Exploring Matsumoto Castle and Its Charming Castle Town| Nagano trip day 3| Japan Travel Vlog

Exploring Matsumoto Castle and Its Charming Castle Town| Nagano trip day 3| Japan Travel Vlog

Hello, this is Minh. On the last day of my trip to Nagano, I came to Matsumoto City. Located in the heart of Nagano Prefecture, Matsumoto flourished as a castle town of the Matsumoto Domain during the Edo period, and today it’s a city where history and culture live on, with Matsumoto Castle as its symbol. It’s easy to reach from Tokyo, about two and a half hours from Tokyo by the Limited Express Azusa and is known as a gateway to the mountains, including Kamikochi and other scenic areas. In this vlog, I’ll be exploring Matsumoto at a relaxed pace, focusing on Matsumoto Castle as well as the charming streets of Nakamachi and Nawate. You can find the full travel schedule and all the places I visited in the description below, so if you’re planning a trip to Matsumoto, I hope this vlog will be a helpful guide for you. Pease turn on captions in the video settings to enjoy the vlog. Good morning! I just had breakfast at the hotel. The hotel’s lobby this morning felt so cozy First, let’s go explore Matsumoto Castle It’s such a hot day, the swan is resting in the shade to keep cool Last night, when it was all lit up, the castle looked absolutely magical. And now, in the daylight, with all its intricate details and the scenery around, it shows a completely different kind of beauty. Matsumoto Castle (松本城, Matsumotojō) is one of Japan’s five castles designated as National Treasures. The outer grounds are completely free to enter, making it a lovely place to stroll around and admire the castle’s stunning appearance from the outside Construction of Matsumoto Castle began in 1592. With its striking contrast of black and white, this unique castle is also fondly known as the “Crow Castle.” The elegant vermilion bridge stands out over the moat surrounding the castle, and on clear days you can even see the distant peaks of the Northern Alps Next, we’re heading inside the castle to explore. The e-ticket costs 1,200 yen, which is 100 yen cheaper than buying a paper ticket At the Kuromon Gate （黒門）leading into Honmaru (本丸）, there’s a display of samurai armor A list of the castle’s lords over the centuries You can also get the stamp here There are people dressed as ninjas or samurai , posing for photos with visitors The contrail looks so beautiful against the clear sky Let’s go inside and explore the castle. Matsumoto Castle was built during the Sengoku period (late 15th to late 16th century), an era marked by constant battles over territory among feudal lords known as daimyo. To withstand these ongoing wars and protect their lands from enemies, these lords built castles as strong fortresses. Constructed during this turbulent time, Matsumoto Castle incorporates many features designed for warfare This is one of the little openings where stones were dropped from above to fend off attackers These two long wooden beams were used to support the shachi ornaments on the castle roof back in 1843 The walls are solidly built, reinforced with ropes in between for added strength, and at their thickest point they reach nearly 30 centimeters. Another special thing about this castle is that it looks like it has only five stories from the outside, but inside there are actually six — a clever trick to fool enemies The castle was built on a plain where the ground is relatively weak, so inside the stone base of the main keep there are 16 pillars about 5 meters tall supporting the foundation. This block of wood is the top end of one of the original pillars The second floor now houses the Matsumoto Castle Firearm Museum but in the past it was used as a storage for weapons or as quarters for soldiers in case of emergencies Here you can see the weapons used in the pass This samurai armor comes with a sword, an ammunition box, and a gunpowder container attached The ceiling is held up by massive, solid wooden beams Here are depictions of women producing ammunition and the tools they used in those days This painting shows the “Shimabara Rebellion”, the shogunate put down the uprising of farmers armed with matchlock guns, This one shows the “Battle of Nagashino” in 1575, where Takeda Katsuyori faced the combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu The view from these defensive windows is truly beautiful There are seven separate staircases from the first to the sixth floor, and the steepest leans at around 61 degrees, making it challenging for any intruders trying to attack the castle The sixth floor stands about 23.9 meters above the moat, offering a panoramic view. It is believed to have served as the army’s command post. Legend has it that one of the servants dreamt of a woman in beautiful attire who handed him a silk bag, saying, “If you offer 500 kilograms of rice every month, I will protect the castle from fire and enemies” It is said that thanks to this, Matsumoto Castle has been safeguarded through the years In the early Edo period, two more towers were added to Matsumoto Castle: Tatsumi Tsukeyagura and Tsukimi Yagura Tsukimi Yagura, or ‘Moon-Viewing Wing,’ was built by Naomasa Matsudaira (Tokugawa Ieyasu’s grandson) With windows on three sides, a bright red balcony, and a graceful vaulted ceiling, Its openness and elegance reflect a time of peace and prosperity Now let’s wander the charming streets around Matsumoto Castle, starting with Nawate Street, famous for its frog theme This is a small street about 200 meters long, lined with charming little shops on both sides giving off such a cute and peaceful vibe The Metoba River runs alongside the street, once echoing with the calls of countless frogs, likely the reason for its frog theme In Japanese, the word for frog, ‘kaeru,’ also means ‘to return safely,’ making it a lucky charm Each little corner of this brick-paved street is simply delightful Let’s pop into this little spot called Wabisabi. These colorful smiling daruma are so lovely — their faces are just adorable These chopstick rests are so cute — and the little mushroom one looks super real! Such charming little hand mirrors — so dainty and pretty. “Hi there!” Imagine having these adorable little maneki-neko in your house 😍 Aww their cute smiling faces 🥹 Cute little things everywhere 😍 “Is it heavy?” 🥹 This is Kaeru Daimyo Shrine, where people pray for the prosperity of the street and the return of the Kajika frogs. This looks like an old frog uncle sitting here, watching over the street — so cool! 😂 Frog uncle: “Hmm hmm, the street’s quite lively today!”😎 Minh: “so cute!” Yohashira Shrine was built during the Meiji Period and is dedicated to four Shinto deities. The name Yohashira literally meanes “four pillars.” In Japan, it’s rare that so many deities gathered in one shrine Minh: “Why are all the pigeons gathered here?” Husband: “Hmm, I want to know too?” Minh: “Maybe they’re having a meeting.” Husband: “A pigeon meeting? They only speak uwhoowhoo haha!” Four pigeons: “Busy chilling. Not joining!” The shrine grounds are truly beautiful and peaceful Yohashira shrine is believed to have special wish-granting properties and is bustling with people coming to make their first shrine visit of the year. This frog is reading a book, looking so wise and studious! Nakamachi Street is located in the heart of Matsumoto Castle town Its name comes from “Naka”(中） meaning “center”,and “Machi” (町） meaning “town” It used to be the main shopping street, with merchants selling sake, kimono, and other goods. Some of the buildings here are more than a century old Nowadays, the street is filled with cute little shops, cozy restaurants, and traditional ryokan. We just stopped by Nakamachi Café — such a cozy space While our food was being prepared, I had a look at the books and magazines they have here I feel like this is such a lovely place to relax and take a break after a day of exploring Matsumoto. The pancakes are here! Minh: “This is definitely going to be tasty.” Husband: “Yeah, I think so too!” Minh: “It’s so soft that I can’t slice it!” Minh: “Itadakimasu!” Minh: “The mint flavor is really intense and so tasty — love it!” Thank you so much for watching! If you enjoyed this vlog, please like, comment, and subscribe to my channel Hope to see you in the next vlog!

On the last day of our 3-day, 2-night trip to Nagano, we explored Matsumoto Castle and the castle town 🏯
We took our time visiting the historic Matsumoto Castle and strolled through the charming castle town streets, stopping by cafés and souvenir shops.
This Vlog is perfect for those who want to enjoy the must-see sights of Matsumoto.
Check the description for our travel schedule and spots we visited—perfect if you’re planning a trip to Matsumoto!
Please turn on captions in the video settings to enjoy the vlog.

▶️Chapters
00:00 – 1:53 Intro
1:55 – 11:57 Exploring Mastumoto Castle
11:58 – 15:30 Strolling around Nawate Street
15:31 – 17:25 Yoshihara Shrine
17:26 – 18:25 Nakamachi Street
18:25 – End Nakamachi Cafe

📅Itinerary
10:00am　Check out from Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu
↓ About a 5-minute walk
10:05am–1:30pm　Explore Matsumoto Castle, inside and around
↓ About a 5-minute walk
1:35pm–2:55pm　Stroll along Nawate Street and visit Yohashira Shrine
↓ About a 2-minute walk
3:00pm–3:30pm　Walk around Nakamachi Street
3:30pm–4:30pm　Enjoy pancakes at NAKAMACHI CAFE
↓ About a 5-minute walk
4:40pm　Pick up luggage at Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu
↓ About a 20-minute walk
5:00pm　Arrive at Matsumoto Station
5:20pm　Depart from Matsumoto Station
↓ Limited Express Azusa, about 2h 50min
8:08pm　Arrive at Shinjuku Station

“My 3-Day Nagano Trip in Summer“
Day 1 : Summer escape to Japanese Countryside – Hakuba

Day 2 : Japan’s Most Beautiful Day Hike⛰️Japanese alps, Hakuba

Day 3 : Exploring Matsumoto Castle & Its Charming Castle Town 🏯

Places Visited
📍 Matsumoto Hotel Kagetsu
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TF7PfbaBCaqB3zuw8
📍 Matsumoto Castle
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gf7Thp3pBvxj3sJeA
📍 Nawate Street
https://maps.app.goo.gl/KKpHALeD2FCMTBn96
📍 Yohashira Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RkvWorA4dRVMDorz9
📍 Nakamachi Street
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6STvfGTVr749vyUo7
📍 NAKAMACHI CAFE
https://maps.app.goo.gl/F6oqMQ4FTQkQTJnB8
📍 Matsumoto Station
https://maps.app.goo.gl/DEZLcWXUhmUjezkaA

Recommended Places We Couldn’t Visit This Time
📍 Ishii Misohttps://ishiimiso.com
https://maps.app.goo.gl/QCRSzuiaRN6Fo2yPA
A long-established miso brewery where you can tour the brewery and enjoy dishes made with miso.It’s about a 20-minute walk from Matsumoto Castle.
📍 Sioribi
https://sioribi.stores.jp
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wvHexnfP9iQ7Z7R49
A stylish cafe surrounded by books — highly recommended for book and café lovers.It’s about a 15-minute walk from Matsumoto Castle.
📍 Matsumoto City Museum of Art
https://matsumoto-artmuse.jp
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9Lj65bP9fejo3aid6
You can see many works by Yayoi Kusama in the permanent exhibition.It’s about a 20-minute walk from Matsumoto Castle and just 5 minutes from Sioribi, so it’s great to visit together.
Closed on Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a holiday).
📍 Matsumoto City Museum
https://matsumoto-city-museum.jp
https://maps.app.goo.gl/UCHaqabBeALoJjPx9
A municipal museum introducing the history and culture of Matsumoto City.It’s only a 3-minute walk from Matsumoto Castle.Closed on Tuesdays (or the following weekday if Tuesday is a holiday).
📍 Former Kaichi School
https://matsu-haku.com/kaichi/
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mocci7Jnkp1f9wPC6
One of the oldest surviving elementary school buildings in Japan, designated as a National Treasure, symbolizing the early Meiji era and the introduction of Western culture.There are discount tickets available that include Matsumoto Castle, the museum, and the art museum.It’s about a 20-minute walk from Matsumoto Castle.
📍 Matsumoto Alps Park

松本市アルプス公園

https://maps.app.goo.gl/aE1EvUBxYPqvR5e88
A large, nature-rich park with an area of about 71 hectares.Located on a hill, it offers panoramic views of Matsumoto City, the Northern Alps, and the Matsumoto Plain.It’s about a 13-minute bus ride from Matsumoto Castle.

🙋‍♀️ About Me
My name is Minh, and I live in Tokyo.
It’s been about 10 years since I started living in Japan, and this country has become a second home that is very dear to me.
I truly love everything about this beautiful country and hope to share Japan’s charm with you as I explore it.
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#japan #japantravel #matsumoto #松本