1 Day Tour From Nagano to Matsumoto Castle and Narai-Juku
Overview
Available languages
10 hours
Mobile ticket
Guests on this exciting 1 day tour of Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku will have the chance to get hands-on with Japan's fascinating history by personally entering the renowned Matsumoto Castle and strolling the streets of the quaint Narai-juku. There will also be opportunities to walk the downtown area of Matsumoto city and window shop or taste some of its delicious local specialties.
With all transport included in the tour, you will not have to worry about anything more than which souvenirs to buy for your family and friends. This tour also includes a seasonal activity at Narai-juku, to allow you to get even closer to the fascinating culture of this region of Japan which often feels as though it has been pulled out of a different era.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
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.
Matsumoto Castle
Next you will be led inside Matsumoto Castle after a short walk. One of only 12 original castles remaining in Japan and one of the largest and most impressive out of those 12, this castle is everything you need to see to understand more about the Samurai lifestyle and governance in Old Japan. Not just historical but also extremely beautiful, Matsumoto Castle is sure to win you over with its bold but delicate exterior design.
What‘s Included
Transport Between All Destinations
English Speaking Guide
Seasonal Activity at Narai-juku
Entrance to Matsumoto Castle
Lunch
Accommodation
Options
Start From Nagano Station
Meeting Point Nagano Station: Nagano Station at the Information Board, directly across from the shinkansen (bullet train) ticket gates at 08:15
Reviews
37 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Frogs, Castles & Post Office Street
Gail F,,Jan 26, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00i think for us the Narai-juku post town was the highlight of our tour. A cart came by and we ate the traditional sweet potato. A great experience to just stroll down the longest post office street. The Frog Street was ok ( I don't like frogs haha) but there were lots of great little knick knack shops and eating places. The castle was great to walk through and be told about the original history. This tour was great and Enzo was a great guide who kept everything running smoothly. Highly recommend both the tour company, the tour and Enzo.
Matsumoto Castle/Narai-Juku Trip
M2273WOcourtneyp,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Enzo was amazing with so much knowledge. Whilst being taken through the sites Enzo made it very educational. We can ensure it was not boring as he made the trip interesting and fun. Our favourite bit was the tour through Matsumoto Castle as we learnt about each levels uses, along history of the artefacts. We also had a traditional lunch with the group which was unique and had lovely food. We will definitely use these group again when/if we come back to Japan.
All about the Matsumoto castle and Narai-Juku
G9236MGemmao,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I really enjoyed my visit to Narai-Juku and was very happy with the tour. It was well organised, informative, and such a beautiful place to explore. Our guide, Endo, was fantastic—knowledgeable, kind, and very helpful. I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting!
Endo is the best!!! and Joyce!!!
yunam2026,,Jan 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Endo was sweet and knowledgeable and an awesome tour guide would definitely do another tour with him again if I get the chance!!
Highly recommended!
342biancae,,Dec 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A wonderful trip to "old Japan". Many photo motifs and very interesting insights. Delicious lunch recommended by our very friendly and structured guide. We absolutely loved this wonderful day, even though it rained. A special thank you and Arigato gozaimazu to Endo San our very good tour guide with easy to understand English, who always had everything in view, gave valuable information about travel times, toilets and the like and who above all always offered to photograph us in front of photo hotspots. This trip was worth his money and we recommend it without restriction!
Amazing!
A1488BQjenniferp,,Dec 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Authentic Japanese experience, wonderful guide, great time management. Best tour so far on our trip. Would recommend.
Well thought-through activities
glowiechloeie,,Dec 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We got assigned Nadine again (what are the odds) and had a lovely day!! She entertained all my questions - I'm almost 40 but probably sounded like an overexcited 10 year old on a field trip - where were the bathrooms in Meiji era houses? Where were the clothes closets? Why are the ceilings so low the rooms so small and doorways so short? Were people really smaller back then? Were the cobblestones on the Nakasendo Trail laid by prisoners or paid workers? Did samurai train to move quickly up and down those steep staircases in Matsumoto Castle? What was high school and cafeteria like in the US?? (it was a long bus ride) She had answers to almost all my questions except the samurai and cobblestones ones, and she said she would look it up. I encourage you to go for this tour and tell me the answer (and no high school in the US is not like Mean Girls or the OC or Popular). Nadine was very kind and patient with the 4 children we had between 2 families, gamely playing guess the animal (TRULY playing) long after I retreated to behind my phone screen. This tour was well thought through. I felt like there was proper consideration given to how much tourists could see and do in a day, what tourists would like to see and learn about, and the schedule was just about right for a day trip. We were occupied but not to the point of exhaustion. Food recs were on point, and the Japanese countryside is beautiful. Highly recommend.
Absolutely worth the visit
Alita03,,Dec 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked the Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto: Experience Matsumoto Castle and Narai-juku with Snow Monkey Resorts Tours and had Devon as our guide. It was a great experience and absolutely worth doing. Devon was so knowledgeable of the history and the area we are leaving with a real sense of understanding the way people lived in the past. This is the second tour we have booked with this company on this stay. We also enjoyed a private snow ski experience with Orlando and he was an excellent guide as well. As a multi generational family travelling together the guides catered to all our needs. We would recommend this company for any of their tours.
A little step back in history
Nomad53701545321,,Nov 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a great tour. We got to really experience something we never had before in visiting the Matsumoto Castle. Narai-Juku was charming full of wonderful artisan shops . Nadine, our guide, was the best, very knowledgeable, very clear and she knew the answer to all our questions. A great day
Matsumoto Castle & Narai-Juku
W3729KKmartaf,,Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great day visiting Matsumoto Castle and Frog Street. The castle was beautiful and our guide, Devin, was super informative. We went on to Narai-Juku where we has a delicious lunch and walked through the old post town. Devin really knows Japan’s history and was it was very interesting to learn about these places. Yama, our other guide, was a delight as well. We really enjoyed this tour!
Related Experiences
Operated by Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)