This trip took place in April 2023. Prices and facility information were checked again in September 2026, but the accommodation and transport costs are what we paid at the time. Check the relevant official websites before travelling.
Our trip at a glance
- Length: two days and one night, on weekdays in early April
- Travellers: three of us—my mother, my aunt and me
- Accommodation: two Japanese-style rooms with private open-air baths at KAI Matsumoto in Asama Onsen
- Day 1: Matsumoto Castle, the cherry blossoms at Kobo-yama Kofun, then KAI Matsumoto
- Day 2: Chihiro Art Museum Azumino and Totto-chan's Square, followed by a walk through Matsumoto's old castle town
- Accommodation: ¥123,980 for two rooms, three people, dinner and breakfast, plus ¥15,300 to upgrade dinner
- Whole trip: about ¥220,000–¥230,000 for three, or about ¥75,000 per person
I went to Matsumoto with my mother and aunt. I was especially looking forward to seeing my aunt, as it had been quite a while.
Day 1: Matsumoto Castle
From Omiya, we changed from the Hokuriku Shinkansen to the Shinano limited express at Nagano and continued to Matsumoto Station. We arrived around lunchtime, had soba near the station, and then took a taxi to Matsumoto Castle. The ride took about 10 minutes.
We walked halfway around the outside before going into the castle.
Just outside, someone dressed in armour was there to welcome visitors.
Inside, the stairs were extremely steep and I found them hard to climb, though my mother and aunt both seemed to manage. The view from what I think was the very top of the keep was well worth seeing.
Kobo-yama Kofun: literally a mountain of cherry blossoms
Next we went to see the cherry blossoms on Kobo-yama, which my mother and aunt had wanted to visit.
As our taxi drew closer, the pink-covered hill was clearly visible from the car. It really was a “mountain of cherry blossoms,” just as the phrase suggests.
Cherry trees seemed to cover the ancient burial mound, so whichever way we climbed, we were among blossoms. At the top, which is not especially high, cherry trees surrounded us in every direction.
It was quite a sight. We had booked the trip hoping to catch the blossom season, and I was glad our timing coincided with the trees at their best.
Staying at KAI Matsumoto
The ryokan was a fair distance away, so we took another taxi. For this trip, we had chosen KAI Matsumoto, a Hoshino Resorts property that was on the expensive side.
Dinner was lavish and the portions were so generous that finishing everything took some effort.
After dinner, I went to the onsen and was able to give my body a proper rest. Our rooms also had private open-air baths, which I tried before bed and again the next morning. Having one in the room made it wonderfully easy to take a bath whenever I felt like it.
There was a live musical performance that night in one of the hotel's larger common spaces. I rarely have the chance to hear musicians perform at such close range, so it felt like a valuable experience.
Before checking out the next day, we bought some souvenirs. The shop had a few items exclusive to Hoshino Resorts that could make good gifts.
Day 2: Chihiro Art Museum Azumino
Our destination for the second day was Chihiro Art Museum Azumino. It was some distance away, and we debated taking a taxi only as far as the station and continuing by train, or staying in the taxi all the way to the museum. In the end, we went straight there by taxi.
It cost more than I had expected, and I found myself wishing we had taken the train.
The museum stands in Azumino Chihiro Park, surrounded by nature. It has ties to Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window, and Kuroyanagi serves as the museum's director.
We went inside and looked through the museum, where I saw many lovely paintings and other works.
Another taxi all the way back would have been expensive, so we decided to return by train. Chihiro Art Museum Azumino is a fair distance from Shinano-Matsukawa Station, and we took a taxi for that section. In fact, the driver who had brought us to the museum had waited for us.
When I visited in April 2023, it did not look as though taxis were normally waiting at the museum, and I felt that visitors would need either to walk or call for one. That was my impression during this particular trip, not a general rule about current access. For up-to-date directions and information about seasonal transport, see the museum's official transport guide.
Walking through Matsumoto's old castle town
After returning to Matsumoto Station and having lunch, we had a few hours before it was time to begin the train journey home. We explored nearby Nakamachi Street, where traditional kura-style buildings remain, and Nawate Street, an area known for its frogs.
By the time we had bought souvenirs and taken a walk, it was almost time to leave. We caught our train and headed home.
The main aims of this trip had been to see the cherry blossoms and to try staying at a Hoshino Resorts property. Apart from those, we kept the pace relaxed. I hope this account gives you a useful sense of the trip.
What the trip cost
- Accommodation: two Japanese-style rooms with private open-air baths at KAI Matsumoto (capacity: four people per room), for three people with dinner and breakfast, ¥123,980
- One room for one person on a solo-travel package was ¥58,560; the room for two on a 60-day advance-booking offer was ¥65,420
- Upgrade to the special kaiseki dinner: ¥5,100 × 3 people = ¥15,300
- Rail: about ¥12,100 one way per person between Omiya and Matsumoto, travelling via Nagano by Hokuriku Shinkansen and Shinano limited express
- Taxi: the roughly 40-kilometre journey from Asama Onsen to Chihiro Art Museum Azumino cost in the mid-¥10,000s. We mainly used taxis for local transport; split between three people, they felt easier than taking the bus
- Whole trip, including rail, taxis, meals and admission fees: about ¥220,000–¥230,000 for three, or about ¥75,000 per person
The accommodation and transport costs above are what we paid in April 2023. They can vary considerably by season and package.
These accommodation figures are also from before KAI Matsumoto's renovation. Its current pricing structure has changed since the refurbishment, as explained below.
Admission to Chihiro Art Museum Azumino is ¥1,200 for adults; visitors aged 18 or under enter free (checked September 2026). As a rule, the museum closes on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, or the following day when a Wednesday is a public holiday. There may be exceptions and temporary closures while exhibitions are changed, as well as a winter closure, so check the official visitor information before going. The museum is about 2.5 kilometres from Shinano-Matsukawa Station, or roughly five minutes by taxi and 30 minutes on foot.
About KAI Matsumoto: September 2026 update
KAI Matsumoto closed for renovation in September 2025 and fully reopened on August 4, 2026. My stay described in this article was in April 2023, before that work. The concept has since been renewed, and dinner has changed from kaiseki to Italian cuisine; the food, rooms and prices now differ substantially from what we experienced.
The official announcement issued for the reopening listed rates from ¥41,000 per person for one night with dinner and breakfast, based on two people sharing a room and including tax and service charges. That was the price stated in the announcement, not a fixed current rate. Prices now vary by date and availability.
Check the latest plans and rates on the official KAI Matsumoto website.