Originally Posted by RichardInSF
The two castles are different, but I am not sure it is really necessary to see both on a first trip to Japan. The only other 'famous' tourist attraction in Matsumoto is a well preserved old elementary school, but I wouldn't make a detour just for that.
I was actually thinking of Nawate street as an 'attraction' (a street of merchant's buildings along a canal) which is on the way to the castle.
http://isc.shinshu-u.ac.jp/gallery/nawate-e.htm
The street map here:
http://www.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/...Map/index.html is very good.
We asked a shopkeeper why frogs are so prominent on this street. It's the reason described by Mokurai in this thread:
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/que...ay.html?0+3706
There are loads of nice rubber stamps to collect on Nawate street (all frog related) and in and around Matsumoto castle (which look more like woodcuts - really pretty). Take a blank A5 notebook along with you if you want some.