2022-11-24 / Last updated : 2022-11-24 Sylvain Experience

Things to Do in Matsumoto: Fun Cultural Activities in Nagano

The city of Matsumoto offers much more than just a tour of its historic castle.  The walls of this fortress date back to feudal times and contain a spirit that still has an imprint on the city’s cultural life today. Be amazed by the rich gourmet history of the area! Miso, Soba, Sake, Samurai and Taiko drumming, these foods and activities of Matsumoto will emersed you with the local atmosphere. Discover the best things to do during your stay in the city of Matsumoto! Matsumoto Castle Tour and Samurai Experience The Matsumoto Castle Town was built around its historic castle. The history of this feudal era is closely linked to Samurai […]
2022-10-31 / Last updated : 2022-10-31 Sylvain Sightseeing

Visit Matsumoto: Sightseeing in the heart of Nagano Prefecture – Japan

Matsumoto City is located just a few hours from Tokyo and has all the charm of a countryside town. Sightseeing in Matsumoto provides a variety of tours for you to discover within an authentic Japan off of the usual tourist beaten path. From its history, culture, cuisine and nature to its ancestral traditions, a visit to Matsumoto is an authentic getaway into the heart of Japan. Matsumoto Discovery: Castle and Historic Districts The city’s National Treasure is a true architectural and historical marvel.  Matsumoto Castle is one of only five castles in Japan listed as a “National Treasure” and is worth a visit on its own! The castle attracts tourists […]
2022-10-28 / Last updated : 2022-10-28 Kevin Kato Local Food & Drinks

Shinshu Soba: The Best of Japan’s Simple Brown Noodle

The simple brown Japanese noodle known as soba has a long and lumpy history as well as the local Shinshu Soba. It is said that soba was introduced to Japan from China during the latter part of the Jomon Period, which ended around 300BC. There are written records of soba being grown in Japan during an 8th Century famine. A century later En-no-Gyoja, the founder of the ascetic mountain worship practice of Shugendo, introduced soba to the people inhabiting the places he visited, including the famed Togakushi mountains in northern Nagano. Yet it wasn’t until the Edo Era (1603-1868) that soba began to be served in noddle form. Until then […]
2022-09-22 / Last updated : 2022-09-22 Kevin Kato History

The Matsumoto Scale Museum: 1,300 Years in the Making

Among the iconic kura warehouses of Nakamachi Street sits an intriguing repository of Matsumoto’s past. Centuries of commerce and trade, A once-thriving sericulture industry. A couple of extra buildings out back and a collection of fuzzy photos from 1888. At a glance the range of exhibits appears quite eclectic. But there’s a common thread that winds through the Matsumoto Scale Museum, a part of town 1,300 years in the making. Keiichiro Tanaka’s Weighty Aspirations Born in the 19th Century in what is now the City of Ina, Keiichiro Tanaka came to Matsumoto in 1902. He opened up the Takeuchi Weights and Measures Shop. More than a retailer, Tanaka managed to […]
2022-09-06 / Last updated : 2022-09-25 Kevin Kato Art

Yayoi Kusama Print Works: Special Exhibition at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art

Yayoi Kusama, world-famous artist and native of Matsumoto, has her colorful and distinctive works displayed permanently at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art. But this summer the museum has put on a special exhibition, Yayoi Kusama Hanga-no-Sekai, that brings us down the road of her life as it leads us past her thoughts, represented in “hanga” prints and pieces that could have been created by no one else. Yayoi Kusama’s Work Yayoi Kusama is perhaps best-known for her red polka dots and her yellow spotted pumpkins works. But her work goes far beyond these. On permanent display are expressions of various media: lights and mirrors and three-dimensional objects of material soft […]
2022-08-31 / Last updated : 2022-08-31 Kevin Kato Events

Matsumoto Castle Taiko Drum Festival: One of the Most Heart-Pounding Events of the Year

The rhythmic sounds of a hundred drums filled the warm, humid evening air recently as the people of this castle town were treated to one of the most heart-pounding events of the year: the annual Matsumoto Castle Taiko Drum Festival. The Perfect Setting for a Rousing Tradition Once again the inner garden of Matsumoto Castle was transformed into the most dramatic musical venue this side of Mt.Fuji. Normally accessible only via entrance fee, on July 30th and 31st the inner ‘honmaru’ was open to the public. As the sun fell toward the northern alps and the air cooled (slightly) the crowds gathered, spread out on blankets on the ground where […]
2022-06-19 / Last updated : 2022-06-19 Sylvain Local Food & Drinks

Local Cuisine in the Countryside For Vegetarians & Japanese Food Lovers

For the first time this year, Welcome-Matsumoto and the Matsumoto Tourism Association conducted a Monitor Tour in which we explored the local cuisine in the countryside around Matsumoto. The main event was tasting wild plants from the Nagawa countryside in deep-fried tempura, which can be a delicious experience for vegetarians and Japanese food lovers. In addition our guests enjoyed Shinshu Salmon, the same fish served at the 2019 G20 Environment Ministerial Meetings in Karuizawa!  Nagawa Countryside Nagawa is a region located just a few kilometers from Matsumoto City. It is in a remote valley between the Norikura Highlands and the famous Kamikochi National Park. The Nagawa Valley offers spectacular mountain scenery and […]
2022-06-10 / Last updated : 2022-07-02 Kevin Kato Other

Yamaga FC: The Spirit of Matsumoto, All Over Town

Here in Matsumoto we’re mighty proud of our soccer team, Yamaga FC. All over town the streets are dripping in the green and white of the team. Banners hanging from lampposts. Flags rippling in the breeze. Posters in shop windows. Decals on cars. The team mascot, Gans the Ptarmigan, smiles at everyone from vending machines and manhole covers and souvenir shop shelves. The Spirit of Matsumoto. You can’t miss it! The Start of Something Big Soccer in Matsumoto began in 1965 when a non-profit organization called the Alwin Sports Project established a team of players representing Nagano Prefecture in a low-level regional league. From the beginning they called themselves the […]
2022-06-01 / Last updated : 2022-06-01 Léa Van Cuyck WHV in Japan

Working in Japan: Our Interview in Japan Magazine n°13

Japan fascinates and attracts many visitors, some of whom wish to have a deeper experience here. Thus, many people dream of living and working in Japan, whether as part of a simple work experience abroad or the full makings of a true expatriation. To reach this goal, any useful information is good to have! This is fortunate, because this is exactly what the latest issue of Japan Magazine offers with their special documentary “Going to Work in Japan”! They went to work in Japan Japan Magazine’s Léa Van Cuyck meets not only with people who have lived in Japan before, like Jean Christophe and Vincent, but also people still living […]
2022-05-11 / Last updated : 2022-05-11 Sylvain Sightseeing

Azumino & The Japanese Alps: A rural getaway in the heart of Japan

Located in a valley at the heart of the Japanese Alps Mountain range, Azumino offers a true escape into Japan’s natural countryside. Azumino’s history, culture and beautiful landscape make it a must-see destination when visiting Matsumoto. With its vital agricultural activity, its strong local identity and picturesque mountains, Azumino is an ideal location in which to sample the best there is! A worldwide reputation thanks to the local Wasabi Azumino is best known throughout Japan and around the world for the simple reason, it has some of the best local Wasabi. The city has a unique geographical location that allows for abundant Wasabi cultivation. What sets it apart from other […]
2022-05-01 / Last updated : 2022-05-01 Kevin Kato Other

Make Time for the Minute Details of the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum

I’d read somewhere that the huge pendulum clock on the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum was one of the largest of its kind in the world. Its pendulum was supposedly even longer than the one on London’s Big Ben. The museum’s own website claims it is the largest pendulum clock in Japan. But, failing to find an independent source to corroborate the claim, I decided to make time to go down and inquire directly. Thanks to museum manager Nishizawa-san, who pointed out various minute details of the exhibits during his gracious, impromptu personal tour, I now have answers to questions I didn’t even know I had – plus the one I had […]
2022-04-19 / Last updated : 2022-04-19 Kevin Kato Seasonal Topics

Matsumoto at Her Most Beautiful: Cherry Blossoms & Snow-Capped Mountains

When cherry blossom season arrives in Matsumoto everyone heads for the centerpiece of the town. The sight of Japan’s oldest castle tower coupled with her most famous flowers is a sight not to be missed! But hey, this isn’t the only show in town. To catch all of Matsumoto at her most beautiful head for the hills, for views of the fleeting cherry blossoms backed by the majesty of the still-snow-capped mountains. Here are three of our favorite spots. Kobo-yama While “yama” means mountain, Kobo is really just a big hill – yet it’s packed with a whole mountain’s worth of cherry blossoms. Experience what it feels like to walk […]