Off to the Japanese Alps - Japan at Cherry Blossom 2023 - 6
21.03.2023 - Off to the Japanese Alps
Weather: Nice, sunny spring weather in Matsumoto, gray-in-drab on the way, rain in Takayama
Walking distance: 6.5 km
I was awake early enough for some early morning shots, but the scouting of yesterday didn't come up with anything promising. So I stay in bed a little longer and later grab a coffee and a bite in the nearby Family Mart.
Key target for this morning is a visit to Matsumoto Castle [↗] which opens at 8:30am. I leave the hotel at 7:45am hoping to be early enough to avoid a long queue. I leave the backpack and the small bag for the next night in the room as I'll be back early enough for a regular check-out. The suitcase with all the other stuff goes with me to the reception.
Not walking too fast I'm at the castle at 8:15am and surprise, surprise: there is no queue at all. I take a few more photos from the outside, this time with the snow-capped mountains in the background, and then be the first in line.
At exactly 8:30am the doors open and after paying 700 Yen entrance fee I head straight to the tower.
You have to carry your shoes in a plastic bag, so it's a good idea to have an extra pair of (warm) socks with you. I put on mine only inside after the first stairs not to block the entrance.
Speaking of stairs: they are super steep and you have to constantly watch your head. Thankfully I just carry my camera (and the shoes of course) and left the backpack at the hotel.
The building is smaller than it looks from the outside. There are some exhibits, but no decorations inside. However, from the upper floors, you have a nice view of the surroundings. The windows are enclosed, but they have left openings through which you can put your lenses.
It was definitely a good idea to be here early. They are prepared for larger crowds, and it would not be fun to be pushed through the floors and stairs. But as it is now, with only a handful of other people on the same floor, a visit is highly recommended.
After leaving the tower, I walk a bit through the garden and take some more pictures of the castle in the morning sun. On the green, in front of the castle, you can find some markings indicating the walls of an even older castle.
Now I walk back to the hotel grabbing another coffee on the way. I have nearly 1.5 hours until check-out and our public bus to Takayama [↗] will leave an hour later.
The way to Takayama is passing a ski resort and indeed shortly after leaving Matsumoto the terrain along the road is covered with snow. Temperature is dropping below 0°C and as we reach the resort the snow cover is about 1 meter high.
In Takayama, the snow is gone and the temperature has risen to 14°C again. But it has started to rain and it is expected to stay like this for at least the next 3 hours - just before our shuttle leaves for the hotel. The hotel is too far from town to walk, so we have to relay on the shuttle or take a taxi.
The suggestion for the afternoon was a museum village with old houses from all over Japan. But in the rain, with an umbrella in one hand and the camera in the other? No thanks! Tomorrow the weather should be ok again and we have more than half a day to explore the city.
Our tour guide takes the next shuttle to get everything ready at the hotel and I let him know that I will accompany him. Since the hotel is outside the city and there are no restaurants or the like nearby, we buy something to eat at the Family Mart, since the hotel only offers an expensive buffet.
