Blog spot: Matsumoto

Matsumoto is located in Nagano.
Matsumoto streets are clean and the people are friendly. In spring, watch cherry blossoms complement the black roof of the 400-year-old castle (Matsumoto castle) with a backdrop of snowy mountains.  In summer, enjoy the cool breeze of a day hiking in Utsukushigahara Heights and an evening watching Seiji Ozawa conduct at the world class Saito Kinen Festival. In autumn, go apple picking or watch the leaves change while hiking through Kamikochi in the Central Mountains National Park. . In winter, enjoy skiing at the three high altitude resorts before relaxing in one of the many fine onsens.There is Matsumoto castle. It is known as the "Crow Castle" because their exterior is black. And Matsumoto castle's singularity resides in its black and white colour, a unique contrast with other Japanese castles which are all white. And it built more than 400 years ago. It displays various artifact and others related to folklore, history, archeology of the Matsumoto region.And there is Kaichi school museum. It is the first junior high school in Japan. The school is now a museum displaying some of Japan's best collection of education documents and historical material. Ukiyoe museum is located in Matsumoto, too. Ukiyoe museum has representative works by all famous and less famous artists, from early masters to modern days.