To see a national treasure treasure , was truly breathtaking. I have see places of ancient times before but this one definitely makes you feel like your in a past time. I recommend the tour of the castle inside to everyone.

One of the few preserved original castles in Japan. Along with an impressive firearm collection on display. Not as big as Himeji, but that means you can take your time to look at the details, and still be able to do it within 2hrs. Guests are required to take off their shoes and since there are only really steep stairs to walk up, make sure your socks are not too slippery.

Really amazing castle! I didn't go inside but it looks great with the park around. It's a really nice spot to just have a little drink and rest because of the great view! And it's also a bit cooler here in the summer than inside of the city.

A good collection of ancient rifles. Good view through windows on the 6 floor. Not ideal for seniors with knee issues or weak legs as staircases are narrow, high, slippery and steep as much as 61°. Space within castle especially at upper levels are small and squeezy. Not recommended for families with toddlers as climbing up or down stairs carrying them is challenging and dangerous.

A castle nestled in the Japanese Alps that competes with Himeji for its beauty. Nice to see from the outside which is free , or you can enter the castle itself for 700 yen or less ( pending on group size, kids pay, less etc ). I went on a snowy day and it was freezing inside, so have extra warm socks and bring your gloves if you want to make the most of it like I did. There's also a gun museum within the castle itself.

Such a beautiful castle! I've visited a few different castles during my time in Japan, including bigger ones like Himeji, but I think this one might be my favourite. The area around the castle is lovely, and the castle itself is unique for its black exterior. When visiting, be sure to give yourself plenty of time as there is quite a bit of waiting around. You first have to queue to enter the castle, and then you queue again to go up the stairs to the higher levels. Make sure you wear warm socks as you are asked to take your shoes off before entering. Even on a fairly temperate, sunny day my feet were freezing. The stairs in the castle are incredibly steep and so are not suitable for those with mobility issues.

It's the main attraction in Matsumoto. The entrance ticket to castle is 700 JPY. The surrounding area is very nice and good to spend some time. We also able to see the night light show during our visit. It started at 6 pm and continues till 9 pm (This is during January)

I LOVE old castles. This is one of the top and most picturesque castles in Japan. But I will see 50 of the if I get the chance to see them in my lifetime. The Castle is in excellent shape and one of the very few that is virtually intact throughout its life. Himeji Castle being the other that made it through the years. The History of the castle is heard through their intercoms system, there are guided tours as well. The location opens at 9am to 5pm but recommend coming at 9-11am before the crowds. If you have not been in a Japanese Castle, be prepared for some very steep steps , some very high steps and some slippery steps. Leave what you can in the lockers by the gift shop as the steps are narrow and not made for tall people, the more hands you have available to make the climb and decent, the better.

I may be a bit biased, seeing as this is my favorite castle, but I absolutely loved this visit. 松本城 has been my favorite castle for over a decade now, yet this was my first time visiting. I highly recommend imagining what it was like to walk the halls some 450+ years ago when it was first built. Guaranteed a must-see if you have the time.

A unique "black" castle with 6 levels. A walk around the park outside of the castle is a must especially in good weather! Do read the story while you are on the 6th level, about the beautiful deity. That was quite interesting. It is fairly busy with tourists hence the top 2 levels usually require queue to access.

It's big, it's beautiful, it's famous - what more could you want? Well, I wish they wouldn't make one carry their shoes. I didn't say we should wear them in the castle. I just think it's dangerous carrying them with how steep the rake (angle, pitch) of the staircases are. And some of the steps have some pretty high rises (vertical distance between the steps) as well. I'm 63 and scared to death of falling and getting hurt. If a bug flies into me, I bruise. Shoes should be kept downstairs while visiting inside the castle. Hey, today you learned some staircase terminology, didn't you? You owe me.

The castle is so iconic with wooden interior, equip with the showroom of the ancient gun and other equipment. You can see the city and garden view from the top of the castle. However, it was so crowded, that I can not spend longer time there. Moreover, the stair in the castle is quite steep, at some point, my leg was shaking. But it was a good experience tho. The entrance fee is 700 yen for adult. You also can take a look at the souvenir shop near there.

An absolutely stunning castle. If you are looking for a Japanese castle experience, this is where you need to go. You can take a limited express train from Shinjuku. If you are staying in Tokyo, take day to visit this place. The view is stunning, there are swans in the water around the castle, there's a scenic bridge, there's a beautiful garden, and there's lights when it's dark. The inside viewing is super crammed but still worth it. Bring thick socks in autumn and winter as you will have to take off your shoes. The stairs are extremely steep and narrow so you have to be in an appropriate physical shape. It's basically a long conga line that goes all the way up and then down again, you dont get to go at your own pace. The view from the top is nice, the museum is mostly about historic guns, and the building just feels very historic. I like that is has side buildings in addition to the main tower. Good pictures at sunset from outside the grounds and at sunrise from the garden inside.

Put this on your list if you want to see castles in Japan. You can get a free tour in English . See kiosk near entry . Walk around moat is free but entry fee for castle . Best photos are in afternoon. The red bridge on the north west corner is a good photo spot. Walk directly south on the Main Street to get great local noodles. You can walk it from the train station and easy flat route. In the late Fall you can see the snow capped mountains in the distance.

Great castle. A lot of castles are empty inside, but this castle used some floors as a museum to show off some artifacts. The staff were kind and did their best to speak English. Highly recommended if you find yourself in Nagano.

I absolutely love this castle. The park around it is so good to take a walk, to have a meal, or just appreciate the castle. Inside the castle, you can see a little bit of the history behind it, you can go to the top of the castle and get 360 view of the city and the mountains. It’s beautiful all seasons.

Beautiful black castle. Pictures simply do not capture how nice it actually looks in real life. It gets crowded very quickly and that makes visiting a bit hard, since the stairs inside are so small. But definitely worth visiting. Pictures outside are much nicer though compared to the inside. Be careful with the stairs as there are many big drops that make my legs sore after climbing.

We went there in the hot summer day. It was super hot. When we was there, it took us 20-30 mins until we can get into the castle. Inside the castle was a little bit cooler. The stairs inside the castle were very steep, I would recommend waring something suitable for climbing the stairs. Inside the castle is a war museum that you can learn not only about the castle but also the war and history of the guns and weapon used in that period. Worth visiting despite long waiting and so many kids there when we visit since it was Saturday during Summer vacation for Japanese students.

Beautifully Castle and worth the visit but I don't like the way you go through it. Always in line with million other people and not much time to see it at your own pace. But overall, worth a visit.

I was greeted by an English speaking tour guide as soon I stepped into the gate and he was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the castle. Getting into the castle itself was a long wait, followed by many more long waits inside as you move up and the down floors. The stairs are incredibly steep so that’s fun. Would def recommend going first thing in the morning.

Visited the castle on a weekend end of November , but wait time was still one hour. Consider another hour to hour and a half to get slowly through the castle. Steps are very steep so be careful. But for sure worth the wait since it is one of the most preserved castles in Japan. Entrance fee 700 ¥

We could enjoy the amazing scenery from the top of the castle! It’s worth to visit once in a lifetime!! Its a little bit cold in the end of March because of the strong wind😅

Quite a large castle in comparison to the others in Japan, though may not be of same scale in other countries like China or Europe. You can complete the tour within 2 hours. You do need to take off your shoes when entering the castle to preserve its flooring, and you will be greeted by the staffs at every stairs. This castle definitely still preserved the unique Japanese architecture designs from the 1600s. Along the way of your self-tour to the top level, you get to see the various weapons and explanation boards (in Japanese and English) to learn more of the history. I would think a Japanese Castle is a must for first-time tourist to Japan.

Lovely castle with a garden around. A lot of stairs and some very steep! Get the Sneaker Bus one day ticket if you want to get a discount for the castle ticket 😀

The castle and grounds are beautiful... from the outside. Definitely come during the day and especially the evening when the castle is lit. The tower tour was really awful. You are moved through in a line that goes too fast to read about the weapons, but so slowly as a non-breaking line tries to move up and down the narrow stairs. Really no need to go through the tower, there isn't much up there and it takes an hour to get through start to finish. I'm not sure why people recommend this.

The most beautiful and elegant Japanese castle and my most favorite castle. Going inside the castle is whole new experience. It takes you to the samurai era and old time in Japan. Highly recommend to go visit this amazing castle if you go to Matsumoto, Nagano.

Beautiful castle and surroundings. Be aware you will have to remove your shoes and that there are a few very step ladders to the upper floors. Don’t let this discourage you however as it’s worth every step.

(Translated by Google) It is in good condition. It's 100 yen. I paid it properly. (Original) よく整備されています。100円です。ちゃんと払いました。

(Translated by Google) It is a relatively clean toilet. You can use it with or without feeling that you can add 100 yen at a time. Kappa Bridge, the toilet in front of you. (Original) 比較的きれいなトイレです。 気持ちで1回100円を入れてようをたすか、入れなくても使用は可能です。 河童橋、目の前のトイレ。

Local shopping street. I went on friday but unfortunately there were scare of people and most of the shops were closed.

A nice shopping street close to Matsumoto castle. Better than Nawate-Dori in my opinion. There are a number of antique, gift and food shops along the street, all unique and a little more sophisticated/higher quality than the usual tourist gift shops. You can even follow in the footsteps of John Lennon and grab a Royal Vanilla ice cream. Personally, I preferred the crème brûléed sweet potato.

If you r see looking a bike rental, you can come here. They have small bikes with gears, basket and lock. It’s 500 ten for one day bike rent.

Beautiful place! this location is near the Narita airport, if you have few hours layoff, you can go and enjoy the shopping street , there has many restaurants and souvenir shops around.

Beautiful shopping street lined with carefully restored Edo era warehouses that have been converted into shops, cafes, restaurants, and galleries. About a 10~15 minute walk from Matsumoto Station.

Truly unique and authentic design shops with beautiful antique and new pieces. Fully recommend!

Too many cars that do not allow to enjoy the beauty of this shopping alley. But the street itself is very nice, packed with should, souvenir shops, and cafes.

A nice shopping street near Mutsumoto castle. Don't come too early. After 12 o'clock would be the proper period to visit.

The museum is closed on Mondays! Which we only realised after walking there from the station. Even if it is closed you can get a close up look at on of Yayoi Kusama’s huge artworks out the front.

A relatively new museum focussed on contemporary art. The exhibition on the life of Yayoi Kusama (born in Matsumoto) was impressive and the current temporary exhibition on the work of Director Takashi Yamazaki was very well executed.

A great museum with a very reasonable price and a great art exhibition. Yayoi Kusama has a permanent exhibition here. You cannot take photos or videos for the most part. You will be able to take a picture of the last piece which is the pumpkin.

I really loved this museum! The exibitions were all amazing, but i think they should use more the spaces outside the galleries. But it was a great experience though. Sadly its forbidden to take pictures inside the galleries.

If you visit this small museum the most important is the part dedicated to Yayoi Kusama the city of this great artist

Beautiful art museum with a very cool Yayoi Kusama exhibit! This place is a must see for Kusama fans and houses a collection of her work that details her evolution as an artist and views on life! I also quite enjoyed the Tamura Kazuo exhibit which the museum changes frequently to reflect the season! The museum costs 410 yen for adults so it is a very reasonable price for the amazing exhibits that it houses! There are also several exhibits that don’t require a ticket to view so you can enjoy parts of the museum at no cost if you don’t want to see the Kusama or Kazuo exhibits! It is also a close walk away from other notable Matsumoto attractions so it is a great place to visit while sightseeing!

A wonderful museum dressed with Kusama Yahoo. Her great art work really impressed us. We have lot of fun time here.

If you like contemporary art then you must visit this museum which features two of the greater and renown artists born in Matsumoto. We’re lucky to have visited an exhibits by filmmaker and visual effect director Takashi Yamasaki (exhibitions already ended). A great filmmaker of some of the multiple award winning film adaptions of anime, manga and etc. The permanent exhibition on the life of Yayoi Kusama was impressive, her art works are all colourful, vibrant and modern. Unfortunately only the yellow polka dots pumpkin and massive riotously colourful outdoor floral sculpture can be filmed. Other than above, there’re many other smaller halls that exhibit calligraphy, photos and paintings. We really enjoyed our visit in end Oct 2023

Great museum. Very interesting part dedicated to Kusama san. But the other artists are interesting too. It also makes sense the the photos are prohibited, otherwise it would a spoiler ;)

Very beautiful and colorful museum. The displays were amazing. Kiddos enter for free. Highly recommended.

Dropped by yayoi kusama exhibition at the Matsumoto City Museum of Art. The castle town of Matsumoto is the birthplace of Yayoi Kusama, an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist famous for her use of polka dots. A pity we couldn't take photos within the exhibition. Rather thought provoking for me, to reflect and think about life and purpose, as the theme for her exhibit is titled 'Yayoi Kusama: The Place for My Soul'. While it's nothing morbid, but the colours and dots used to represent molecules, cells, dna, souls etc can evoke such deeper thoughts 😂

I love it! Their permanent exhibition is from Yaoyi Kusama, Japanese artist that you probably recognize the work everywhere, entitled “The Place for My Soul”. It’s only 410JPY, so fairly cheap. Fyi she was born in this city. The museum is quite big, and it only take around 1 hour to see everything. There is one experience where they keep you in a room with various lamp, they shut the door and you spend 20 seconds there. Almost all of the exhibits couldn’t be photographed. But it is better than anywhere else I have seen. Great experience and must visit if you go to Matsumoto.

If you like modern art. There are permanent sections and two temporary sections where artist specific exhibitions are held. I loved the exhibit which had created the effect of an infinite ladder using lights and mirror.

If you are visiting Matsumoto don’t miss this exhibition, it’s eye-catching and inspirational. No photos are allowed inside the museum therefore make you concentrate on the exhibits lol

Loved it. A must-see when in Matsumoto. Imposing, awesome flower structures outside the museum. Featuring exhibition of Yayoi Kusama, 'The place for my soul'. Includes the renowned pumpkin sculpture and other incredible artworks and installations. Also enjoyed the many wintery landscapes of Tamura Kazuo. Great gift shop.

Large modern museum with fabulous art exhibitions. The permanent exhibit of the revered local artist who created the fabulous flower sculpture outside is particularly WOW! Fun, smile inducing modern creativity. I also loved the current exhibition of hundreds of amazing works all by different artists aged over 70 years young! So much talent. Go it’s an awesome time.

I didn't know her until my boss mentioned her as "one of the crazy senior people in Japan" As I like modern art in general and I had a visit to Matsumoto, I visited there. The permanent exhibition of her art collection was not that big but I felt her soul each and every art work. Signature art, squash or pumpkin with dots, and repeated mirroring images are something to see.

When you are in Matsumoto make sure to pay this museum a visit. There is a permanent exhebition of the works by Yayoi Kusama and we were lucky to also see the work of Takashi Yamazaki, included in the entrance fee. You are not allowed to take photo's of the main works of Yayoi Kusama but I must say there were some great pieces. We enjoyed out visit.

A stunning lake view, a great start point to the miraculous trip to kamigochi. It does worth to spend few day here to feel how amazing our nature is.

On holidays driving in Japan, Takayama to Matsumoto 4th April 2024 stopped at Nakanoyu shop (closed) to see if road is open to Taisho Ike pond. Security guard at tunnel said road is closed to cars, but you can walk. We walked 3.1km approx. 1.5 hours thru a 1.6km tunnel & then 590m long tunnel uphill. Tunnels had a walking path and well lit. Great walk and beautiful scenery. Toilet at pond was open but snow around building and hotel there was closed, no vending machines. Pond was nice but the mountain scenery was amazing. Kappa bridge 3km from pond with thick snow on road and weather closing in so we didn't go. Less than a hour walk back. We were lucky with weather. No proper legal parking at tunnel entry.

25 buildings in a compound, with 9 designated as monuments. For a price of 600 yen, it's definitely cheaper than visiting a single house in the village for 400 yen. However, walking thru the village with villagers living next door is more rewarding and offers a better experience

I advise you to drop off the bus on this stop, and then walk along the river until Miyojin pond (6km) and then come back to kappa Bridge where you take the bus to come back. Total 9km, 3h going slow and stopping to take pictures.

Great trekking areas for people of all ages. Many scenic views.

Stunning view The road (walkway) that connects the kamikochi bus stop and taisho pond is very beautiful.

Get on from Matsumoto bus terminal at 5.30 and get off at Taisho Pond. Because it was still morning the temperature was 3 degrees Celsius. The view is really cool, entering autumn the leaves are starting to turn yellow. The water also looks clear and clean.

Taisho Ike Pond is a beautiful alpine pond located in the Kamikochi Valley in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It is known for its crystal clear water, its stunning mountain scenery, and its peaceful atmosphere. I recently visited Taisho Ike Pond, and I was absolutely blown away. The pond is even more beautiful than I imagined. The water is crystal clear, and you can see the bottom of the pond even in the deepest areas. The surrounding mountains are stunning, and the reflection of the mountains in the water is simply breathtaking. I also loved the peaceful atmosphere. There is a sense of tranquility and serenity at the pond that is hard to find anywhere else. I spent hours sitting by the pond and enjoying the scenery. Overall, I had an amazing experience. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I highly recommend a visit if you are looking for a peaceful and unforgettable experience. Here are some of the things I loved about Taisho Ike Pond: - The crystal clear water - The stunning mountain scenery - The peaceful atmosphere - The variety of activities to enjoy, such as hiking, boating, and fishing

It’s the must to visit before going to Kamikochi. Taking off the bus one stop before Kamikochi and walk from this stop 3 km to Kamikochi to enjoy the scenery along the way. It’s crowded on weekends.

Snow shoeing tour with Little Peak company. Amazing tour guide- Game, bento box with amazing views

The walk there was 4 stars. Because of recent flooding some of the paths were blocked off. Because of that you miss some of the best parts of the pond. If you have all day it’s worth the hike. If you don’t go to the other pond.

When going over from matsumoto bus terminal, highly recommend to drop at taisho ike pond first instead of going to kamikochi bus terminal. Wait for the sunrise and be amazed! Then hike over to kappa bridge.