Matsumoto, Nagano · Things to do
Things to Do in Matsumoto: 11 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
11 things to do · checked October 22, 2026
11 things to do in Matsumoto, from the castle outward
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 22, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Matsumoto Castle国宝松本城
Castle (National Treasure) · Castle area
A National Treasure castle keep you climb inside by steep wooden stairs: about 140 steps with slopes of up to about 61 degrees, and a visit inside takes 45–60 minutes. Until 31 October 2026 part of the Tsukimi Yagura turret is closed while new lacquer dries.
- Access
- About 20 minutes on foot from JR Matsumoto Station. Or the Town Sneaker bus (North Course) from the Matsumoto Station Oshiro-guchi stop to Matsumoto-jo / Shiyakusho-mae, about 10 minutes.
- Hours
- 8:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30). Longer hours at Golden Week; 10:00–15:30 on 1–3 January
- Closed on
- 29–31 December
- Price
- Adults ¥1,200 with a timed e-ticket or ¥1,300 paper ticket on the day; elementary and junior high ¥400; under school age free. Castle + Former Kaichi School e-ticket ¥1,600 (valid 2 days)
2Nawate Street縄手通り
Shopping street · Castle area
A car-free street between the castle's southern moat and the Metoba River, built up as the approach to Yohashira Shrine (1879). The frog is its symbol; it is lined with fruit and hardware shops, taiyaki stalls, bakeries and general stores.
- Access
- About 15 minutes on foot from the east (Oshiro-guchi) exit of Matsumoto Station. Or the Town Sneaker North Route to Daimyo-cho, about 5 minutes, then 2 minutes on foot.
- Price
- Free to walk
3Nakamachi Street中町通り
Historic street · Nakamachi
A row of Edo-period merchant houses on the old Zenkoji road, many in the clay-walled kura storehouse style with black-and-white namako walls, built against the great fires of the late Edo and Meiji eras. A morning market is held from 9:30 every Saturday from April to December.
- Access
- About 15 minutes on foot from the Castle Exit of Matsumoto Station. Or the Town Sneaker East Course to Nakamachi / Kura Chic Museum, about 5 minutes.
- Price
- Free to walk
4Former Kaichi School旧開智学校
Historic school building and museum · Castle area
A former school building, the first modern school building in Japan to be designated a National Treasure.
- Access
- About 25 minutes on foot from JR Matsumoto Station. Or the North City Line bus to Arigasaki Koko-mae, then about 5 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- March–November: third Tuesday of the month. December–February: every Tuesday. If Tuesday is a holiday, the next day. 29 December–3 January
- Price
- Adults (high school age and over) ¥700; elementary and junior high ¥300; under school age free. Castle + Kaichi e-ticket ¥1,600
5Matsumoto City Museum of Art松本市美術館
Art museum · Matsumoto Station
The city art museum, with a Yayoi Kusama display on view all year. The special exhibition Sustainable World runs 19 September–6 December 2026.
- Access
- About 12 minutes on foot from JR Matsumoto Station or the Matsumoto Bus Terminal. Or the Gurutto Matsumoto loop bus (Yokota–Shindai route) to Matsumoto-shi Bijutsukan, about 5 minutes.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (entry until 16:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a holiday); 22 December 2026; 28 December 2026–4 January 2027
- Price
- Collection exhibition: adults ¥700 e-ticket or ¥800 at the counter; university students ¥350 / ¥400; high school and under free
6Japan Ukiyo-e Museum日本浮世絵博物館
Woodblock print museum · West Matsumoto
About 90 ukiyo-e prints are on view at any time, changed every one to one and a half months to protect them; there is no permanent display.
- Access
- Alpico Kamikochi Line from Matsumoto to Oniwa (4th stop, 6 minutes), then about 15 minutes on foot. Or the Gurutto Matsumoto bus (Matsumoto–Shimauchi route) from the Alps exit of Matsumoto Station to Ukiyoe Hakubutsukan / Rekishi-no-sato, about 24 minutes. Taxi about 7 minutes.
- Hours
- 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a holiday Monday, closed the next day); New Year holidays
- Price
- Adults ¥1,000; junior high, high school and university ¥500; elementary and under free
7Matsumoto Folk Craft Museum松本民芸館
Folk craft museum · Satoyamabe
Founded in 1962 by Taro Maruyama of the Chikiriya craft shop in Nakamachi and now run by the city, with about 800 pieces on permanent display.
- Access
- From the Matsumoto Bus Terminal, the Utsukushigahara Onsen Line bus to Matsumoto Mingeikan, about 12 minutes, then 3 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Tuesdays (open on a holiday Tuesday, closed the next weekday); 29 December–3 January
- Price
- Adults (high school age and over) ¥500; junior high and under free
8Hot Plaza Asamaホットプラザ浅間
Day-use hot spring · Asama Onsen
A city-run day-use bath in Asama Onsen, with indoor and open-air baths, a cold bath, a sauna and a free footbath. It is open later than anything else on this page.
- Access
- Matsumoto Bus Asama Line from the Castle Exit of Matsumoto Station to Hot Plaza Asama-mae, about 24 minutes.
- Hours
- 10:00–24:00 (last entry 23:00)
- Closed on
- Tuesdays
- Price
- Adults ¥750; children ¥400
9Daio Wasabi Farm大王わさび農場
Wasabi farm · Azumino (day trip)
A wasabi farm in Azumino, free to enter. No entry outside opening hours.
- Access
- JR Oito Line to Hotaka Station, then about 2.3 km: about 10 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes on foot.
- Hours
- March–November 8:00–17:00; December–February 9:00–16:00
- Closed on
- 31 December
- Price
- Free
10Kamikochi上高地
Mountain valley (seasonal) · Kamikochi (day trip)
A mountain valley closed to private cars all year; you arrive by bus or taxi. The 2026 season ends with the closing ceremony on 15 November 2026, and most lodgings inside have their last night on 14 November or earlier.
Season ends 15 November 2026. The official season-end notice does not give the 2027 opening date.
- Access
- Alpico Kamikochi Line from platform 7 at JR Matsumoto Station to Shin-Shimashima, about 30 minutes, then a route bus to the Kamikochi Bus Terminal, about 1 hour. Drivers park at Sawando (¥800 a day) and change to a shuttle bus or taxi.
- Hours
- Season ends 15 November 2026
11Utsukushigahara Highlands美ヶ原高原
Mountain plateau (seasonal) · Utsukushigahara (day trip)
A plateau at about 2,000 m (highest point Ougatou, 2,034 m) with views of the Northern Alps, the Southern Alps and Mt. Fuji. Cattle graze there in summer, and the 45 km Highlands Long Trail crosses it.
Roads usually closed late November to late April; the direct bus runs in summer only.
- Access
- A reserved direct bus from the Alps exit of Matsumoto Station to the Utsukushigahara Nature Conservation Center, about 75 minutes, in summer only. By car about 75 minutes from Matsumoto IC.
- Closed on
- Roads are usually closed from late November to late April; in winter only Prefectural Road 178 from the Nagawa side is open, to the town car park
Good to know
Start at the castle. Matsumoto Castle, the Former Kaichi School, Nawate Street and Nakamachi Street are all 15 to 25 minutes on foot from JR Matsumoto Station, or a few minutes on the Town Sneaker bus. The castle and Kaichi both take their last visitors at 16:30, and a ¥1,600 e-ticket covers both over two days. Inside the castle keep you climb about 140 steep steps.
The three museums are a short walk, a short train ride or a bus ride out: the City Museum of Art (12 minutes on foot), the Japan Ukiyo-e Museum (Kamikochi Line to Oniwa) and the Folk Craft Museum (bus from the bus terminal). For the evening, Hot Plaza Asama in Asama Onsen takes bathers until 23:00.
Day trips run on seasons. Kamikochi closes for 2026 on 15 November and private cars are never allowed in. The roads to Utsukushigahara usually close from late November to late April, and its direct bus runs in summer only. Daio Wasabi Farm is open all year except 31 December.
Castle area, museums, onsen, or a day trip
How to get there from JR Matsumoto Station, what it costs to get in, and how late you can start or until when it is open. Adult prices; children's prices are on each card above.
| Where | From JR Matsumoto Station | Entry (adult) | Latest start / season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle area: Matsumoto Castle, Kaichi School, Nawate, Nakamachi | On foot: Nawate and Nakamachi about 15 min, castle about 20 min, Kaichi about 25 min; Town Sneaker bus to the castle about 10 min | Castle ¥1,200 e-ticket / ¥1,300 paper · Kaichi ¥700 · both ¥1,600 e-ticket · streets free | Castle and Kaichi last entry 16:30 |
| Museums: City Museum of Art, Japan Ukiyo-e Museum, Folk Craft Museum | Art museum about 12 min on foot · Kamikochi Line to Oniwa + about 15 min on foot · bus from the bus terminal about 12 min | Art museum ¥700 e-ticket / ¥800 · Ukiyo-e ¥1,000 · Folk Craft ¥500 | Last entry 16:30 at all three |
| Asama Onsen: Hot Plaza Asama | Asama Line bus about 24 min | ¥750 | Last entry 23:00; closed Tuesdays |
| Day trip: Daio Wasabi Farm | JR Oito Line to Hotaka, then about 10 min by taxi or 30 min on foot | Free | Closes 17:00 (Mar–Nov), 16:00 (Dec–Feb) |
| Day trip: Kamikochi | Kamikochi Line to Shin-Shimashima about 30 min, then bus about 1 hour | Fare not checked here; see Alpico | Season ends 15 November 2026 |
| Day trip: Utsukushigahara | Reserved direct bus about 75 min (summer only) | — | Roads usually closed late November–late April |
By kind of trip
First trip, one day in town
All four are within 25 minutes on foot of the station. Do the castle and Kaichi before their 16:30 last entry; shop hours on the two streets vary by shop.
Matsumoto Castle · Former Kaichi School · Nawate Street · Nakamachi Street
Rain or cold
Indoors. The art museum and the ukiyo-e museum are closed on Mondays, the Folk Craft Museum on Tuesdays, and Kaichi on the third Tuesday (every Tuesday from December).
Matsumoto City Museum of Art · Japan Ukiyo-e Museum · Matsumoto Folk Craft Museum · Former Kaichi School
With children
Nawate Street is closed to cars all year. Under school age is free at the castle; elementary and under is free at the ukiyo-e museum, junior high and under at the Folk Craft Museum. Daio Wasabi Farm is free for everyone.
Nawate Street · Matsumoto Castle · Japan Ukiyo-e Museum · Daio Wasabi Farm
Into the mountains
Kamikochi until 15 November; Utsukushigahara by road from late April to late November and by direct bus in summer; Daio Wasabi Farm all year.
After 17:00
Most places on this page close at 17:00. Hot Plaza Asama is open until midnight (last entry 23:00), except on Tuesdays.
Questions
When does Kamikochi close in 2026, and can I drive there?
The 2026 season ends with the closing ceremony on 15 November 2026, and most lodgings inside have their last night on 14 November or earlier. Private cars cannot enter at any time of year. From Matsumoto, take the Alpico Kamikochi Line to Shin-Shimashima (about 30 minutes) and a bus to the Kamikochi Bus Terminal (about 1 hour); drivers park at Sawando and change to a shuttle bus or taxi.
How much is Matsumoto Castle, and how long does a visit take?
Adults pay ¥1,200 with a timed e-ticket or ¥1,300 for a paper ticket on the day; elementary and junior high ¥400. The visit inside the keep takes 45–60 minutes and goes up about 140 steps with slopes of up to about 61 degrees. Open 8:30–17:00, last entry 16:30, closed 29–31 December.
Is there a combined ticket for the castle and the Kaichi School?
Yes. A castle + Former Kaichi School e-ticket costs ¥1,600 for adults and ¥600 for students and is valid for two days, with a timed entry to the castle. Separately, Kaichi is ¥700 for adults.
How do I get to Daio Wasabi Farm?
Take the JR Oito Line to Hotaka Station. The farm is about 2.3 km away: about 10 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes on foot. It is free and open 8:00–17:00 from March to November and 9:00–16:00 from December to February.
Is anything closed in winter?
From December the Former Kaichi School closes every Tuesday. The City Museum of Art is closed on 22 December 2026 and from 28 December 2026 to 4 January 2027, and the castle on 29–31 December. The roads to Utsukushigahara are usually closed from late November to late April.