Although Awa no Yu (泡の湯旅館) is located away from Shirahone Onsen‘s town center, it is the ryokan that represents hot spring town. In fact, the biggest onsen pool in Nagano Prefecture is found at Awa no Yu! The ryokan, which was opened in 1912, is known for its mixed-gender hot spring pool. But don’t worry. […]
Awa no Yu Ryokan: The Must-Stay Ryokan in Shirahone Onsen Read More »
Matsumoto City (松本市) is probably the most popular travel destination in Nagano Prefecture. Prospered as a castle town of Matsumoto Castle, in addition to traditional and retro architecture, the shopping district is also filled with trendy cafes and boutique stores. Furthermore, Matsumoto is also known as a treasure trove for breathtaking natural scenery, making the
The Best Guide Matsumoto: What to Do and Where to Go Read More »
Apart from the Matsumoto Castle, the Matsumoto City Museum of Art (松本市美術館) is another primary landmark of the city. The museum dedicated to artists related to Nagano Prefecture is the best place in the world to experience the world of Yayoi Kusama, one of the world’s favorite contemporary artists, born in Matsumoto. Before you even
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Not too far from Matsumoto Castle, there is a street lined with traditional houses with a rather unique appearance. Nakamachi Shopping Street is the main street of the old Matsumoto. The houses on this street all look more or less like traditional warehouses. The reason? Fire hazard prevention.
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If you are walking towards Matsumoto Castle from Matsumoto Station, you might walk past one of Matsumoto’s most revered shrines, Yohashira Shrine (四柱神社). But before you reach the shrine, you will see some frog monuments on Nawate Street (繩手通り)!
Yohashira Shrine and the Must-Go Spots on Nawate Street Read More »
Temples and shrines can be found everywhere in Japan. Among a large number of religious attractions in the country, a couple of them offer a more unique experience in each city. For Matsumoto, we reckon the below five temples and shrines below are worth your attention and time!
The Best Five Temples and Shrines in Matsumoto Read More »
Matsumoto’s most valuable and perhaps most popular historical attraction is the national treasure, Matsumoto Castle. But if that is the only historical attraction on your itinerary, you might be missing out! Within 5 km of the castle, there are a couple more museums with different themes that you might want to check out when you
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While not existing anymore, Matsumoto City once belonged to a prefecture called Chikuma (筑摩県) between 1871 to 1876. Although the prefecture lasted less than five years, Chikuma Prefecture is known for its passion for education. In a short period of time, many schools were established with a high enrolment rate. Even after Chikuma Prefecture was
Explore the Old Schools in Matsumoto, Japan’s Education Prefecture Read More »
Among all the castles in Japan, only twelve have a castle keep from the Edo period (1603 – 1867). Furthermore, among the twelve, only five are designated national treasures. So if you are searching for the best castle to visit for your next Japan trip, consider Matsumoto City‘s symbol, Matsumoto Castle (松本城), a national treasure
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Kōka City, in the southeast of Shiga Prefecture, is undoubtedly most famous for Kōga ninja. But pottery lovers visit Kōka for something else. The city, home to one of the Six Ancient Kilns in Japan, has another local specialty, the Shigaraki ware (信楽焼). So in Kōga, other than the ninja decorations, the other mascot representing
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