Located south of Matsumoto Castle, Nawate Street is a 200-meter long brick street that ride along the Metoba River. The street has been around since the 1500s and is filled with frog themed statues

The Daio Wasabi Farm (大王わさび農場, Daiō Wasabi Nōjō) in rural Azumino City near Matsumoto is one of Japan's largest wasabi farms and a popular tourist destination.

A short walk from the castle, Nakamachi-dori (中町通り, Nakamachi-dōri) is a small section of Matsumoto's town centre with streets lined by nicely preserved, old buildings.

Hotaka Shrine is a wonderful place to get a sense of Azumino and even greater Japanese culture. Shrines are scattered throughout Japan, but Hotaka shrine is unique for its adjacent historical museum and founding sense of Azumino.

A short walk from the castle, Nakamachi-dori (中町通り, Nakamachi-dōri) is a small section of Matsumoto's town centre with streets lined by nicely preserved, old buildings. The buildings include a number of warehouse-type buildings (kura) with large white-painted walls.

Zenkō-ji is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Nagano, Japan. The temple was built in the 7th century. The modern city of Nagano began as a town built around the temple.

A short walk from the castle, Nakamachi-dori (中町通り, Nakamachi-dōri) is a small section of Matsumoto's town centre with streets lined by nicely preserved, old buildings. The buildings include a number of warehouse-type buildings (kura) with large white-painted walls.

Just across a small bridge on the way to Matsumoto Castle, Nawate Street is a row of small shops with a subtle but recurring frog theme. The banks of the river once echoed with the voices of frogs. Kaeru, the Japanese word for “frog” can also mean “to return home.” Thus, as a symbol of the frog history and to invoke a safe return home, a statue of a frog marks the entrance to the street.

Connected directly to the shrine is the large Jorinji Temple with an over 200-year-old wooden gate that is apparently the oldest in Matsumoto.

Like the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Kasamori Inari Shrine is dedicated to the Inari deity (associated with the rice harvest, prosperity in business, among other things) and is characterised by fox figures and rows of red torii gates.

The Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) offers visitors the unique experience of seeing wild monkeys swimming in a natural hot spring. The park is inhabited by Japanese Macaques, which are also known as Snow Monkeys.

Matsumoto Museum of Art’s most popular attraction is their permanent Yayoi Kusama works. Kusama was born in Matsumoto and was able to find relief from her visual and auditory hallucinations through her artistic expressions.

One of the largest agricultural farms in Nagano prefecture and you can enjoy fruit-picking goods like strawberries (from January 1st to the middle of June), blueberries (from early-September to late-October), apples (from late-August ot late-November) and so much more! There are also an array of other food experiences that you can do in the farm and one of my favourites would be the making of soba (Japanese buckwheat) noodle.

Small traditional religious shrine & popular destination for viewing colourful autumn foliage.

Alps Park is well-known for having one of the best views of the Japan Alps in Matsumoto, but it is also a great place to visit if you have kids. With the park’s wide range of outdoor playground equipment, petting zoo, and plenty of places to explore nature, kids and adults can both enjoy.

Kamikōchi is a remote mountainous highland valley within the Hida Mountains range, in the western region of Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It has been preserved in its natural state within Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.

This is a pond near Hotaka Shrine, surrounded by bamboo and coniferous trees.