Matsumoto City, located in the Chūshin region of Nagano Prefecture, is the second-largest city in the prefecture after Nagano City and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of the region. It is designated as a core city and an International Conference and Sightseeing City, known for its rich historical heritage and cultural resources.
The city originated as a castle town of the Matsumoto Domain, centered around Matsumoto Castle, a National Treasure. Historically a transportation hub, it was the meeting point of the Zenkoji Kaidō, Chikuni Kaidō, and Nomugi Kaidō. During the Meiji era, the now-defunct Chikuma Prefecture had its capital here for a time. Even after being merged into Nagano Prefecture, Matsumoto retained some administrative and economic institutions, such as a branch of the Bank of Japan and the main campus of Shinshu University.
Matsumoto is a culturally vibrant city, often referred to as “The Castle Town of the Alps with Cultural Fragrance” and “The Three Gaku Capital” (City of Music, Mountains, and Academia). It has preserved many historical buildings, including the National Treasure Former Kaichi School, and retains much of its original townscape as it was largely spared from war damage. The city also enforces strict building height regulations near Matsumoto Castle to protect its historic skyline.
Cultural initiatives are actively promoted, such as the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival, founded by conductor Seiji Ozawa, the locally born "Flower-Filled Campaign", and the internationally recognized Suzuki Method of music education. Matsumoto is also the birthplace of the “30•10 Food Waste Reduction Campaign”, and has hosted related national conferences.
Geographically, Matsumoto lies in the Matsumoto Basin, also historically referred to as Chikuma-no. The city center is a modern commercial district, while the outskirts preserve a traditional rural landscape. The eastern Yamabe area features hot springs and wineries, and serves as a gateway to the scenic Utsukushigahara Highlands, a popular destination for leisure and tourism.
The origin of the name "Matsumoto" is debated. A widely accepted theory suggests it derives from the Ogasawara clan’s phrase “Machihon-kai”, symbolizing their long-awaited restoration of their ancestral domain, which they commemorated by renaming the area “Matsumoto.”
