A day trip to Matsumoto, Japan
We took a JR train from Nagano to JR Matsumoto to spend a day exploring the city of Matsumoto. Matsumoto is the second largest city in the Nagano Prefecture. It is best known for its original castle and the beautiful Japanese Northern Alps. Although this will be a short blog post, we wanted to share the things we did and places we went for the day.
Matsumoto Castle - Matsumoto Castle dates back to the early Sengoku period, or the "Warring States" period, of civil unrest in Japan. Starting out as a simple fort, it was enlarged and fortified in the late 1500s, becoming the impressive fortification we know today. It is a short walk away from the Matsumoto Station.
Castle entrance fee: 700 yen for adults
4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0873
Nakamachi Street - a street full of shops and restaurants, this area used to be full of warehouses back in the day.
amijok - a nice restaurant and cafe. Serves bakery items and food as well.
3 Chome-4-14 Central, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0811, Japan
Ishii Miso
Ishii Miso - Ishii Miso was founded back in 1868 and is still producing miso by using traditional methods. Matsumoto is one of the top producers of miso in the entire country of Japan. It was full for lunch, so we could only try their infamous miso ice cream. It actually was not that bad!
1 Chome-8-1 Uzuhashi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0813, Japan
the Source Diner - We stumbled upon this burger joint when we saw a sign that said burgers, beer, and hip hop. We were sold. The burgers were insanely good and we even got to choose from a huge fridge of craft beers from Japan and the United States. The owner speaks fluent English, and will give you some great local recommendations as well! Remember to bring your cash as this restaurant is cash only.
4 Chome-8-17 Ote, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-0874, Japan
other things to do:
Matsumoto Brewery - The brewery was closed when we stopped by, but the brewery is highly recommended by both locals and tourists.
3 Chome-4-2 Central, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0811, Japan
City Art Museum - A must go museum for art lovers, featuring works by Matsumoto-born Kusama Yayoi.
4 Chome-2-22 Central, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0811
