Visit Matsumoto - Hikari's top tips

Visitors can rent Yukata

If you come to Matsumoto, you'll definitely enjoy visiting Matsumoto Castle. It was built in the medieval age. Before there, you can rent traditional Japanese clothes, "Yukata". You can experience something rare, such as taking a photo with a samurai. Getting there by rickshaw is fun. In winter, there is an ice festival and the castle is light up. In summer, you can listen to traditional Japanese drums in the castle grounds.

Shopping is good in Nakamachi Street. You'll enjoy eating food & buying Japanese handicrafts. you can eat lots of desserts and foods, for example deicious crepes, pancakes, and traditional Matsumoto food, caramelised crickets & bee larvae. You can drink from a fresh-water spring.

If you're a first-time visitor to Matsumoto, don't miss out on eating soba. It is a dish of traditional Japanese noodles maade from buck wheat. You can learn how to make it too, in a class. It can be eaten hot or cold. Cold, with leeks, soy sauce & wasabi. Eat it hot with wild mountain vegetables or tempura, shiitake or matsutake mushrooms.

For those who only have a short time in Matsumoto, why not go to Nakamachi Street? There is a statue of big frogs at the entrance to the street. They are named Metoba, Gonta. When you visit there, you should take a photo with them. You can drink coffee while seeing beautiful nature. There is a shrine. You will want to wish for good luck.

Now you will want to visit Matsumoto. Enjoy your trip to Matsumoto.

Posted for Hikari

Have an ice evening!

Last weekend saw temperatures plummet appreciably here in Matsumoto, with local & international ice carvers rubbing their hands enthusiastically!

Rumours have it that this event might not continue - which is a crying shame as it is one of the most under-rated nights out locally.

Night out? Yes! I can't remember the last time I went in daylight. Seeing the professionals and keen amateurs chipping, sawing, carving, blow-torching their creations into life is a treat. You need to be patient - wrap up well - and hot sake has excellent thermal properties...give a carton over to the lads & you'll be friends all night (and have access to the heating tent!).

Through the night designs change, bits fall off or ambitions need to be pulled back. Attachments carefully chiselled into shape get hoisted up to height on the forklifts waiting for work - snowflakes, horns, legs, carp, penguins - you name it!

For the photographer a delightful ongoing vista. Men-at-Work portraits, icy black & white super contrasts, shadow play & backlit studies. And a very cold trigger finger! (Keep your spare battery in a deep warm pocket, by the way). I really enjoyed my Saturday night out - and had to laugh at the white-lens warriors who turned up too late on Sunday morning as the bell rang at 6am to announce competition time was finished (put your tools down & step away from the ice).

When the sun comes up you do have the amazing Alps as a backdrop, but the magic is gone as the dawn approaches; the statues' poses are set and the decay starts almost immediately...before noon limbs have fallen off, carefully carved features have melted into tell-tale puddles.