Nagano Prefecture (Matsumoto) Events

This is a night festival where Matsumoto Castle in winter is entirely decorated with light and ice. Centered around projection mapping on the National Treasure main keep, the entire castle town area, including Daimyo-cho Street and Chitose Bridge, is illuminated. Admission is free, and it's a winter highlight accessible by an evening stroll from your accommodation.

During the period (typically a weekend in late January), the "National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival" is also held, featuring works by ice sculptors from across Japan and a giant ice slide in Matsumoto Castle Park. The schedule for the 2026-27 season will be confirmed on the official website closer to the date, so please check before visiting.

Matsumoto Castle during the New Year's three-day holiday. You can visit the National Treasure keep at the beginning of the year.

For those staying in Matsumoto during the New Year's holiday, it can serve as a substitute for Hatsumode (first shrine visit of the year). Please check the official website for opening hours.

This is a night festival where Matsumoto Castle in winter is entirely decorated with light and ice. Centered around projection mapping on the National Treasure main keep, the entire castle town area, including Daimyo-cho Street and Chitose Bridge, is illuminated. Admission is free, and it's a winter highlight accessible by an evening stroll from your accommodation.

During the period (typically a weekend in late January), the "National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival" is also held, featuring works by ice sculptors from across Japan and a giant ice slide in Matsumoto Castle Park. The schedule for the 2026-27 season will be confirmed on the official website closer to the date, so please check before visiting.

This is one of Nagano's premier craft festivals, bringing together approximately 260 artisans from across Japan. Handicrafts such as woodworking, pottery, glass, and dyeing are displayed under the trees of Agata no Mori Park.

It's a weekend where you can experience "Matsumoto, the city of folk crafts and craftsmanship." The highlight is being able to talk directly with the artisans and choose items. The dates are usually in late May, but please check the official website closer to the time.

This is the summer festival of Matsumoto Shrine, located just north of Matsumoto Castle. At the Eve Festival on the 10th, fireworks are launched behind Matsumoto Castle, illuminating the summer night sky with the National Treasure keep in silhouette.

It's one of the few fireworks displays you can walk to from your accommodation. Food stalls are also present, making the festival itself enjoyable. The dates are fixed annually on July 10th and 11th, but the fireworks display may be decided at the last minute due to weather, so please check Matsumoto City's tourism information before visiting.

Groups from across Japan gather to play taiko drums with the National Treasure keep as a backdrop.

For the evening stage performances, the illuminated Matsumoto Castle itself becomes the stage background. It's an event that transcends language, making it easy to recommend to international visitors.

This is Matsumoto's biggest summer festival. Tens of thousands of people dance with the same choreography to the same song, "Matsumoto Bon Bon," through the city streets.

Groups (ren) proceed in lines wearing matching yukata, making it a spectacular sight even just to watch. The dance is a simple repetition, so you can join in by imitating.

The venue stretches from the station to the castle town. The festival comes to you, within walking distance from your accommodation.

This is a summer fireworks festival with approximately 3,000 fireworks launched along the banks of the Susukigawa River, which flows through Matsumoto City.

It's a fireworks display relatively close to Matsumoto accommodations, and you can sit by the river and look up. The dates are usually in early August, but please check the official website closer to the time.

This is Matsumoto's international music festival at the end of summer, started by Seiji Ozawa. Orchestra performances by the Saito Kinen Orchestra and operas are held throughout Matsumoto.

Tickets are required for each performance, and popular performances sell out quickly. Please check the official website for the program and ticket release dates.