2025-2026 Winter Holiday Hours: Matsumoto & Nagano Area Attractions

During the New Year holiday season, many attractions, museums, breweries, and restaurants will be closed or operate on reduced schedules. Below is important information about closures and adjusted 2025-2026 winter holiday hours for popular destinations in the Matsumoto and Nagano areas.

General Information

Standard Closure Pattern: Most public museums and cultural facilities follow December 29 – January 3 closures.

Commercial Operations: Breweries, farms, and restaurants may have varying schedules. Always confirm directly.

Weather Considerations: Winter weather in the Japan Alps can affect accessibility and operating hours, particularly for mountain locations.

Advance Planning: We recommend checking official websites or contacting facilities directly closer to your travel dates to confirm current operating hours and any last-minute changes.

Matsumoto Area / 2025-2026 Winter Holiday Hours

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Japan’s oldest existing castle and one of only five National Treasure castles in the country. The striking black exterior has earned it the nickname “Crow Castle.”

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Home to one of the largest collection of works by Matsumoto native Yayoi Kusama, along with rotating exhibitions featuring local and international artists.

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Located in the heart of Matsumoto, this modern facility explores the city’s history, culture, and natural environment through interactive exhibits.

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A historic miso brewery established in 1868, offering factory tours and a restaurant serving traditional Japanese cuisine featuring their three-year aged miso.

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A National Treasure and Japan’s oldest existing elementary school building, featuring distinctive pseudo-Western architecture from 1876.

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One of the world’s largest private collections of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, featuring works by Hokusai, Hiroshige, and other masters.

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Japan’s largest wasabi farm, spanning 15 hectares with scenic walking paths, restaurants, and shops featuring fresh wasabi products.

Nagano Area / 2025-2026 Winter Holiday Hours

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One of Japan’s most important Buddhist temples, welcoming visitors of all denominations for nearly 1,400 years.

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Located in Kawanakajima Battlefield Historic Park, this museum focuses on the history and culture of the Nagano basin, including exhibits about the famous battles between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin.

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Chokura Oiraikan, a merchant house in front of the temple (affiliated facility of Nagano City Museum), features a preserved merchant house exhibit, a replica accounting office, a photo gallery, and a public gallery.

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Established in 1637, this historic sake brewery and miso producer sits adjacent to Zenkoji Temple’s Daihoganin. The complex features a sake brewery tour through preserved Meiji-era buildings, a shop offering tastings of their signature sake and miso products.

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Located inside the M-Wave arena, this museum preserves the legacy of the Nagano Olympics with medals, torches, equipment, and memorabilia from the historic games.

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World-famous for its wild Japanese macaques bathing in natural hot springs, set deep in the snowy mountains of Nagano Prefecture.

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Sylvain

Welcome-Matsumoto Manager
Languages / Langues : English, Français & 日本語

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