Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Matsumoto Station 松本駅

Matsumoto Station 松本駅 is a train station on Shinonoi line 篠ノ井線 and the terminus station for Oito line 大糸線 and Alpico Kotsu Kamikochi line 上高地線.



Trains serving this train station include:
(1) Limited Express Azusa あずさ, commuting between Shinjuku 新宿駅 and Minami Otari 南小谷駅, stopping by stations such as Matsumoto 松本駅, Hotaka 穂高駅, Shinano Omachi 信濃大町駅 and Hakuba 白馬駅.
(2) Resort View Furusato リゾートビューふるさと, a seasonal train commuting between Nagano and Minami Otari, stopping by stations such as Matsumoto 松本駅, Hotaka 穂高駅, Shinano Omachi 信濃大町駅 and Hakuba 白馬駅.
Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/railway/joyful/resortfuru.html
(3) Limited Express Shinano しなの, commuting between Nagoya 名古屋駅 and Nagano 長野駅.
(4) Local trains operating between Matsumoto and Shinshimashima 新島々駅 via Alpico Kotsu Kamikochi line 上高地線.



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What's nearby?

(1) Bus stops, on both the east (Oshiro Guchi お城口) and west (Alps Guchi アルプス口) exit of the train station.





East Exit Platform 1:
- Town Sneaker North Course タウンスニーカー北コース (Bus No. 200), for Nawate dori 縄手通り, Matsumoto Castle 松本城, Matsumoto City Museum 松本市立博物館 and former Kaichi School 旧開智学校.
- Asama line 浅間線 (Bus No. 32) for Asama Onsen 浅間温泉.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/matsumoto/asama/

East Exit Platform 2:
- Town Sneaker East Course タウンスニーカー東コース (Bus No. 210), for Matsumoto Timepiece Museum 松本市時計博物館, Nakamachi 中町, AEON Mall and Matsumoto City Museum of Art 松本市美術館.
- Town Sneaker South Course タウンス南コース (Bus No. 220).

East Exit Platform 3:
- Kitashi Inner line 北市内線, comprised of east loop 東回り (Bus No. 100 / anticlockwise) and west loop 西回り (Bus No. 110 / clockwise). Kitashi Inner line east loop bus provides more direct accessibility to Matsumoto City Museum of Art, as compared to Town Sneaker East Course.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/matsumoto/kitashinai/



West Exit: Town Sneaker West Course - Long Course タウンスニーカー西コース ロングコース (Bus No. 230), for The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum 日本浮世絵博物館 and Matsumoto City Open Air Architectural Museum 松本市歴史の里.

For Town Sneaker North and East Course, the bus fare is 200 yen per ride.
For Town Sneaker South and West Course, the bus fare varies between 150 to 200 yen per ride.
Town Sneaker: https://www.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/kurasi/sumai/bus/town.html



(2) Matstumoto City Tourist Information Center 松本市観光案内所, within the train station.
Operating hours: 0900 - 1745 hrs



(3) Matsumoto Bus Terminal 松本バスタミナール, less than a minute walk from east exit of train station. Alpico Plaza アルピコプラザ, which has replaced the former Ario アリオ, is connected to the bus terminal.
Alpico Plaza: http://www.alpico-plaza.jp/

Matsumoto Bus Terminal 松本バスタミナール:
- Platform 2 for Shin Asama line 新浅間線 (Bus No. 21) to Matsumoto City Museum of Art 松本市美術館 and Asama Onsen 浅間温泉.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/matsumoto/shinasama/
- Platform 3 for Utsukushigahara Onsen line 美ヶ原温泉線 (Bus No. 31) to Utsukushigahara Onsen 美ヶ原温泉.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/matsumoto/utsukushigaharaonsen/
- Platform 5 for Kuko, Asahi line 空港・朝日線 to Shinshu Matsumoto Airport 信州まつもと空港.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/matsumoto/kuko_asahi/
- Platform 8 for direct Airport Shuttle エアポートシャトル to Shinshu Matsumoto Airport 信州まつもと空港.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/matsumoto/airport_shuttle/

(4) Midori, a shopping mall connected seamlessly to the train station. Here, you are find MOS Burger (Level 1), Matsumoto Kiyoshi (Level 2) and Starbucks Coffee (Level 3). Restaurants are located on 4th floor of the shopping mall.
https://www.eki-midori.com/matsumoto/

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Commemorative stamp:

Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Hotaka Station 穂高駅, Hotaka Jinja 穂高神社

Hotaka Station 穂高駅 is a train station located along Oito line 大糸線 in Azumino city 安曇野市. The city lies east of the Northern Alps and is blessed with abundance of mountain spring water, favouring the cultivation of rice, soba, wasabi, apples, etc. For my trip, I came to Azumino to visit two of its well known places of interest, Hotaka Jinja 穂高神社 and Daio Wasabi Farm 大王わさび農場. However, I hope to return to this city again after discovering that it has so much more to offer, especially the beautiful scenery of vast agricultural fields and mountainous landscape. The tranquil environment here also saw the birth of numerous art museums, such as Tokuzan Art Museum 碌山美術館, Azumino Arthills Museum 安曇野アートヒルズミュージアム and Azumino Chihiro Art Museum 安曇野ちひろ美術館.

Trains serving this train station include:
(1) Limited Express Azusa あずさ, commuting between Shinjuku 新宿駅 and Minami Otari 南小谷駅, stopping by stations such as Matsumoto 松本駅, Hotaka 穂高駅, Shinano Omachi 信濃大町駅 and Hakuba 白馬駅.
(2) Resort View Furusato リゾートビューふるさと, a seasonal train commuting between Nagano and Minami Otari, stopping by stations such as Matsumoto 松本駅, Hotaka 穂高駅, Shinano Omachi 信濃大町駅 and Hakuba 白馬駅.
Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/railway/joyful/resortfuru.html

Limited Express Azusa.

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What’s nearby?

(1) Bus stop, in front of the train station.
Bus services:
- Azumino Shuyu Bus East Loop Daio line あずみ野周遊バス 東回り 大王線, departing Hotaka Station for Hotaka Jinja 穂高神社 and Daio Wasabi Farm 大王わさび農場.
- Azumino Shuyu Bus West Loop Chibiro Alps Park line あずみ野周遊バス 西回り ちひろ アルプス公園線, departing Hotaka Station for Alps Azumino National Government Park 国営アルプスあづみの公園, Azumino Arthills Museum 安曇野アートヒルズミュージアム and Azumino Chihiro Art Museum 安曇野ちひろ美術館.
Both bus services are available between 3 July to 31 November - daily during the summer season; on weekends and public holidays outside of summer season.
https://www.azumino-e-tabi.net/transportation/azumino-excursionbus
http://www.azumikanko-taxi.co.jp/2011/02/040-03.html

(2) Tourist information center 安曇野市観光案内所, located beside the train station.

(3) Hotaka Jinja 穂高神社, 3 mins walk from the train station.
Surrounded by towering cedar trees, this beautiful wood constructed shrine is where Wadatsumi no Mikoto 綿津見命, a sea deity and ancestor of Azumi clan (who migrated from northern Kyushu to Azumino) and Hotakami no Mikoto 穂高見命 are enshrined. One trivia about Azumino is that there are many Dosojin 道祖神 or traveller's guardian deity being worshipped in this city. Keep a lookout for a huge stainless steel Dosojin (depicting an old couple), which was erected in the premises of Hotaka Jinja in 2013 (Heisei 25), to commemorate the people of Nagano Prefecture achieving the highest life expectancy in Japan. Hotaka Station building was also inspired by this shrine which explained why its exterior bears some resemblances as well.
http://www.hotakajinja.com/index.html

Stainless steel Dosojin depicting an old couple, symbolising good health, longevity and loving marriage/relationship.

(4) Tokuzan Art Museum 碌山美術館, 7 mins walk from the train station.
From its outwards appearance, one may mistaken this building as a church. This art museum, nearest to the train station, is dedicated to the works of Moriye Ogihara 荻原守衛 (Rokuzan 碌山), a sculptor who was born in Azumino and brought modern western style bronze sculpture to Japan. Turn left after exiting from the train station and keep a lookout for a brick path which will lead to the art museum.
http://rokuzan.jp/



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Commemorative stamp:

Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Hakuba Station 白馬駅

Hakuba Station 白馬駅 is a train station located along the Oito line 大糸線. The 105.4 km railway line connects Matsumoto Station 松本駅 in Nagano Prefecture to Itoigawa Station 糸川駅 in Niigata Prefecture. Hakuba-mura 白馬村 lies east of Ushirotateyama mountain range 後立山連峰 which forms a section of the bigger Northern Alps and Hakuba Happo-one Snow Resort 白馬八方尾根スキー場 was one of the venues in Nagano Prefecture which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. Came to Hakuba because I wanted to visit Happo-ike 八方池, a small lake located 2,060 m above sea level in which the reflection of the three peaks of Hakuba 白馬三山 (Shirouma dake 白馬岳 - 2,932 m, Hakubayariga dake 白馬鑓ヶ岳 - 2,903 m and Shakushi dake 杓子岳 - 2,812 m) can be clearly seen on its water surface on a good day.





Trains serving this train station include:
(1) Limited Express Azusa あずさ, commuting between Shinjuku 新宿駅 and Minami Otari 南小谷駅, stopping by stations such as Matsumoto 松本駅, Hotaka 穂高駅, Shinano Omachi 信濃大町駅 and Hakuba 白馬駅.
(2) Resort View Furusato リゾートビューふるさと, a seasonal train commuting between Nagano and Minami Otari, stopping by stations such as Matsumoto 松本駅, Hotaka 穂高駅, Shinano Omachi 信濃大町駅 and Hakuba 白馬駅.
Website: https://www.jreast.co.jp/railway/joyful/resortfuru.html



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What's nearby?

(1) Bus stop, in front of the train station.
Bus services:
- Alpico Bus Hakuba Station - Hakuba Happo - Tsugaike line (白馬駅 - 白馬八方 - 栂池線)
- Alpico Bus Hakuba Station - Hakuba Happo - Sakurawa line (白馬駅 - 白馬八方 - 猿倉線)
Bus schedule: https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/hakuba/
* Both buses stop at Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal 白馬八方バスタミナール, the nearest bus stop to Happo Gondola Lift Happo Station 八方ゴンドラリフト八方駅. From the bus stop, it takes another 15 minutes to walk to Happo Station.

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Commemorative stamp:

Chubu Nagano & Niigata 中部 長野、新潟 - Super Hotel Matsumoto Ekimae スーパーホテル松本駅前

Stayed 18.10.2016 (Tue)
Booked thru' Jalan.net
- Single Room = 6,080 yen
- Super Room = 8,700 yen

When it comes to searching for accommodation in a city area, my first choice normally goes out to Toyoko Inn because of its affordable rates and decent service. However, the branch in Matsumoto is located slightly further away from the train station; approximately 6 minutes walk required. Landed on Super Hotel eventually as it is comparatively nearer (maybe 1 minute closer) and prices are pretty competitive despite its strategic location. Having stayed in Super Hotel twice (first time was in Izumo), I have to concur that Super Hotel is better than Toyoko Inn, in terms of facilities and service. Based on my experience so far, I find that Super Hotel pays a lot of attention to ensure guests get the most rest and rejuvenation during their stay here.

Rejuvenation. Take the lift to the lobby located on the second floor. Check in procedure was a breeze and we were handed over a slip of paper indicating the room number and the passcode to input into the device attached to the doors to unlock the room - just like a safe box. Conventional key system does not exist here in Super Hotel. Female guests are also entitled to additional perks; upon checking in, the staff will lead them to a drawer filled with face masks, bath powder and other toiletries and they can choose up to five items! There is a coffee machine available for guests to bring complimentary coffee back into their rooms to enjoy. For those who are extremely particular about their pillow, you will be excited to see a shelf neatly arranged with various kinds of pillows catering to the needs of different people, all for the same objective to grab a good night sleep.

Sumptuous breakfast. No different from other business hotel chains, the rooms in Super Hotel are equipped with basic amenities. Both single and super room are 12 m2 in floor area, a size which is typical for many budget business hotels. The super room has a 140 cm wide bed and an upper deck single bed to hold up to three people. Complimentary breakfast was buffet style served in a spacious area, on the same level as the lobby, and a good variety of Japanese and western food options were available. Super Hotel even has its own line up of salad dressing, emphasizes on exclusion of chemical preservatives and ingredients which can create common food allergies. All ingredients you need to create a healthy and balanced breakfast are provided here - organic greens, grilled fish, stewed meat and root vegetables, local specialties, bread, cereals, fruit juices etc, were served on the following morning. All in all, very impressed and satisfied by the quality service extended by Super Hotel!

Left: Corner with brochures and reference materials to attractions nearby; Right: Ladies' corner where beauty items can be picked up.

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What's nearby?

(1) Matsumoto Ekimae Post Office 松本駅前郵便局, located on the other side of the road junction, diagonal to the hotel.
Operating hours: 0900 - 1700 hrs on weekdays
Website: http://map.japanpost.jp/p/search/dtl/300111280000/?&cond200=1&&his=ar,nm

Postcard collection. I am always on the lookout for post offices whenever I am in Japan, and especially when I visit a new prefecture on the map. After I discovered the existence of the regional exclusive postcards introduced by Posta Collect a couple of years ago, I have been an avid collector since then! What I like most about these postcards is their accurate representation of what each region is unique for - something that I can fondly remember the place for. For Nagano's version, prominent landmarks such as Zenkoji (善光寺) and Matsumoto Castle (松本城), natural landscape such as Kamikochi (上高地) and food such as Oyagi and apples were featured on these postcards on different years. It has gotten a bit additive for me to the point that I plan visits/detours to post offices, which are usually only open during weekdays, into my itinerary as well!
Tip: In fact, the true collectible items are the mini versions of these postcards which are not for sale. On rare occasions, the staff will give me a few to choose from, which I guess is subjected to availability as well. Glad to receive the mini versions of Matsumoto Castle and Zenkoji from this visit!
Nagano Prefecture's Posta Collect postcards: https://www.postacollect.com/gotochi/area17/

Matsumoto Castle was featured in 2010's series.

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Super Hotel Matsumoto Ekimae スーパーホテル松本駅前
長野県松本市中央１－１－７

http://www.superhotel.co.jp/s_hotels/matumoto/matumoto.html

How to get there?

Approx 5 minutes walk from Matsumoto JR Station East Exit.

Chubu Nagano & Niigata 中部 長野、新潟 - Day 3 Azumino 安曇野, Hakuba 白馬, Happo 八方池

Day 3: 18.10.2016 (Tue)

Breakfast spread served at Kai Matsumoto.

Breakfast: Kai Matsumoto 界松本

Asama Onsen Hot Plaza 浅間温泉ホットプラザ (0818 hrs) > Matsumoto Ekimae 松本駅前 (0843 hrs)
by bus. [360 yen]

Super Hotel Matsumoto Ekimae.

Checked in: Super Hotel Matsumoto Ekimae スーパーホテル松本駅前
http://www.superhotel.co.jp/s_hotels/matumoto/matumoto.html

Matsumoto JR 松本駅 (0922 hrs) > Hotaka JR 穂高駅 (0952 hrs)
by local train. [320 yen]

Hotaka Shrine.

Visited Hotaka Shrine 穂高神社.
http://www.hotakajinja.com/

Hotaka JR 穂高駅 (1045 hrs) > Hakuba JR 白馬駅 (1128 hrs)
by Ltd Exp Azusa 3. [1,590 yen]

Hakuba Ekimae 白馬駅前 > Happo Eki八方駅
by taxi. [1,200 yen]

On board Gondola Lift to Usagidaira.

Purchased Happo Alpen Line Round Trip Ticket. [2,900 yen]
Happo Eki 八方駅 > Usagidaira 兎平 by Gondola Lift "Adam".
Usagidaira 兎平 > Kurobishidaira 黒菱平 by Alpen Quad Lift.
Kurobishidaira 黒菱平 > Happo ike Sansou 八方池山荘 by Grat Quad Lift.

Happo ike.

Visited Happo ike八方池.
Walk from Happo ike Sansou to Happo ike took about 90 mins. 

http://www.hakuba-happo.or.jp/

Happo ike Sansou 八方池山荘 > Kurobishidaira 黒菱平 > Usagidaira 兎平 > Happo Eki 八方駅

Happo Eki 八方駅 > Hakuba Ekimae 白馬駅前
by taxi. [1,200 yen]

Hakuba JR 白馬駅 (1639 hrs) > Shinano Omachi JR 信濃大町駅 > Matsumoto JR 松本駅 (1811 hrs)
by local train. [1,140 yen]

Affordable grilled pork rice bowl (たっぷりネギ塩丼) at Matsuya.

Dinner: Matsuya 松屋

Shopping at Ario アリオ. [17.05.2020 Update: Replaced by Alpico Plaza]

- End of Day 3 -