the Highlands Shinshu Matsumoto Airport sits at 657.5 meters above sea level, making it the highest commercial airport in Japan. When it was built back in the 1960s the layout of the airport didn’t require much deliberation; with mountains to the east […]
During the Edo Era (1603-1868) the Japanese landscape was marked by an extensive network of old kaido roads– rugged trails used as transport routes, pilgrimage paths, and roads for the feudal lords traveling to and from Edo. There were five major kaido emanating outward from the capital city, and while none of these five ‘Go-Kaido’ passed through Matsumoto, four other important kaido did. These trails of history have largely been either paved over or simply lost to the march of time, but remnants of evidence do remain. Today we’re going to find them as we take a walk along Matsumoto’s old kaido roads. Zenkoji Kaido Zenko-ji is one of Japan’s […]
