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Matsumoto Castle Tour: Explore Historic Narai-juku
5.0
25 Ratings
Nagano
Immerse yourself in Japan’s rich history on this 1-day tour from Nagano to Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku. Explore the iconic castle, stroll through the charming streets of Narai-juku, and indulge in local specialties. All transportation included!
Immerse yourself in Japan’s rich history on this 1-day tour from Nagano to Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku. Explore the iconic castle, stroll through the charming streets of Narai-juku, and indulge in local specialties. All transportation included!
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Nawate Shopping District - The tour will start with a walk through the famous Nawate Street, also known as Frog Street, in Downtown Matsumoto. Completely closed off to private cars, this street provides a relaxing area to window shop, try some local ice cream and snacks, or visit the adjacent Yohashira Shrine.
- Nawate Shopping District - The tour will start with a walk through the famous Nawate Street, also known as Frog Street, in Downtown Matsumoto. Completely closed off to private cars, this street provides a relaxing area to window shop, try some local ice cream and snacks, or visit the adjacent Yohashira Shrine.
What's Included
- Transport Between All Destinations
- English Speaking Guide
- Seasonal Activity at Narai-juku
- Entrance to Matsumoto Castle
- Transport Between All Destinations
- English Speaking Guide
- Seasonal Activity at Narai-juku
- Entrance to Matsumoto Castle
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Accommodation
- Lunch
- Accommodation
Additional Information
This thrilling 1-day journey to Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku allows participants to immerse themselves in Japan’s intriguing past. They’ll have an intimate experience with the famed Matsumoto Castle and take a leisurely stroll through the charming Narai-juku. The tour also includes a chance to explore the city center of Matsumoto and try or even buy…
This thrilling 1-day journey to Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku allows participants to immerse themselves in Japan’s intriguing past. They’ll have an intimate experience with the famed Matsumoto Castle and take a leisurely stroll through the charming Narai-juku. The tour also includes a chance to explore the city center of Matsumoto and try or even buy its enticing local delicacies.
With all transportation needs covered in the package, all you need to concern yourself with is selecting memorable souvenirs for your loved ones. The tour further includes a seasonal activity at Narai-juku, enabling you to engage more deeply with the captivating customs of this region of Japan that often gives an impression of being a time capsule.
- 5 hours that are not spent at the destinations will be spent boarding the vehicle/on the road.
- All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
Location
Nagano Station
Please meet your guide by the appointed time at the meeting point, which is in front of the information board directly opposite the Shinkansen ticket gates in Nagano Station. The guide will be wearing a snow monkey resorts tag around their neck.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(25 Ratings)
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U5844dgchristinaf
Oct 8, 2025
Amazing day! - We had a wonderful day visiting Matsumoto Castle & Narai! The day was exactly what I had hoped. The castle was amazing and we enjoyed the fun touch of feeding the fish that Joyce added to the tour. Joyce was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot throughout the whole tour. We appreciated how she often suggested things we could look at that we wouldn't have known about. Learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the day! Thanks, Joyce!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leolm5953ci
Aug 21, 2025
Excellent Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi Tour卓越的松本城和上高地之旅 - Joyce was an excellent guide, enthusiastic, friendly, and courteous. She was incredibly knowledgeable about Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi, and her explanations were thorough and thoughtful. She also managed to explain Japanese history and traditional culture in a simple and accessible way, making it easy for us to understand. Furthermore, she was attentive to our preferences, recommending restaurants where we could enjoy delicious Japanese cuisine. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip, and we are grateful to Joyce for her hospitality.
JOYCE是一位出色的導遊，充滿熱誠，親切有禮。她對松本城和上高地非常熟悉，講解詳盡用心，又能將日本的歷史和傳統文化深入淺出，讓我們易於明白。而且，她又會因應我們的喜好，推薦不同的餐廳，讓我們品嚐日本美食，大快朵頤。我和家人十分享受這趟旅程，感謝JOYCE的招待。
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mitchva
Aug 1, 2025
GREAT TOUR WITH NADINE - We had a private tour booked and immediately meeting Nadine we knew it was perfect. She explained some sights of interest for our tour yet we can adjust, stayed longer or shorter given our desires. We had great conversation and the bus driver was great as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G7586valauras
Jul 16, 2025
Excellent Tour - First of all, we were very happy that the company still went on with the tour despite we being the only two registered guests for this tour! Many thanks for that! :)
And HUGE thanks our guide Nadine who explained us so much about Japanese culture, traditions, local food and differences between regions and especially about Matsumoto Castle. As it was our first visit to Japanese castle, provided information was so valuable for making comparisons to all other Japanese style castles visited later. We also had small stroll through town itself and tried delicious ice-cream on Frog street.
In Narai-Juku Nadine recommended us place where to try out some local food in very traditional environment.
Thank you, if ever return to Nagano, for sure will try out some of your other tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ricardo
Apr 29, 2025
Simply the best! - Joyce was the perfect guide! She was very knowledgable about the area and showed us special sites as well. We would definitely recommend this tour to everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vladlevi
Apr 14, 2025
Absolutely amazing tour! - I continue being impressed by this tour company. This is the second tour with them on my current trip to Nagano. I am impressed with guide’s terrific personalities, quality of transportation.
Organization and logistics are great.
As for this specific tour to Snow Monkey park with visit temple and sake tasting goes, it was great! Joyce, our guide, did a terrific job guiding us through the sites, giving great information, kept us all together and interested. The visit to Snow Monkeys was an absolute delight. Monkeys are so used to having people around, so that mingle with them giving an opportunity to make great pictures even without big lenses cameras, but simply using your phone.
This specific tour provides a lunch, but not just any lunch stop, but it was an exquisite setting with excellent menus and venue was near the Snow Monkey park at a high-end restaurant. Like I have said, this company knows how to treat people well and it deliver great value!
Thanks,
Vlad
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vladlevi
Apr 12, 2025
Terrific experience all around! - It was a great trip! Weather was cooperating. Beautiful ride on a very comfortable bus. First we visited Matsumoto castle and then drove up through Kiso valley up to Nakasendo trail town of Narai-juku. Both places gives you a very good look at the life in Edo period.
Shawn was our guide. He is an excellent tour guide! He provided us with a lot historical references, made sure we were comfortable and brought us to great lunch place. I highly recommend Snow Monkey touring company for all their tours. They know how to take care of their guests!
Vlad
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alee8118
Apr 11, 2025
Great day tour and excellent customer service - We wanted to visit Matsumoto and Narai Juku and we found that it was more convenient and time saving to join a tour rather than taking public transport. It was definitely worth it, having walked so many steps in Japan every day and it was nice to sit on a bus for a change. Devin was the perfect tour guide and provided us with the insight and historical background to the places we visited. We started in Matsumoto castle and went inside to tour the building. Then we walked to town where we had a lunch break before heading to Narai Juku and walked around the town for 1.5 hours. We also visited an old comb merchant’s house. We wished there was time to shop for souvenir in Narai as there were a few shops that look interesting.
Special mention also goes to the team at the office as we left a phone on the tour bus and they went the extra mile to have it sent to our accommodation. We are so appreciative of the help. I would highly recommend this tour company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisatravels808
Mar 23, 2025
Edo Period tour worth the splurge - What a lovely tour with Joyce, our knowledgeable and professional guide. We had our own private transportation to Matsumoto Castle, Frog Street and Narai-juku, a unique Edo Period village. Joyce narrated for us the whole time and recommended a delicious Okinawa restaurant and the best ice cream shop for dessert. We walked a ton and learned a lot. Narai-juku is a bit more off the beaten path, a period village set in the mountains. It was so magical!! After the tour, Joyce and our driver dropped off us at a train station closer to our next destination. They helped us buy tickets and set us off. Highly recommend touring with them!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T7542bxaudreyp
Mar 13, 2025
Great experience despite with the rain - The tour was well structured and informative! The guide was able to answer all our questions about multiple subjects. He was well informed ln Japan’s overall history and had many fun facts to share with us. In Narai-Juku, he brought us to this amazing Udon place that took our breath away!
The bus ride to Matsumoto is long (about an hour), but worth the distance!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
