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.
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!
Options
Matsumoto Discovery - Half Day
3 Hour Half-Day Walking Tour
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...)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
51 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Had a great tour with...
Louise P,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Had a great tour with Keith as the guide. Very knowledgeable. Climbing inside the castle is not for the faint of heart. Very steep.
The Amazing Tom the Tour Guide
Trek378414,May 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tom was an excellent guide. He was super knowledgeable, fun and has been living in the area for a long time so he knew so much about Matsumoto. We had a wonderful time listening to his stories and he was very helpful with answering our questions and providing suggestions on where to eat in the area and in other towns we are going to visit. I can’t recommend this enough!
Great tour of castle and city center
melissamF955RW,May 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We enjoyed this tour with Keith! He did a wonderful job keeping us on track and dealing with our groups various pick up and drop off needs! Thanks Keith for all the insights and fun facts. We especially enjoyed getting to stop at the shrine for a quick visit and goshuin! Highly recommend this tour if you want to get to know a bit more about Matsumoto!
It was a great tour for...
Mila S,May 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a great tour for learning about the area and visiting the castle. Our guide, Keith, was very knowledgeable, and easy to follow; a fellow Canadian!
An outstanding...
gerald s,Apr 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00An outstanding experience. Keith was extremely knowledgeable and inviting. He was very patient and answered any questions we asked. Highly recommend Keith and Viator.
Tour in Matsumoto
callienes,Apr 4, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a fantastic tour in Matsumoto, probably our favorite stop from our two weeks in Japan. Being able to be shown around with our guide Naomi made it even better. Highly recommend.
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!
Related Experiences
Operated by Welcome Matsumoto