24 Hours in Matsumoto City: The Perfect 1-Day Itinerary

Situated amidst the majestic Japanese Alps in Central Honshu, Matsumoto City is an underrated gem rich in history and culture. It's the second largest city in Nagano prefecture and is perhaps most known for Matsumotojo, one of Japan's best-preserved historic castles. But Matsumoto City is also a thriving urban center with plenty of thought-provoking museums, a vibrant arts scene, and a delicious culinary landscape!

For travelers en route to the renowned winter playground of Hakuba, Matsumoto presents itself as an ideal pitstop. It's the kind of place where you can take a breather from your travels, explore its unique culture, and add a dash of magic to your trip.

In this 24-hour guide, we delve into Matsumoto City's most iconic destinations and some hidden treasures, introducing you to local culinary delights and experiences. So, get ready to trade your ski gear for Town Sneakers as we show you how to make the most of your brief visit to this enchanting city.

Matsumoto Station is easily accessible from Tokyo and Nagoya. From Tokyo, head to Shinjuku Station and take the JR Azusa limited express train direct to Matsumoto. A one-way trip costs 6,620 JPY but is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass.

If you’re coming by Nagoya, take the JR Shinano Limited Express from Nagoya Station. The one-way fare is about 2,370 JPY, but the Japan Rail Pass covers it. For a more detailed guide to the different access routes, check out the official Matsumoto website.

Getting around Matsumoto City is fairly straightforward. You can explore the central area on foot or by renting bicycles available across the town. You can also hop on the Town Sneakers, the inner-city loop lines that bring you to major destinations. We recommend getting the One-Day Pass, which gives you unlimited rides on the Town Sneaker and discounts at Matsumoto Castle and other museums. You can purchase the One-Day Pass at the Matsumoto Bus Terminal located right beside the station.

If you’re just spending one night in Matsumoto, there are many great options near Matsumoto Station. Budget-conscious travelers should have Hotel Mor-Schein on their radar. Just two minutes on foot from Matsumoto Station, you can get a comfy semi-double room for about 54 USD a night.

Another great option is Dormy Inn Matsumoto, a five-minute walk from Matsumoto Station. For around 90 USD a night, you can unwind from a long day of traveling with a high-temperature sauna and grand baths that use naturally sourced spring water. There is also a free night soba noodle service from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the restaurant on the 1st floor, the perfect midnight snack to end the day!

For the luxury traveler who wants a premium option, Onyado Nono Matsumoto Natural Hot Spring Azuminoyu is as grand as it gets. Newly built in April 2022, the entire hotel is outfitted with tatami-mat flooring and also has a sauna and a grand bath that provides an incredible skyline view of Matsumoto City. Not bad for around 120 USD a night!

Start your journey in the city with a visit to Matsumoto Castle. Regarded as a National Treasure, the impressive structure is the oldest five-structure/six-story castle in Japan. The fortress is affectionately known as Crow Castle due to its black lacquered exterior, which when contrasted against the shining Japanese Alps makes it a sight to behold.

The interior of the castle is no less impressive! Inside you’ll find steep wooden staircases with low ceilings housing an array of armor and weaponry from the Warring States Period when the castle was built. Keep your eyes peeled for the strategically positioned openings called ishi-otoshi, windows that the castle defenders used to drop stones or boiling water onto invaders. Make your way to the Moon Viewing Tower with its beautiful panoramic views of Matsumoto City.

In the winter, you may want to come back at night to check out the illumination at Matsumoto Castle that takes place from around December to February.

When you start getting hungry, head over to Nawate Shopping Street, where you can find a wide variety of cuisines to choose from. Nearby, Kobayashi Soba serves up one of Matsumoto’s most favorite delicacies, a hearty bowl of soba (buckwheat noodles). You can try out oyaki, which is a buckwheat dough ball stuffed with local vegetables or red bean paste lightly fried in oil and roasted over charcoal. These popular snacks can be found all over the city in souvenir shops, supermarkets, and even convenience stores!

With a full belly, stroll along the small but lively Nawate Shopping Street full of frog-themed souvenir shops. Legend has it that the banks of the river once echoed with a symphony of frog croaks! The Japanese word for frog is kaeru, which also means “to return home”; thus, the frogs symbolize a safe journey home that the locals celebrated and made a part of their culture. Besides cute frog trinkets, you can also pick up pottery and teapots, making it ideal for souvenir shopping!

Once you’ve had your fill of frogs, there are a number of interesting museums to check out. The Matsumoto City Museum of Art is one of the most popular attractions, especially since they have a permanent exhibition of Yayoi Kusama’s works since she was born in Matsumoto! Taking a walk through her exhibition is like stepping into a different world.

You should also make time (no pun intended!) for the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum dedicated to timepieces across and beyond Japan. The exhibits showcase all kinds of watches and clocks, from niche watches used by train conductors to rustic grandfather clocks from Europe. With over 100 timepieces, with many of them still in working condition, it is one of the most unique museums in the city.

For dinner, you have to try one of Matsumoto’s most famous dishes, sanzoku-yaki. It is a special type of fried chicken marinated in garlic and soy sauce before being coated in potato starch and then deep-fried. Known as Matsumoto’s soul food, you can find sanzoku-yaki in many izakaya bars like Shiduka, Shin-Miyoshi, and the Matsumoto Karaage Center.

If you’re searching for a drink or two before returning to the hotel, the craft beer scene in Matsumoto is rather lively. The Matsumoto Brewery Tap Room has two locations in Nakamachi and Honmachi, and serves a selection of local and national beers for you to try to cap off your journey in Matsumoto city!