Matsumoto Discovery - Half Day Walking Tour
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Discover a real feudal era castle and the historical streets!
Matsumoto is a city with deep-rooted living traditions and proud people who retain an ancestral way of life that we have to honor and respect! Get an introduction into Matsumoto’s past and present during a 3 hour half-day walking tour.
Make your stay in Matsumoto the most unique and enjoyable experience possible! Your guide will help you enjoying the best of the city.
Our half-day Matsumoto Castle Town Walking Tour is designed to reveal the living traditions of our city by following a different route to and from the castle, and in doing so, bring the history and tradition of the famous castle town to life!
Take more than just a tour, discover ancient history and wisdom, have a unique and enlightening experience! Get a glimpse of all there is to explore in Matsumoto City!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please note that the stairs to reach the top of Matsumoto Castle’s tower are steep and narrow.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Matsumoto Castle
Matsumoto Castle is one of five castles designated as ‘National Treasures of Japan’ and the oldest castle donjon remaining in Japan. Construction began in 1592 of the elegant black and white structure with its three turrets. Because of the elegant black walls, Matsumoto Castle is sometimes called ‘Crow Castle’. Please note that the stairs to reach the top of Matsumoto Castle’s tower are steep and narrow.
Nawate Shopping District
Nawate Street is a row of small shops with a subtle but recurring frog theme. Aside from a variety of snack shops, the street also has plenty of little nick knack shops and souvenirs. Yohashira Shrine is also on Nawate Street and is a lovely place to sit while enjoying your taiyaki or rice crackers. Feel free to stroll along Nawate Street and enjoy a relaxed rural village atmosphere within the heart of the city. Here you will find warm culture and hospitality and maybe a souvenir or two!
What‘s Included
Entry/Admission – Matsumoto Castle
English speaking Guide
Transportation, miscellaneous fees for you during the activity (snacks, souvenir, etc...)
Insurance (Travel Insurance, Private Insurance, etc...)
Options
Matsumoto Discovery - Half Day
3 Hour Half-Day Walking Tour
Reviews
45 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great walking tour of Matsumoto castle and surrounding areas.
L9119MKwendyg,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide was Keith. He gave an exceptionally good tour. Showing us Matsumoto castle and its surrounding areas. Keith provided a very well balanced documentary on the tour without bombarding us with too much information to digest. I highly recommend this tour and om sure this company will provide a great guide, whomever that may be. 5 star.
Fantastic way to get to know Matsumoto.
Taryn C,Mar 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was nearing the end of the busy season and I had a semi-private tour with Colin, who is a wealth of knowledge. You can tell he has a great passion for Japanese history and the region. I found the castle's history to be fascinating, and while the walk through castle itself has rather steep ascension and is not 'easy' to navigate, Colin ensured we were well taken care of. The walk around Matsumoto city was wonderful (my tour-mate had only joined for the castle), so I was able to personalize the tour with Colin which I appreciated. Matsumoto is absolutely worth seeing, and I highly recommend this tour to get your bearings and understand its history!
Tom was a great guide for...
Tyler C,Feb 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Tom was a great guide for our morning tour of Matsumoto. The castle was an obvious highlight and is arguably worth a visit to Matsumoto on its own. We enjoyed our visit to Matsumoto Castle more than any of the other more popular castles to visit in Kyoto, Osaka, or Nagoya.
We were very lucky to...
Linda H,Jan 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We were very lucky to have Elodie be our guide. She was very friendly, energetic and made the experience so fun and interesting! We would not have learnt a fraction of the amount had we not taken a guide. Visiting the frog village afterward and being shown some great local streets was another highlight!
Matsumoto historic
Weh P,Dec 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Worth to do it. One of the few castles left in Japan. In Excellent condition. Exceptional collection of Tanegashimas. Learned a lot about this place and how it was kept and reconstructed.
Informative and fun
Michelle B,Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00I booked this tour last minute after hearing from attendees at another tour I was on that Matsumoto Castle was not to be missed. Our guide was Tom T. originally from Canada but a resident here for decades and a retired teacher. His teaching background serves him well. We wandered the streets outside the train station on our way to the castle, while Tom kept up a steady dialogue on places and sites of historical significance. He guided us through the castle and warned us “watch your heads!” due to the narrow steep staircases and low beams throughout. It was a cold but magnificent afternoon to visit, clouds streaking the sky and playing with the light. Afterward, my tour companions left for the samurai experience. Tom took me to the small one-street shopping district (closed as it usually is on Wednesdays). One shop was open - the green grocer, with bright and enormous persimmons for sale. I bought several and enjoyed them thoroughly, as much as I enjoyed spending the following hour touring a shrine and learning about shrines and the Shinto belief system. Tom translated for me and helped me buy prayer pockets and a “fortune” from the shrines vendors. I’ve been lucky in so many ways this trip, not the least of which has been the awesome tour guides I’ve met along the way. Thank you Tom, for helping make my afternoon in the town of Matsumoto so memorable and meaningful.
The castle visit is worth...
Patrick W,Nov 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The castle visit is worth every moment, and Tom was a great guide. A mine of information not only about the castle, it’s history and stories, but on life for an expat married to a Japanese. And encounters with bears!
My tour guide Sayuko gave...
Jurgen K,Oct 28, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00My tour guide Sayuko gave me a very detailed and personal tour around the city and inside and outside of Matsumoto Castle. Could definitely recommend!
Highly recommend! Excellent tour
639hollyd,Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Brilliant walking tour! My guide was very knowledgeable I had lots of questions and he answered them all. There's a lot to see in Matsumoto and it was really interesting to hear all about the history and learn more about Japanese culture. Would highly recommend!
Matsumoto castle and downtown surroundings!
Arvind S,Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a great tour with a small group. The guide, Tim, was well versed with the area and local customs and was able to answer all questions thrown at him.
From ¥9,800
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Operated by Welcome Matsumoto