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Matsumoto Castle, designated as a National Treasure, preserves its original keep from the late Sengoku period and stands as one of Japan’s Three Great Flatland Castles.
From the stunning keep reflected in the moat to the historic gates and palace ruins, plus the free-to-explore park area, there are countless attractions to discover.
This article covers the must-see highlights, how to enjoy your visit, ticket purchasing, and directions—everything you need to know before visiting Matsumoto Castle.
Matsumoto Castle is one of Japan’s most iconic castles, located in the heart of Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. The five-story, six-floor keep, built in the late Sengoku period, is among the oldest surviving original keeps and is designated as a National Treasure. Known for its striking black exterior and beautiful reflection in the water moat, it attracts visitors from Japan and abroad as one of Japan’s Three Great Flatland Castles and one of Japan’s 100 Famous Castles.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 4 - 1 Marunouchi, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture |
| Access | About 15 minutes walk from JR Matsumoto Station |
| Official Website | https://www.matsumoto-castle.jp/ |
Matsumoto Castle is located about 1.5km north of JR Matsumoto Station. The most common way to access it is on foot, taking about 15 minutes from the station. Along the way through the city center, you’ll find many restaurants and souvenir shops, allowing you to enjoy the tourist atmosphere while walking.
If you have heavy luggage or bad weather, you can also take a local bus or taxi from Matsumoto Station. The "Town Sneaker North Course" by Alpico Kotsu is convenient, arriving at the “Matsumoto Castle/City Hall” bus stop in about 10 minutes. It’s also convenient because you can get off right in front of the Taiko-mon Masugata, the castle’s main gate.
If taking a taxi, there’s a taxi stand at Matsumoto Station’s Castle Exit. The journey takes less than 10 minutes and costs around 800-1,000 yen.
| Method | Duration | Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking | About 15 min | Free | Explore the city center while walking |
| Bus | About 10 min | 200 yen (adult) | Convenient stop at Taiko - mon Masugata |
| Taxi | Under 10 min | 800 - 1,000 yen | Recommended for heavy luggage or rainy days |
Since travel times from the station are short regardless of method, choose your transportation based on weather and luggage conditions.
The entire grounds of Matsumoto Castle are maintained as “Matsumoto Castle Park.” It’s broadly divided into a free area where anyone can freely explore, and a paid area requiring a ticket for entry.
The area outside the inner moat is free and serves as a park. You can view the keep from the walking paths and plazas, enjoying seasonal scenery. It’s cherished by both tourists and local residents as a relaxing space.
The area inside the inner moat is the paid zone. This includes the National Treasure keep, Honmaru Garden, and gift shop.
While you can enjoy views of the keep from the free area alone, entering the paid area is recommended to fully experience Matsumoto Castle’s charm.
A ticket is required to enter the paid area of Matsumoto Castle. There are two main purchasing options: e-tickets (online advance purchase) and paper tickets (same-day purchase).
E-tickets can be paid for online in advance, with a specified entry time. On the day, you simply show your QR code at the entrance for smooth admission.
Paper tickets are purchased on-site. The ticket counter is located at the Koraimon Gate, before the Kuro-mon Gate which serves as the paid area entrance.
E-tickets are 100 yen cheaper than same-day tickets, making them recommended for smoother entry. You can book up to 3 months in advance, but since changes and cancellations aren’t possible after purchase, decide on your date and time before buying.
| Ticket Type | Adult | Elementary/Junior High | Preschool |
|---|---|---|---|
| E - ticket | 1,200 yen | 400 yen | Free |
| Paper ticket | 1,300 yen | 400 yen | Free |
Matsumoto Castle also offers combination tickets with nearby facilities. Joint tickets with Former Kaichi School, Matsumoto City Museum of Art, and Matsumoto City Museum are available, saving 200 yen compared to individual tickets. If you’re planning a full day of Matsumoto sightseeing, consider the combination ticket.
Matsumoto Castle Keep E-ticket
Matsumoto Castle features numerous unmissable spots, starting with the National Treasure keep. Walking through the grounds reveals a rich variety of attractions, from historic structures to photogenic scenery. Here are the key points to focus on during your visit.
The highlight of any Matsumoto Castle visit is the five-story, six-floor keep designated as a National Treasure. It’s one of only 12 surviving original keeps in Japan, known as the “Twelve Original Keeps,” and climbing the steep, narrow staircases is part of the thrilling experience. From the top floor, you can enjoy panoramic views of Matsumoto city and the Japanese Alps—a special sight only available to those who make the climb.
For more details about the interior and highlights of Matsumoto Castle keep, see the articles below.
Read more about Interior of Matsumoto Castle Keep
Read more about Highlights of Matsumoto Castle Keep
The iconic view of Matsumoto Castle is undoubtedly the keep seen across the inner moat. From the free area maintained as Matsumoto Castle Park, you can casually enjoy the beautiful scenery of the keep and moat as one.
The keep reflected on the moat’s surface is called “Upside-down Matsumoto Castle” and is a prime photo spot.
Besides shooting the keep head-on, including the red Uzumi Bridge in your composition is also recommended. Note that mornings create backlighting, so shooting after noon is ideal.
Seeing the keep with clear blue sky and clouds is even more impressive in person than in photos.
The Honmaru Garden spreads before the keep. This is the former site of the Honmaru Palace, where the castle lord lived and conducted government affairs. Today it’s maintained as a garden within the paid area, serving as a plaza where visitors can stroll.
Within the grounds, markers show the layout of the former palace buildings, allowing you to imagine the scale of the original structure while walking. Many people walk past without noticing, so be sure to stop and look.
Furthermore, Matsumoto Castle’s keep is a compound style with multiple turrets connected. Walking through the garden, its appearance changes dramatically depending on your viewing angle—from the powerful front view to the elegant diagonal perspective and the imposing side view.
The garden includes a rest area, gift shop, coin lockers, photo frame for commemorative photos, and restrooms, making it a convenient base for your visit. It’s the perfect place to stop before climbing the keep, relax, and enjoy the scenery.
The Ninomaru Palace ruins at Matsumoto Castle mark where the castle lord once lived and conducted government affairs. Today it’s maintained as an open plaza, with foundation stones indicating the original room layouts.
The Ninomaru Palace was built at the same time as the Honmaru Palace. Originally, the Honmaru Palace served as the government center, where the castle lord lived and conducted affairs. The Ninomaru Palace served as a secondary administrative center.
However, when the Honmaru Palace burned down in 1727, the Ninomaru Palace became the main government center, and the lord’s residence and administrative functions moved here.
After the abolition of feudal domains, it became the Chikuma Prefectural Office, and in 1876, the Ninomaru Palace also burned down.
Walking through the spacious grounds while viewing the foundation stones showing the original layout, you can truly feel the scale of the palace. With grounds of 6,270 m², building space of 1,980 m², and approximately 50 rooms, you can imagine what a vast complex it was.
At the entrance, a historical illustration of the Ninomaru Palace is displayed. Taking a photo and comparing it to the actual layout as you explore each section will help bring the history to life.
The Taiko-mon Masugata is a solid defensive structure built around the main gate, Taiko-mon Gate, of Matsumoto Castle.
The “masugata” system, with its double gates and enclosing stone walls, preserves the ingenious design to halt enemy advance. You can experience the defensive tactics of the era firsthand.
Being able to experience historical engineering from your very first step into Matsumoto Castle is a unique pleasure of this location. Be sure to pass through with awareness of its significance.
The name “Taiko-mon” (Drum Gate) comes from the “Taiko-ro” (Drum Tower) on the north side. The drum and bell placed here announced time and gathered the feudal retainers.
Knowing a few tips can make your visit to Matsumoto Castle much more comfortable. Here’s essential information about ticket purchasing, peak season considerations, luggage handling, and seasonal preparations to keep in mind. Please use these tips to fully enjoy Matsumoto Castle.
As a popular tourist spot, Matsumoto Castle gets particularly crowded on weekends and holidays.
Ticket purchase (same-day) or entry procedures (e-tickets) are done at the Koraimon Gate before the Kuro-mon Gate. Same-day tickets require payment time, often resulting in queues.
Purchasing e-tickets online in advance allows you to specify an entry time, so you only wait with others entering at the same time. Entry is smooth—just show your QR code.
This difference becomes especially noticeable on crowded days. If you want to minimize waiting, purchasing e-tickets online in advance is recommended.
Even with smooth entry to the paid area via e-tickets, during peak seasons, admission limits may be enforced at the keep entrance, requiring additional waiting.
During the busiest periods like Golden Week and Obon, wait times can exceed 2 hours. When visiting during peak seasons, allow plenty of extra time.
The interior of Matsumoto Castle keep is wooden with steep, continuous stairs and narrow passages, making it unsuitable for touring with large luggage. Backpacks and suitcases make movement difficult and inconvenient for other visitors. Realistically, touring the keep with a suitcase is impossible.
Coin lockers are installed in the Honmaru Garden just inside the paid area, where you can safely store backpacks and belongings (100 yen regardless of locker size).
Small-sized lockers comfortably fit standard backpacks.
Large-sized lockers might accommodate extended-travel backpacks or small suitcases.
For suitcases and other large luggage that don’t fit in lockers, the management office or gift shop can hold them.
Storing luggage before touring makes navigating the steep stairs easier and lets you enjoy photography and views more freely.
Visiting Matsumoto Castle keep requires removing shoes. You receive a bag at the entrance to carry your shoes as you explore each floor.
However, slippers aren’t provided, so in winter the cold floor transfers directly to your feet. If concerned about cold, wear thick socks or layer your socks. Bringing indoor shoes is also an option.
If bringing indoor shoes, note that the keep has many steep stairs and can get crowded, making slip-on slippers dangerous. Room shoes with heels, soft soles, and secure fit are safer for touring.
The entire Matsumoto Castle Park is non-smoking, with no smoking allowed except in designated areas. The only smoking area is located at the northwest corner of the park.
It’s somewhat far from the main sightseeing area, so smokers should allow extra time.
Beyond the keep and gardens, Matsumoto Castle has many lesser-known small attractions and ways to enjoy your visit. Knowing about commemorative photos, souvenir shopping, and event experiences can greatly enhance your trip satisfaction. Here are additional enjoyment points to check during your visit.
Coming from Matsumoto Station, most visitors enter from the south entrance. While this is an accessible route, we recommend entering through the main gate, Taiko-mon, on the east side.
Taiko-mon is a significant spot where you can experience the “masugata” defensive structure, serving as the first highlight when entering the castle grounds. It’s only a 2-3 minute walk around from the south entrance, and entering through the main gate gives you a more authentic feel of the castle’s atmosphere from that era.
A large photo frame is installed in the Honmaru Garden for taking photos with the keep in the background. Shooting the keep through the frame creates the perfect commemorative shot.
You can line up with family and friends, or capture just the keep in the frame for a photogenic shot. Before or after touring the keep, be sure to capture memories with the keep.
The Honmaru Garden has a gift shop selling Matsumoto Castle original goods and Shinshu souvenirs. Beyond standard souvenirs like keychains, clear files, and postcards, you’ll find Japanese swords (replicas) and helmets. Local specialties and drinks are also available, offering a rich selection.
The gift shop is in the same location as the rest area and coin lockers, making it convenient to stop by after touring the keep. Many items are only available here, so be sure to check it out.
On the south side of the Honmaru Garden, photos of castles belonging to the National Castle Management Council are displayed in a row. The sight of castles from across Japan gathered together, with nearly 50 panels, is impressive in scale.
The exhibition is along the route back to the garden after touring the keep, making it naturally easy to stop by. Be sure to check it out after your keep tour.
At Matsumoto Castle, the “Omotenashi-tai” (Hospitality Squad) dressed as samurai and ninja welcome tourists. Samurai in armor and ninja in black attire add to the castle atmosphere.
You can meet them between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm. They sometimes appear suddenly while you’re walking around the grounds—meeting them is lucky! They’re happy to take photos with you, creating memorable shots.
Popular with families and international visitors, be sure to look for them during your Matsumoto Castle visit.
Matsumoto Castle has free guided tours by resident volunteer guides. They explain the castle’s history and highlights in an easy-to-understand way, helping you discover points you might miss on your own.
Tours are available in Japanese and foreign languages, suitable for groups or solo travelers. Advance reservations are recommended, but same-day participation is possible if guides are available.
Registration is at the office south of Matsumoto Castle. Check the official website for details and reservations.
Volunteer Guide Information - Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle hosts diverse events throughout the year, offering different charms each season.
In spring, the keep and moat are illuminated during cherry blossom season for enchanting night viewing. Summer brings Bon dancing with lively castle town atmosphere. Fall features the “Matsumoto Domain Traditional Artillery Demonstration,” offering exciting performances of historical matchlock rifles. Winter hosts the “National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival,” where ice artworks and the keep create captivating collaborations.
Winter Illumination
The ongoing “National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Keep Projection Mapping 2025-2026” runs daily from December 13, 2025 to February 15, 2026, from 18:00 to 22:00. Entry to Matsumoto Castle Park is free, and you can enjoy the dynamic light art projected onto the keep.
Light and Ice Castle Town Festival Ice Sculpture Festival
The 2026 Ice Sculpture Festival is scheduled for January 23 (Fri) to 25 (Sun), 2026.
Various other events are held throughout the year, so check the official website for event information before your visit. There might be an event happening when you visit!
Event Information - Matsumoto CastleBeyond regular events like spring cherry blossom season, Matsumoto Castle occasionally hosts special night illuminations. Often held for social awareness days and campaigns, seeing the keep bathed in light as a symbol of special occasions is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Since schedules aren’t determined in advance, encountering one is truly fortunate. Latest illumination information is posted on the official website’s news section, so check before your visit.
News - Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle overflows with diverse attractions—from the National Treasure keep to its solid defensive structures, palace ruins history, and seasonal events and scenery. Every walk brings new discoveries, and the castle shows different faces in every season.
The photogenic scenery of the keep reflected in water and the traditional Japanese gardens are major draws even for those not particularly interested in history.
Come experience the unique story of history and culture that only Matsumoto Castle can offer.
