^{You can be sure that a place in Japan is very special when I tell you I have visited four times, and I still want to return! For each of my visits to Japan – number seven coming up soon – I pack my itinerary with places I haven’t been before. But a few, like Matsumoto in Nagano prefecture on the main island of Japan, sneak back in because I love them. I simply have to go back!}

^{I have written before about Matsumoto since first visiting in 2019 – the latest was an update story after visiting for the fourth time last November (2024).}

https://travellingtherese.com/2024/12/03/matsumoto-cool-funky-castle-town-2/

^{I mentioned then about my experience with Miso ice cream and I promised to write more about my November autumn visit in coming months.}

^{Those months have flown by, and I’m finally making good on my promise – waxing lyrical again about Matsumoto. A place that has an abundance of local attractions and is a foodie’s delight. It offers an enjoyable night life, an abundance of local attractions and being well served by the railways, it is a stepping off point for wonderful day trips elsewhere.}

^{The miso icecream I mentioned in December was on offer at Ishii miso – a family run Matsumoto miso brewery established in 1868, towards the end of the Edo (Samurai) period. At Ishii, they still produce miso by traditional methods, aging the miso in huge cedar barrels for three years. These days, miso aged in wooden barrel represents less than one per cent of Japan’s miso production, so this miso promises to be something special. And it lives up to that promise.}

^{We walked to the Miso brewery from our hotel near the railway station, arriving just before 11am because we heard there was a free english speaking tour at that time. An Aussie friend had visited a few weeks before as part of a big tour group, so we were expecting to be at the back of a long line of visitors. But our luck prevailed. We were the only english speaking visitors there, and we were treated to a tour by ourselves with the current brewery owner! How special is that!}

^{Ishii’s miso is truly special – rich and flavoursome, like no other miso I have had before. We were treated to a bowl each of Ishii’s miso soup, and it was delicious, with an amazing complexity and depth. I was able to buy some the brewery’s dried miso soup blocks and sachets of miso to take home, and I have been frugally using them since. Whilst I can buy Japanese miso in Australia, I’ve located nothing as good as what Ishii produces. And sadly, no, they don’t export.}

^{Their big challenge is maintaining the huge wooden casks that are handmade. But the craftsmen who know how to do this job are thin on the ground these days in Japan. The plaited bindings are particularly difficult, and are constantly checked for any necessary repairs.}

^{The fermenting process is divided into three rooms by year, and by the time you reach the three year old casks the aroma from them is intoxicating, reaching deep into your culinary soul.}

^{We decided the brewery’s miso icecream should be tried and frankly, we didn’t think we’d like it. But – oishi! Delicious. How can I describe it – velvety, a hint of chocolate – it had a taste of its own, and I would definitely have another cone again, given the opportunity.}

^{En route between the Miso brewery and the railway station area is a little cafe owned by a chap who is both a coffee connoisseur and a professional printer. His place doubles as a cafe and printing shop, and has loads of character, with a piano in one corner and an old German printing press in another. We loved the atmosphere here, enjoying the cafe’s breakfast and excellent coffee. I love a cafe with character, and this one had heaps!}

^{In fact – there are endless interesting eateries, trendy cafes, bars and shops in Matsumoto -this city has a very cool vibe. It also has an excellent arts scene, and a wonderful Performing Arts Centre. The city is also the birthplace of Yayoi Kusama, the internationally acclaimed contemporary artist famous for her use of polka dots. It has one of the biggest collections of her works on public display.}

^{Rounding a corner on one early morning walk I came across an antique/second hand market being set up. Be still my beating heart! I do love a good market, and there was much I would have loved to have bought here. It was a joy just to peruse what was for sale.}

^{Rounding another corner nearby, I came across a small temple with a priest and early morning prayers underway. Matsumoto is a lovely quiet and safe city to wander as it wakes to a new morning, and it is interesting to watch so many people taking time for a quick prayer before they get on with their day.}

Getting there

^{Matsumoto is easily accessible by a couple of different JR train routes. But buses are also an option.}

^{We were staying in Takayama in Gifu prefecture before moving onto Matsumoto last November, and we travelled between the two small cities through the Alps by bus. The journey is a treat in itself. The bus accommodates your luggage and costs around $45 Australian each one way, with a brief half way stop for the loo, some shopping, or simply to take in the mountain air. It is a very picturesque route, and takes around 3 hours. Some of the mountain roads are quite narrow, so I was glad we were in the hands of an experienced driver!}

^{One place I repeatedly visit in Matsumoto is its castle – for me, one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, and it is one of the twelve ‘originals’ still standing in Japan. The city offers free english speaking guides to tour the castle. You’ll spot them by one of the main entrances.}

^{I walked from our hotel to the castle just after dawn with our travelling companion Sandy, and we met a most interesting man there. He was disabled, and had difficulty speaking – but he was very knowledgeable and had an excellent command of English. I don’t know if he had suffered a stroke or had been badly injured in an accident. But he was very kind and wanted to tell us some of the must see features of Matsumoto.}

^{He also was an amateur artist, and gave us postcards of one of his drawings of the castle – signed Sugi. I have no idea who this man was, but I sensed he had quite an interesting life story, and we were glad we met him.}

^{We also revisited a few other favourite places in Matsumoto – including the Matsumoto brewery cafe that overlooks the city from the 3rd floor of the Shinmai Media building. It has excellent pizzas!}

^{The building also houses a few big chain outdoor/bushwalking shops, and a community piano that anyone can play on! Community pianos are a big thing in Japan. You see them in many places, and we have been blown away by some of the amazing performances we’ve seen.}

^{There was another community piano at the Matsumoto railway station on this trip. We heard a beautiful classical piece being played superbly as we walked in, and I was surprised to see the pianist was a young bloke. When he finished, he quietly picked up his day backpack and headed on on his way.}

^{By the way – looking for somewhere for a light breakfast? There is a french patisserie next to the main station entrance. Casual, and the coffee is definitely not the best in town. But the pastries, the quiches, the croissants, the cakes, the sandwiches – terrific!}

^{Matsumoto is enticing – quite different from many other places I’ve seen in Japan, with a special character of its own mixing old and new in an effortless manner. Trust me – put Matsumoto on your Japan itinerary.}

^{Part of this story was supposed to be focused on a day trip we did from Matsumoto last November into a fairly unheralded town in the Kiso Valley – no, not Tsumago, Magome or Narai – I said unheralded LOL! Reflecting, I feel it deserves a story of its own. So it will be up on my blog soon!}