Find out what to expect when visiting 2 of Japan’s most well-preserved original castles! They are must-visit unique destinations in Japan, not just for those who like Japanese history, but for anyone interested in Japanese culture.
Matsumoto is a great base for exploring the Japanese Alps, with direct connections from Nagano and Takayama. Himeji is a bustling city and can be directly accessed from Kyoto or Hiroshima.
The ‘Black Crow’ and ‘White Heron’ castles are two of the 12 original castles in Japan, making it a must-see for those keen on digging deeper into Japanese culture and history. This travel guide includes info on price, crowd level, food options, and bonus travel tips when visiting these castles.
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Places mentioned:
📍 *Matsumoto Castle* (Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture)
-Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Japanese Alps, Matsumoto Castle is both impressive and beautiful with its black walls and surrounding moat.
📍 *Himeji Castle* (Himeji, Hyōgo prefecture)
– Built for absolute defence as well as aesthetics, Himeji is extremely romantic, and especially popular in Spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Try to beat the crowds by arriving close to opening time, we had a pleasant experience here (on a weekday) and the Koko-en garden is also worth the visit.
📍 *Nawate-dori and Nakamachi-dori* (Matsumoto)
– Two interesting shopping streets to visit when you’re in Matsumoto. There are various food stalls and souvenir shops selling local products. I found it one of the best shopping streets I had been to in Japan!
📍 *草菴 Sou-an* (Nakamachi-dori, Matsumoto)
– A great restaurant serving ‘Bandit chicken’ in Matsumoto, recommended by a local. There may be a line during lunch hour, but give it a try because the turnover looked pretty fast. We didn’t have to wait for a table when we went though.
📍 *Menme* (Honmachi, Himeji)
– Handmade udon noodle shop located not far from Himeji’s entrance. The price was very reasonable, and the noodles are freshly made. We had to join a line though, and waited for about 15-20 minutes. And, though I rarely say it, it was really worth the wait!
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Key moments:
00:00 Japan’s original castles
00:20 Matsumoto Castle (black crow)
02:13 Nawate shopping street (Frog street)
02:31 Nakamachi shopping street
02:42 Sou-an (local restaurant)
03:05 Himeji Castle (white heron)
04:11 Koko-en garden (in Himeji)
04:52 Menme (handmade udon restaurant)
05:01 6 Travel trips for castle visits
5:33 Comparing Matsumoto & Himeji
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Disclaimer:
All opinions expressed are my own and contain no paid promotions or reviews. The places and prices mentioned in the video were from November 2023. Please be sure to check official websites for updated information!
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Castles are everywhere in Japan So you might not be considering making your way out to see any particular one But my visit to Himeji and Matsumoto Castle were so memorable and I want to share in this video about what you can expect crowd level, and whether it’s worth visiting them at all Let’s start with Matsumoto Castle with its unique black exterior walls The castle is located in Matsumoto City in Nagano prefecture and it is surrounded by a moat which offers beautiful views with mountains in the background Matsumoto is one of the original 12 castles remaining in Japan and also one of the largest with six interior levels The entrance to the castle keep is through Honmaru Garden Inside the castle you’ll find a few displays of samurai armour and swords as well as other artefacts but they are mostly on the first level As you can expect the windows are not really made for enjoying the views above But you can always find spaces to capture some beautiful scenic views of the city It was also cool to capture how the castle roofs looked like from above You can enter every floor where you’ll find some information in English as well about the different levels and spaces but as you can see it is mostly empty space with very minimal displays We came at opening time and didn’t have to wait in line but there were some tour groups here as well, which made it a little crowded to move around However they moved in quite a fast and steady flow and the area became really spacious once again So in hindsight, we could have arrived just a little later and perhaps skipped the crowd Just outside the castle exit you’ll see the Matsumoto welcome squad hanging around who will be happy to take a fun picture with you Do try it! You can expect to spend about an hour or two at Matsumoto Castle which leaves you enough time to explore two interesting shopping streets The first is Nawate Street marked by a huge frog statue at the entrance The frogs are connected to an idea of a safe return home and you’ll find some great frog-themed souvenirs as well here You can also pick up some local snacks like rice crackers or taiyaki Just parallel to Nawate Street is the merchant district Nakamachi Dori Besides the beautiful iconic buildings here you’ll find a lot of shops and restaurants as well Here, the restaurant Sou-an is a great local place for lunch We decided to try the local specialty Bandit chicken and a selection of the seasonal specialties The food was amazing and it’s a place I can recommend Matsumoto city is also a great starting point for your journey around the Japanese Alps so I hope you get a chance to visit Our next castle is the most famous in Japan, Himeji Castle Himeji was built to be both functional and beautiful and is one of the 12 original castles still left in Japan Since it’s so famous, you can expect a line even before opening hours but we didn’t have any waiting time on a weekday and there was still a lot of space to move around inside You’ll find information in English on each floor and I was particularly in awe of how they have maintained the castle’s original structure As with Matsumoto Castle don’t expect any wide-open windows but there are some beautiful views to capture from up here The only really crowded space was the top floor which had a small shrine Once you get outside to the castle courtyard you can catch some fresh air and other beautiful views of Himeji There’s a lot to explore in the castle grounds and there’s even a convenient camera stand here at this great photo spot You can opt to purchase a combination ticket for Himeji and Koko-en garden which I would really recommend because it is so beautiful here There are lots of water-themed landscapes and the scenery in fall is just magical There are several resting spots in the area so you can take your time enjoying the view Every section has a different theme so you can enjoy some scenery change It took us a pretty long time to get through the entire area but since the entrance is separate from the castle’s it was possible for us to take a lunch break and return to visit the garden later Speaking of lunch, do check out Menme just in front of Himeji for fantastic handmade udon at great prices Here are six travel tips to make your castle visit more comfortable Number one: Come early if you want to avoid a long line especially at Himeji Castle Number two: You have to take off your shoes in the castle so wear socks and get an extra pair in cold weather Number three: Bring a carry bag for your shoes or you can use the plastic bags provided Number four Be aware that there are a lot of steep narrow stairs to go up For this reason it would be better to avoid carrying large backpacks especially when it’s crowded Number six: I would recommend getting a guide for a more in-depth experience If you’re trying to choose between the two castles Here are some comparisons Himeji has a huge castle ground and Japanese garden to explore which you can enter with the combination ticket costing 1,050 Yen per adult You can access Himeji directly from Kyoto or Hiroshima The entrance to Matsumoto was 700 Yen per adult The castle’s keep size is similar to Himeji’s but the castle ground is much smaller This was still my personal favorite though because it gave me enough time to also explore the city on a day trip Matsumoto can be accessed directly from Nagano and Takayama Finally I don’t think you have to be interested in history to enjoy these castles It is still beautiful it’s classic Japan and definitely a worthwhile trip Please subscribe if you like this video and see you next time!
1 Comment
Cool interesting video, im from the Netherlands and everything is flat