Matsumoto Exclusive Exploration: Unveil Feudal Castle and Historic Lanes in Half Day Tour
4.9
21 Ratings
Matsumoto
Uncover the secrets of Matsumoto's feudal era castle and explore the historic streets on a half-day tour. Immerse yourself in the city's living traditions and experience its rich history.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
-
Matsumoto Castle - Matsumoto Castle is one of five castles designated as
National Treasures of Japan
and the oldest castle donjon remaining in Japan. Construction began in 1592 of the elegant black and white structure with its three turrets. Because of the elegant black walls, Matsumoto Castle is sometimes called
Crow Castle
.
Please note that the stairs to reach the top of Matsumoto Castle’s tower are steep and narrow. -
Nawate Shopping District - Nawate Street is a row of small shops with a subtle but recurring frog theme. Aside from a variety of snack shops, the street also has plenty of little nick knack shops and souvenirs. Yohashira Shrine is also on Nawate Street and is a lovely place to sit while enjoying your taiyaki or rice crackers.
Feel free to stroll along Nawate Street and enjoy a relaxed rural village atmosphere within the heart of the city. Here you will find warm culture and hospitality and maybe a souvenir or two! -
Nakamachi Street - Nakamachi Street is a historic shopping area known for its old traditional storehouses called
Kura
which are characterized by their black-and-white, criss-cross patterned walls. This beautiful street is also a popular shopping area among the locals with many shops and restaurants to choose from.
You can find many Japanese handicrafts, such as pottery, lacquerware and wooden crafts.
Nakamachi retains this mercantile spirit, landmark of which is the old
Kurassic-kan
, a fully restored Sake warehouse, open to the public for viewing and host to many cultural activities.
What's Included
- Admission to Matsumoto Castle included
- Choice of English or French speaking guide
What's Not Included
- Transportation, miscellaneous fees for you during the activity (snacks, souvenir, etc…)
- Insurance (Travel Insurance, Private Insurance, etc…)
- Lunch
Additional Information
Explore an authentic castle from the feudal period and experience its historic streets!
Matsumoto is a city steeped in enduring traditions with inhabitants that passionately uphold a heritage lifestyle, which deserves our admiration and regard! Embark on a 3-hour half-day walking tour to get a glimpse of Matsumoto’s history and its present-day landscape.
Make your visit to Matsumoto truly extraordinary and memorable! Your guide will ensure you witness the best the city has to offer.
Our half-day Matsumoto Castle Town Walking Tour aims to unveil the persistent traditions of our city. It maps a distinct route to and from the castle, consequently bringing the history and customs of the renowned castle town alive!
Go beyond just a guided tour; delve into ancient history and profound knowledge for a distinctive and insightful experience! Get a sneak peek into all the wonders Matsumoto City offers!
The tour is available in English, French, and Japanese.
Location
Matsumoto Station
You will end in downtown Matsumoto at any other location you choose.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(21 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Terryandjob
Apr 7, 2024
A great must see tourist attraction - An excellent guide by Sylvain of the Black Castle. His knowledge and passion was obvious as was his thoughtfulness towards his customers. A great must see tourist attraction. Thank you Sylvain for such a wonderful experience. On a side note your dinner recommendation was perfect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aderowan
Apr 6, 2024
Personal and informative. Definitely a tour in the true sense. - Personal one to one tour full of information. Gained a great insight into Japan. Friendly and informative with recommendations of places to eat on top of the historical content. We would definitely recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Madison
Feb 8, 2024
Beautiful tour - Such an incredible way to see Matsumoto! Our guide was so kind and informative, I thoroughly enjoyed her stories and perspective on the culture and history of the city. Would 10/10 recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelleannmelbourne
Feb 3, 2024
Great afternoon exploring Matsumoto - Did the Matsumoto tour with Sylvania, who clearly loves his city and enjoys showing tourists around. Sylvania was very knowledgeable regarding the history of Matsumoto which I really enjoyed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danny_n
Oct 31, 2023
Great walking tour - Good guide, fun to get around Matsumoto and get to know the history of the town. Can highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Andrew_m
Sep 7, 2023
Wonderful walk and explainer - This was the perfect way to get a sense of the layout and history of Matsumoto simply by walking around and orienting yourself to a historical map of Matsumoto. And then to do an informed castle visit, as well. Kevin was a great guide -- recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Canadaustravelmomof2
Jul 17, 2023
A fantastic guide and a must-do tour! - Sylvain was an amazing guide and I can't recommend his tour enough. He gave us so many insights into the city and showed us so many things off the beaten path. We really enjoyed the surprise animated clock, the shrine, the shopping suggestions, and learning about the spring water sources you could fill your water bottle at throughout the city. Of course the castle was fantastic and all the extra details Sylvain shared made it even more memorable.
He was polite, professional, and he went above and beyond to help us and make our experience enjoyable. Book this tour before it gets sold out! Matsumoto turned out to be one of our favorite cities in Japan and I think Sylvain had a lot to do with making it a favorite as we got to learn so much about the town from him.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
B4362mzjeannes
Apr 16, 2023
Definitely a great way to start your visit - This was a perfect way to get to know more about Matsumoto. We loved all the information, the casual approach to it all, and the castle was the highlight. A nice relaxed pace with a kind informative guide. He also gave many suggestions for thing to do and places to eat—-and put them in my phone. It was perfect.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robin_s
Mar 25, 2023
Best Matsumoto tour - Matt our English, japanese speaking guide showed excellent knowledge of Matsumoto and of the Matsumoto Casle history. Enjoyed the tour and would recommend totally.
Review provided by Viator
Christy_z
Mar 10, 2023
Matsumoto: Castle town - Sylvain was wonderful as a guide. I hadn't planned time for lunch, so he was kind enough to change our tour plans and sat and talked with us as we ate soba at a local restaurant. He also helped me find some ibuprofen for my headache at the drug store next to the train station. On our walk to the castle he pointed out a number of interesting places, including a modern intersection that was the location where two ancient roads had met. I would never have paid any attention to it without him telling us and talking about where the historical castle town overlays with the modern city. He had a lot of neat stories that made exploring the town and castle much more interesting.
Review provided by Viator
