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Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience, Nakamachi Street
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Joined 2025
A symbol of Samurai is Japanese castles where the lord, top of Samurai resided. Matsumoto castle is one of only 5 castles designated a "National Treasure" of Japan.
Not only watching top Samurai's residence but also experiencing Samrai's ancient art of combat by wearing Samurai clothes and grasping a katana, Japanese sword.
After having lunch (Soba:buckweat noodles or Sanzoku-yaki Bandit Chicken=Japanese KFC is recommended), let's stroll Nakamachi Street to take a look at classic warehouses.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Your hotel lobby in Nagano-city or Nagano-station (Japan Railway East)
- Please select your suitable meeting point. In case of Nagano-station, plrase meet at the front of Nagano City Tourist Information Center.
Nagano-station Local Line Gate
Let's get on the express train departing at 7:44am to Matsumoto-station arriving at 8:37 am.
Matsumoto Castle
Let's visit more than 400 years old and the oldest in Japan, wooden castle, consisted from 5-tiered, 6-story tower.
Samurai Experience
Let's wear samurai clothes and grasp a katana sword. Then, please learn samurai’s ancient fighting techniques from a master samurai.
Lunch
On the way to next destination, please have lunch.
Soba (buckweat) noodles or Sanzoku-yaki Bandit Chicken (Japanese KFC) is recommendable.
Nawate Street and Nakamachi Street
Let’s stroll these 2 streets.
At Nawate Street, the uncommon shops are lining and giving you a retro feel. Located just in front of Yohashira Shrine. This area is known as a sacred place for frogs. A flog god is ebshrined here.
Nakamachi street has many traditional storehouses characterized by their black-and-white, crisscross-pattern walls.
Matsumoto-station
Let’s get on the train departing at 4:34pm to Nagano-station arriving at 5:50pm.
Ending Point
Nagano-station
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee
public transportation fees US$25 per person
Matsumoto Castle Entrance fee US$9 per person
Samurai Experience fee US$90 per person
Lunch fee US$10 per person
Tour Important Information
* Please note that the stairs to reach the top of Matsumoto Castle’s tower are steep and narrow.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2025
About Tour Guide Ken-ichi M.
In March 1983, I graduated Chiba university. Major is psychology.
In April 1983, I entered a manufacturing company of semiconductor components and I was assaigned to the overseas sales dept.
For more than 40 years, I had done sales activities with foreign semiconductor companies using English language.
I had visited foreign customer companies located in several foreign countries on once a month basis.
I have stationed myself in Singapore and Malaysia for 5 years.
I have homestayed in Los Angels for a month and in Oakland New Zealand for a week.
I have welcomed an American teacher in my house for a week as a homestay program.
I have passed the examination of Tour Guide in 2016.
I have teached the skiing in Shiga Highland Ski Resort, Happo-one Ski Resort and Iwatake Ski Resort.
I had guided bus passengers(most of them were Austllarian people) at the bus terminal in Hakuba-Happo.
I am now teaching junior high school students English grammar.
Reviews
Carole B.
“À nice day”
The tour guide provides an excellent experience. He was knowledgeable , friendly and well organisez making both visit enjoyable and informative. The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, allowing enough time at each location.he was attentive to the group’s need and adapted it for us. We were hangover after a saki night the day before the tour… Thank you very much for the tour Carole
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Ken-ichi M.
Ms. Carole B. and other 3 colleagues, I am overwhelmed by your so many compliments. Although you have been so tired with 10 days travels, all of you could kindly follow my guiding with friendly smiles. It would be my great pleasure if you feel this time tour with me would be memorable. I wish the rest of your tours could be wonderful experiences of quite different cultures of Japan. Thank you very much for choosing me as a guide. Ken
Sarita P.
“Fabulous tour with Ken”
Ken was a very kind and thoughtful person. He carefully planned out the day to make sure my customised trip was perfect. Seeing the monkeys was a wonderful experience and could have watched them all day. We spent time in Matsumoto afterwards and went to a local specialized restaurant that Ken had researched so I could try their cuisine. Was a wonderful day - thank you Ken
Ken-ichi M.
First of all, I thank you very much for choosing me as the guide. I hope you could have spent wonderful time in Nagano area. Monkeys were so Kawaii = cute, weren't they ? Matsumoto castle was so unique, wasn't it ? Eating the raw hourse meats and the local food Oyaki = a kind of dumpling could be a funny experiences for you. I hope you might have the feeling of touching Japanese OMOTENASHI (welcoming attitudes) again and paying another visit to Japan in the future. Thanks again for the tour with me. Ken
Ys C.
“Unforgettable and Magical Tour!”
We have no regrets taking this tour as we got to see the majestic wonder of the shrines, cedar trees and not forgetting the powdery snow which covers the entire area. Ken made the experience even better as he was knowledgeable and very much accommodating. He planned the entire itinerary and logistic nicely for us even before we arrived and took us around the beautiful sites and even arranged for soba and sake lunch.
Ken-ichi M.
Dear YS-san and your family, Thank you very much for your warmful comments. If you could satisfy the tour, it would be the biggest pleasure for me as your guide. With your beautiful wife and cute daughter, we could enjoy powder snow by making snow balls and snowmans though the slippery paths made us quite difficult to walk comfortably. Also we could have made a good conversations about Malaysia topics as well as the foods' experiences of soba and sake. If you have a chance to visit Japan next time and to be able to travel together again, it will be a great pleasure for me. Please have a happy new year of the firehourse. Thanks and Best Regards Ken
$179/ per group
More tours by Ken-ichi M.
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TOGAKUSHI/ Ninja Experience, 400years Cedar Ave.＆ Shrines
"Togakushi" means hiding the door. In Japanese mythology, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu hid herself inside the rock-cave door, resulting in the total darkness of the world. In order to recover sunlight, another goddess danced very attractively in front of the door and other gods pulled Amaterasu out from the door strongly. Then, the door was flown far away to Togakushi. Ninja was also hide-related specialist. Let's experience Ninja activities and voltex of sacred, spiritual shrines and cedar avenue.
TOGAKUSHI/ Ninja Experience, 400years Cedar Ave.＆ Shrines
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Matsumoto Castle / Narai-Juku / Daio Wasabi Farm Tour
Matsumoto Castle is one of the oldest castles in Japan. Fortification of the site dates back to simple wooden structures built during the Warring States period. Narai-Juku is well-preserved post town that remains of Edo-era streets. Daio Wasabi Farm is one of Japan's largest wasabi farms and a popular tourist destination.
Matsumoto Castle / Narai-Juku / Daio Wasabi Farm Tour
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Snow Monkey Park / Togakushi Shrines / Zenkoji temple
Let's watch Japanese monkeys taking bath in hot spring and enjoy walking the worshipper's path toward Togakushi Okusya shrine surrounded by 400years' big cedar trees. Eating soba noodles in Chusya area maybe a fun since Togakushi soba noodles are very famous in Japan (If you have food allergy, the alternative food will be arranged). This tour covers Zenkoji temple at the night.
Snow Monkey Park / Togakushi Shrines / Zenkoji temple
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Snow Monkey Park / Matsumoto Castle / Daio Wasabi Firm
The Jigokudani Yaen-koen (altitude 850 meters) is known as snow monkey park that has been a worldwide popular place for watching the bathing monkeys in a hot spring. (Winter is the best tour season for it.) The five-story, six-tiered keep of Matsumoto Castle is Japan's oldest existing National Treasure. Daio Wasabi Firm is one of Japan's largest wasabi farms.
Snow Monkey Park / Matsumoto Castle / Daio Wasabi Firm
Other Popular Unique Experience Tours in Nagano
TOGAKUSHI/ Ninja Experience, 400years Cedar Ave.＆ Shrines
"Togakushi" means hiding the door. In Japanese mythology, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu hid herself inside the rock-cave door, resulting in the total darkness of the world. In order to recover sunlight, another goddess danced very attractively in front of the door and other gods pulled Amaterasu out from the door strongly. Then, the door was flown far away to Togakushi. Ninja was also hide-related specialist. Let's experience Ninja activities and voltex of sacred, spiritual shrines and cedar avenue.
TOGAKUSHI/ Ninja Experience, 400years Cedar Ave.＆ Shrines
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Powder Snow & Ski Experiences at Shiga Highland Ski Resort (option: Ski Lesson)
In winter, Skiing is fun for youngers and elders. Shiga Highland Ski Resort is one of the best ski destinations. It is very famous as Powder Snow area. Let's enjoy 1 day ski activities on the aspirin snow ! For those customers who would like to take a private ski lesson, I can teach you at the reasonable price. I have some skiing certificates as below: *Canadian Ski Instructor's Alliance Level 1 Instructor *Ski Association of Japan (SAJ) Grade 1
Powder Snow & Ski Experiences at Shiga Highland Ski Resort (option: Ski Lesson)
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Nozawa Onsen: Cosy Village Waik
Nozawa Onsen is a village back in the mountains. You will see how local people live there, and enjoy local speciality foods, and clean air and lush greenery. Please enjoy everything in Nozawa!
Nozawa Onsen: Cosy Village Waik
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Zazen : Seated Meditation
How about experiencing Zazen, seated mediation, at the historic temple? You will learn about Buddhist monks' training, and create a peaceful mind through this experience.
Zazen : Seated Meditation