At times a very pretty train ride from Shinjuku to Matsumoto. We could have been travelling through a landscape in a Ghibli film like ‘My neighbour Totoro’. Wooded valleys, streams running along rocky beds, traditional houses. I could have done without the sun blazing in on the side I was sitting It was a while before I realised there was a blind I could lower but it didn’t help that much. The wise ones changed their seats as soon as they could. You have effectively two tickets to ride, a train ticket and a seat reservation. Not really taking this on board mentally caused problems later.

There were fields all dry, fields of vines? trained to a set height forming a raised structure, trees which could have cotton blossom or white bags hung on them, fields of solar panels. A stewardess pushed a refreshment trolley through at one point. The announcements are made in English as well so I had a chance to know when I should get off. On the Tokyo underground the onboard train signage is in Japanese English Chinese and also Korean. Good to be inclusive.

We arrived at Matsumoto and I put my heavier bag into Coin Locker 1070, at a cost of 400 yen. I then found my way to Soupless Tan-Tan Men and had a nice bowl of noodles and a sour lemon drink which they almost didn’t charge me for! A place next door said they were no longer serving foreigners because of bad behaviour.

I then walked to the picturesque (especially in the autumn where the trees are adorned in reds and yellows) Matsumoto Castle. Since I was there I decided to take the tour of the castle but not sure about the value for money of this. You carry your shoes in plastic bags but climbing the tricky ladders up is slippery business. And you have to contend with the long winding snake of tourists which is coming the other way as the same ladder is both up and down. There are displays about firearms in Japanese history and also the castle itself.

On the way back to the station I saw some kind of celebration close by a street with a frog statue at one end. There was what looked like a comedy show on a stage, and also a procession bearing a mobile shrine with drums and flute leading it. Made up for deciding not to see anything else in Matsumoto.

At Matsumoto Station a pleasant female voice kept singing out ‘Matsumoto’ not sure why. At some of the restaurants the staff would sing out Arigato Gozaimasu as customers arrived or food was served.

Soupless entrance

Soupless seating

Soupless noodle bowl

Matsumoto Castle

View from top of castle

Autumn colours at the castle

Comedy hour?

Frog alley

Frog alley procession