The Japan (Winter) Diaries - Day Seven
January 3, 2017
Before leaving for Japan, I had purchased the JR Pass, otherwise known as the Japan Rail Pass, which allows you to take the shinkansen (bullet train) while in Japan and is only offered for foreigners. I purchased the seven-day pass that really came in handy the last half of the trip, enabling me to visit some cities I hadn’t previously been to, and it even saved some money on the subway in Tokyo since you can use it for all JR lines.
The bullet train is actually one of the fastest trains in the world, with speeds up to 320 mph. Half the train seemed to be made up of cars with reserved seats and the other half had nonreserved seats, which definitely came in handy when I was running late a few times! Oops.
So my first city to visit via shinkansen using my JR Pass: Matsumoto! I love the castles in Japan, only seeing one castle on my last trip, so I specifically planned on seeing more. That was the whole reason for visiting Matsumoto, for the gorgeous Matsumoto castle.
You actually can’t take the shinkansen directly to Matsumoto; it takes you to Nagano and from there you transfer onto a local train for Matsumoto. The journey via bullet train was so incredibly smooth and fast, in which I couldn’t peal my eyes away from the view outside the window. I was even able to get a beautiful view of Fuji-san when leaving Tokyo, thanks to such clear weather again.
Closer to Matsumoto, we started going through the mountains, offering wonderful views of snow from the train!! Unfortunately upon arrival in Matsumoto itself, there was hardly any snow to be found except some small icy patches here and there, and some left over on the rooftops.
Once getting off the train in Matsumoto, it was a quick walk to the castle from the station. Matsumoto is the second largest city in Nagano prefecture and surrounded by mountains on all sides.
I strolled down Nawate-dori, not too far from the castle, spotting more people visiting shrines and picking up some taiyaki to munch on while inching closer to the castle grounds. I actually didn’t know at the time that I was on this famous street, I had just stumbled upon it; it’s a popular place and hard to miss, thanks to the large statue of a frog.
Finally at the Matsumoto grounds! The moment I spied the castle, I became giddy with excitement.
Matsumoto castle is nicknamed Crow Castle for its striking dark color. It’s also Japan’s oldest wooden castle and one of the few originals, something I value in extreme; it’s terribly sad to learn some structures around Japan are no longer original due to the war and other tragedies. Matsumoto castle is also one of the few castles built on plains rather than a hill or mountain.
You have to take off your shoes to enter the castle, carrying them with you in a plastic bag which you return upon leaving. My feet were only in thin stockings and they were like ice cubes by the end of the tour, it was so cold inside, obviously because there isn’t heat installed! The stairs leading up and down to connecting floors were essentially ladders, they were so steep.
After the interior tour, I went around to the other side of the grounds to see the famous picturesque red bridge that connects to the castle. You can’t walk on it, so I took lots of pictures instead!
Leaving the castle behind, I tried to visit a former samuari home afterwards, but it was closed for the New Year still. I then stopped by this surprisingly empty shrine on my walk back towards the castle and station.
I stopped the grab curry for lunch and of course, I couldn’t resist also stopping by a 7-Eleven on the way to the station, where I ended up FINALLY finding the Starbucks matcha latte that I love so much. Took me long enough; it was everywhere during the summer.
I also passed by the cutest little book store that I regret not going into.
Back in Tokyo, I knew I had to finally get Ichiran ramen for dinner, a ramen restaurant recommended to me by one of my former bosses, who went to Japan a month before my first visit to Japan. There was a bit of a wait, but it was one hundred percent worth it. They have one thing on the menu and that’s ramen; you can add what ever you like to it, which will obviously increase the price. I kept it simple though, just ordering the offered dish and only adding on an additional boiled egg. My favorite.
Highlight of the Day
first shinkansen ride
Matsumoto Castle
Favorite Food of the Day
Ichiran ramen
Favorite Snack of the Day
N/A
Favorite Drink of the Day
Starbucks Matcha Latte
Where to next, Meg?
