Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Your chance to become a Samurai while visiting Matsumoto Castle! What better place to have your samurai experience than in a city with an authentic castle from the feudal era? First take a tour of Matsumoto Castle designated a “National Treasure” of Japan due to its well-preserved original structure! During the tour, you will learn about the Matsumoto Samurai lords, the history of Matsumoto City and even some of the castle's defensive strategies. Then experience a live hands-on Samurai Sword Fighting activity! A Master Samurai will teach you some of these ancient fighting techniques. You can choose your own colors for your outfit which consists of a yukata (light kimono), hakama (wide-leg pants), and obi (belt). You can even select your swords! The stage and the atmosphere of the place is bound to take you on a realistic journey back in time. The perfect setting for a complete immersion into this slice of Japanese history!
Inclusions
What's included
- Samurai outfits and swords rental during the activity
- Entry/Admission – Matsumoto Castle
- Entry/Admission – Samurai Experience Activity
- English Speaking Guide
What's not
- Miscellaneous fees during the activity (meals, snacks, souvenirs etc.)
- Insurance (Travel Insurance, Private Insurance, etc...)
Itinerary
Matsumoto Castle is one of five castles designated as ‘National Treasures of Japan’ and the oldest castle donjon remaining in Japan. Construction began in 1592 of the elegant black and white structure with its three turrets. Because of the elegant black walls, Matsumoto Castle is sometimes called ‘Crow Castle’. Please note that the stairs to reach the top of Matsumoto Castle’s tower are steep and narrow.
Here is the Samurai Experience Activity! Learn how to handle the sword (Katana) as well as some basic samurai movement (Kamae).
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 583
- 44
- 32
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 89 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Castle and samurai
Great experience. Guide was excellent. The castle was well worth the visit. Just be aware. there are a lot of steep awkward stairs to the top of the castle
5Educational in a most pleasurable way
More than lived up to the high praise for this activity on Trip Advisor. Our samurai experience was both educational and entertaining thanks to skill of our coach Koi (I hope I’ve spelt that right). At the castle our guide Akikio was delightfully informative as she steered us up and backdown 140 steep steps. Akikio provided some excellent and much appreciated ideas for other activities and dining.
5The Matsumoto Castle and...
The Matsumoto Castle and Samurai experience was really good, would recommend to those thinking about visiting.
5Naomi was great and the...
Naomi was great and the samurai experience was a lot of fun. A great way for a family to enjoy Matsumato!
4Better than Kyoto Museum.
Very educational and very good teacher. Better than Kyoto museum experience, where clothes were smelly and very large group to understand. Here was a clean and calm environment. Excellent teacher!
5Matsumoto gem experience
Fantastic experience of the castle and Matsumoto history with our guide Taisei. We also did samurai experience which was such a fun addition to the whole day. Our samurai sensei was very cool and really engaging. Thank you both!
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Tour begins at Matsumoto Station at the front of the JR Line ticket office / Starbucks Coffee inside the station (2F)
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 15 travellers
- Operated by
- Welcome Matsumoto
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note that the stairs to reach the top of Matsumoto Castle’s tower are steep and narrow.
- In Japan, authentic katanas are classified as illegal weapons under strict licensing laws. Tourists can see them in museums or specialty shops, but theatrical swords are widely used in performances, training, and during our samurai experience.
- This activity focuses on proper sword techniques and kata accessible to all including families. It does not involve any type of slicing or cutting of objects.
How it compares in Matsumoto
- Its from-price is 31% below the median of the 46 experiences we list in Matsumoto.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 1 of 46.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Matsumoto
Matsumoto is a Japan Alps city in Nagano Prefecture, with a black-walled castle, Edo-period merchant streets and the mountain valley of Kamikochi nearby.
Matsumoto sits in a high basin ringed by the Northern Japan Alps, in the middle of Honshu. Matsumoto Castle, called Crow Castle for its black walls, dates from the late sixteenth century and is one of the few castles to survive with its original keep, a national treasure reflected in a moat. The old merchant street of Nakamachi has white-and-black storehouses, and the Old Kaichi School, an 1876 Western-style schoolhouse, is also a national treasure.
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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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