Matsumoto is a magnificent mountainous city, most famous for the Matsumoto Castle.
There are so many cool things to do in Matsumoto like the Nawate-dori frog street or City Museum of Art – but if you only do one thing, make it Matsumoto Castle (so famous, it features on practically ever Matsumoto souvenir, gift and postcard).
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Dating back to 1504, it is one of the five Japanese castles designated as National Treasures. Beautiful by day, Matsumoto Castle at night looks even better, especially during the famous Matsumoto Winter Illuminations.
Here is our guide to Matsumoto Castle (day and night) plus the admission price, photos and more.
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Japan checklist
We love using booking.com and agoda.com (use the Agoda code TAIWANDERERS for a discount) for researching and booking all our hotels. You can also purchase eSIMs from Airalo.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator or Klook.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars.
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How to get to Matsumoto Castle
If you are visiting Matsumoto from Nagano, then you can take a direct Shinano Limited Express train (50 minutes) or a Shinonoi Line local train (1.5 hours) to Matsumoto station.
If you are travelling from Nagoya, then you can take a direct Shinano Limited Express (2 hours 10 minutes) to Matsumoto station.
From Tokyo Shinjuku station you can take a JR Azusa limited express train (2 hours 30 minutes) to Matsumoto station.
There is also a highway bus that departs every hour and takes 3 hours to travel from Tokyo Shinjuku Bus Terminal to Matsumoto Bus Terminal.
If you’d rather do a private tour from Nagano to Matsumoto, check out these tours:
- 1-day tour Matsumoto Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle from Nagano >
- Matsumoto Castle, sake and food walking tour from Nagano >
- Kamikochi hiking tour from Nagoya >
- Or you can even get around Matsumoto by private electric bike tour >
Matsumoto Accommodation
Mid-Range – Expensive ($$)
Onyado Nono Matsumoto Natural Hot Spring
Popular hotel with natural hot springs on the 10th floor and mountain views. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Mid-Range – Expensive ($$)
Hotel Buena Vista
Modern hotel with 4 on-site restaurants, bakery and beauty salon. Check rates and availability on booking.com and agoda.com
Check out the best hotels in Matsumoto via Booking.com and Agoda.com
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Matsumoto Castle admission prices in 2024
Matsumoto-jō Castle costs 700 Yen per adult (around £3.50 or $4.50 USD) or 300 Yen for children aged between 6 and 15 years.
Matsumoto Castle grounds and moat are free to visit – the Matsumoto Castle Winter Illuminations are also free of charge and run from mid December to mid February (more on this later).
During the extended summertime hours in mid August, visitors in traditional Japanese clothing can enter for free.
For more information, visit the official Matsumoto Castle English website here >
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Matsumoto Castle opening hours
Matsumoto Castle is open year around except on December 29 and December 31. The castle is open daily from 9am to 5pm with last admission at 4.30pm
During Golden Week and the Obon period in mid August, Matsumoto Castle is open from 8am to 6pm, last entry at 5.30pm.
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Arriving at Matsumoto Castle & Honmaru Garden
When you first arrive at Matsumoto Castle, it is kind of breathtaking – the photos genuinely don’t do it justice. We visited on a sunny January day and had beautiful blue skies and crisp clear views of the mountains, an idyllic backdrop to the castle and its keep.
Matsumoto Castle is surrounded by a huge moat which reflects the mountains and clouds in the sky plus the moat is home to dozens of elegant swans who swim around all day, looking for food and photo opportunities (probably).
There is also a small park to walk around with benches, plus a traditional red wooden bridge which is great for pictures. Matsumoto Castle is one of the most photogenic places we’ve been to in Japan unlike say Osaka Castle, it doesn’t get anywhere near as crowded.
Try this – Check out this Matsumoto Castle tour and samurai experience >
We spent a whole day in Matsumoto returning to the castle grounds, morning, afternoon and night and during some times, there were only a handful of people there.
If you are lucky, you might also catch the Matsumoto Castle Omotenashi ‘Squad’ roaming the Honmaru Gardens between 8.30am and 4pm, a team of performers dressed as historical figures from Matsumoto – it is free to take pictures and pose with them (although we missed this – doh).
One other thing to help with your visit – shoes must be removed inside the castle and carried upon your person so you might want footwear that slips on and off easily.
Try this – the best Matsumoto tours and trips with Viator and Get Your Guide
History of Matsumoto Castle
Perhaps the best thing to do in Matsumoto (and certainly the most famous), Matsumoto Castle is one of the five Japanese castles designated as National Treasures.
It is the oldest five tier castle in Japan, dating back to 1504 with the main ‘keep’ and fortifications built in 1593.
The first and second enclosures plus the moats at Matsumoto Castle have been listed as designated historic sites.
Even though Matsumoto Castle never saw any actual battles, over the years, much of the original castle sadly fell into disrepair, but it was restored in recent years and is now the city’s most famous and iconic landmark (it is on all the souvenirs like magnets and postcards).
Try this – Get around Matsumoto by private electric bike tour >
When is the best time to visit Matsumoto Castle?
Open from 9am to 5pm daily, we’d recommend first visiting Matsumoto Castle in the afternoon when the castle building, moat and main keep are lit up in fantastic sunlight.
It looks amazing on camera (especially with the mountains and moat reflections). You then have time to go into the castle itself and Honmaru Garden.
The recommended time to spend inside Matsumoto Castle garden and grounds is around 1 hour (there isn’t that much to see inside).
If you can stay around until sunset or evening to see Matsumoto Castle at night, do so as it is such a beautiful spot.
If you don’t like crowds, try to avoid Matsumoto Castle during Golden Week (late April / early May) or the Obon holiday period (mid August).
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Matsumoto Castle winter lights and at night
If you happen to be in Matsumoto or nearby Nagano for the skiing season, make sure you check out the Matsumoto Castle Winter Lights festival, held every year from mid December to mid February.
Since 2021, Matsumoto Castle has been illuminated in winter with incredible light shows, projection mapping all synchronized to music. We visited in 2023 and it was one of the most spectacular sights we ever encountered in Japan.
All around the city, there are also other festive light displays plus lots of local food and drink stalls pop up around the castle.
Check out the latest news and dates of the Winter Illuminations here >
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Other things to do near Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto City Museum of Art
Also referred to as the Yayoi Kusuama museum, the Matsumoto City Museum of Art is easy to ‘spot’ – literally as Yayoi’s famous artwork can be see all over the museum, even down to the playground and vending machines outside – it certainly creates spots before the eyes!
Some of Yayoi Kusuama’s earliest works are on permanent display at Matsumoto City Museum of Art.
Her largest piece in the world, the huge sculpture “The Visionary Flowers” sits on display in front of the museum and can be visited for free. The famous 2.5 metre yellow pumpkin with black dots is also one of the signature pieces at the museum.
Try this – Half day private tour of Matsumoto >
Nawate Street AKA Matsumoto’s Frog Street & Yohashira Shrine
Hop to it! Simply beautiful, Matsumoto’s famous frog street is called Nawate Street.
Full of old fashioned stores and nostalgic souvenir shops, a walk along Nawate Street is like taking a step back in time.
This pedestrianized shopping street also has lots of frog motifs along the way including a HUGE frog statue.
At the end of Nawate Street, you’ll find Yohashira Shrine (more on this in a moment), where a frog God is enshrined – the whole area is a fine froggy foray and known as a sacred place for frogs.
Check out our full Matsumoto area guide >
Try this – Ninja and samurai armor experience in Matsumoto >
Address
Matsumoto-jō Castle, 4 – 1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390 – 0873, Japan
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