Matsumoto Travel Video Guide

Matsumoto Travel Itinerary

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Some 50km southwest of Nagano across the Hijiri Kogen mountains is the prefecture's second largest city, MATSUMOTO , justly famous for its splendid castle , Matsumoto-jo, which has the oldest donjon (central keep) in Japan, dating from 1595. Also in the centre of this attractive town - gateway to the Japan Alps - is the Nakamachi area of traditional white-walled houses, many now renovated into ryokan and shops, while to the west is the Japan Ukiyo-e Museum , where beautiful traditional prints are displayed inside a surprisingly ugly modern building.

Matsumoto also has a reputation as a centre for classical music. It was the home of Dr Suzuki Shini'ichi (who died nine months short of his 100th birthday in 1998), an internationally famous music teacher who encouraged children to learn to play instruments by using their natural gift for mimicry. His "Suzuki Method" is taught in the town's Suzuki Shin-ichi Talent Education Hall, around 1km east of Matsumoto Station. Every September Matsumoto also hosts the ten-day Saito Kinen, a classical music festival in memory of another local talent, Saito Hideo, celebrated conductor and mentor to many famous musicians, including Ozawa Seiji, director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

North of Matsumoto is the picturesque rural area of Hotaka , known for its wasabi (horseradish) farms and also a starting point for hikes up into the nearby Japan Alps. Serious mountaineers head straight from Matsumoto west to the beautiful lake and mountain resort of Kamikochi ,

popularized by British missionary Walter Weston at the turn of the century. The mountains get so much snow that Kamikochi is only open from late April to the end of October, when it can be very busy. A less crowded alternative is the nearby onsen and ski resort of Norikura Kogen . The fabulous Skyline Road runs through this area, across to Takayama in neighbouring Gifu-ken ; drive along it and you'll see why Nagano-ken is known as the "roof of Japan".

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