Celebrate the Winter Illumination Festival at Matsumoto Castle. See the castle illuminated in brilliant light and colour with laser-mapping. Enjoy a samurai sword fighting experience, a castle tour, and its winter illumination.

Visit Matsumoto Castle, a registered National Treasure and one of Japan’s last remaining original castles. The overall architecture is characteristic of the “Warring States Period”. Constructed at the end of that period, the castle has stood guard over Matsumoto for more than four hundred years. Matsumoto Castle is, along with Nagano City’s Zenko-ji Temple, one of the most important historical and cultural destinations in Central Japan.

Having enjoyed the castle tour, you will be led to your next activity – samurai sword fighting. Located a short walk from the castle, the experience begins with you dressing in a samurai outfit and then selecting your sword. Once prepared, the samurai master will instruct you on how to assume basic attacking and defensive stances and use your sword. The samurai master’s passion and expertise is certain to inspire you to linger longer and learn more about Matsumoto’s proud feudal past.

After your samurai experience, your guide will lead you around the historic grounds to enjoy the Castle Illumination. As you do so, your guide will introduce you to the history and legends of the castle, while also allowing plenty of time to explore for yourself including capturing those all-important photographs of the brilliant light display.