In just 3 hours of traveling by train from Tokyo, you'll be there: nestled in the Japanese Alps lies the mountain town of Matsumoto, located in Nagano Prefecture. Although the city is known for its famous black 'Crow Castle,' it also has a lot to offer for true foodies and there is a lot left to explore. We'll take you on a full day tour through Matsumoto, starting with a delicious breakfast and a nice fresh cup of coffee.

Retro Vibes at Coffee Bigaku Abe 

Address: Japan, 〒390-0815 Nagano, Matsumoto, Fukashi, 1 Chome−2−8 NOVAビル 

Opening times: 07:00 – 16:30, closed on Tuesdays

https://www.abecoffee1957.com/

When you arrive at Matsumoto Station, walk straight for 300 meters until you come across a retro-style coffee shop. Step inside, and be greeted by the aroma of fresh ground coffee and warm pastries. Whether you're in the mood for a delicious fresh sandwich or a piece of cake, you can find everything here. The coffee menu is well extensive, with choices ranging from old-fashioned retro "drip coffee" to coffee jellies, making every coffee lover excited. 

Matsumoto Castle - A National Treasure 

Address: 4-1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0873, Japan 

Opening times: 8:30 - 16:30

https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/eng

After breakfast, a visit to Matsumoto Castle, also known as 'Crow Castle' due to the black color of the outer walls, is definitely a must. From Coffee Bigaku Abe, the castle is about a 12-minute walk, on which you will get to see many interesting things along the way. Matsumoto Castle is one of the oldest and most important castles in Japan. A visit costs ¥1,200 for an E-ticket and ¥1,300 for a paper ticket. You can also use a combo ticket, which allows you to visit multiple museums in the area, such as the Matsumoto City Museum.

Afternoon Stroll on Frog Street 

Location: Ōte, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-0874, Japan 

Opening times: Shops generally open at 9:00 and close at 19:00 

After the big castle adventure, it’s time for food of course! For this, we travel to Nawate Street, also known as 'Frog Street'. In this street, there's one theme you'll immediately pick up on: frogs. Next to Nawate street flows a river, and in the past, the frogs made a lot of noise there. Since then, this street has been associated with frogs, and frogs have become an important part of the town and street. There even are multiple frog statues lining the street, the one at the entrance of the street tells a special story about two frogs engaging in a samurai battle.

You can explore the street by looking at all the statues, trying local snacks like senbei (rice crackers) and taiyaki, and visiting the frog themed shops. If you want to sit down and relax, why not visit the Sweet Bakery that has been around since 1924. This place offers several types of breads and serves breakfast and soup sets for lunch. There is a seating area both inside and outside, with the outside area being dog friendly - you can spot a lot of cute dogs there if that is your thing!

Shopping Time at Matsumoto Aeon Mall 

Location: 4 Chome-9-51 Central, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8560, Japan 

Opening times: 10:00 - 21:00 

If you want to take a break from sightseeing, shopping is always an option. Let’s head over to the Aeon Mall. The mall is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, and you can experience everything there: shopping, entertainment, and delicious food. If you're craving a little (healthy) snack, Fruit Dining Shun is definitely the place to go. Try Shun’s locally grown fruit; it’s fresh, delicious, and makes the perfect midday snack.

Dinner Time: Matsumoto's Food Classics

After a long day of having fun and exploring the city, it’s finally time to eat some dinner. Here are our recommendations for Matsumoto’s dinner classics:

One of Matsumoto’s classics is Sanzoku-yaki. Sanzoku-yaki is a special kind of fried chicken that is made by marinating pieces of chicken thigh and breast with various kinds of flavors - often garlic. After marinating, the chicken is deep-fried to perfection. Sanzoku-yaki has grown so popular that it now has its own mascot (Sanzokun), its own potato chip flavor, and even its own day (March 9). 

You can find this juicy and tender chicken on the menu at most izakaya bars located in Matsumoto, but if you really want to experience great Sanzoku-yaki, you have to visit the Matsumoto Karaage Centre that’s located at Matsumoto station. 

Matsumoto Karaage Centre opening times: Open everyday, 10:00 - 20:30

If you’d rather have some noodles, then you can go for some Toji soba. This noodle dish is actually a quite unique way of eating soba noodles. Usually soba noodles are eaten cold in the warmer summer months, but here in Matsumoto people like their soba noodles warm so they can even be enjoyed during the cold winters. Toji soba is served with a hotpot filled with local vegetables and wild mushrooms. The broth has a savory and lightly sweet flavor, making it a perfectly comforting meal. 

You can eat (Toji) soba noodles at a lot of places in Matsumoto, as it’s the most famous local food in Nagano Prefecture. Some great places are Miyota Matsumoto Ten and Soba Club Sasaki.

Pair your meal with Matsumoto’s very own craft beer, made in the Matsumoto brewery. More of a wine fan? No problem! Besides grape wine, you can find apple wines and apple ciders produced by Yamabe Winery. It is said that the Yamabe Winery makes the same quality of wine as those that are produced in Bordeaux, France. 

You can also visit both the brewery and the winery, as a fun and relaxing addition to your Matsumoto trip. 

Opening times Matsumoto Brewery: 13:00 - 19:00 

Opening times Yamabe Winery: 11:00 - 16:30

Final Thoughts

Matsumoto as a gateway to the Japanese Alps is a real hidden Japanese treasure. It's the perfect destination for a short trip away from all the crowds. In this old castle town, you can truly relax with some good food options while taking part in fun activities and admiring the great scenic views this place has to offer. Matsumoto is great for a day trip, but you can stay here for multiple days and explore the area even more: you'll never get enough of this city!