A Book-Themed Trip to Matsumoto in Midsummer
It has been nearly a year now, but I would like to share the story of a one-night trip I took with a book theme, undeterred by the summer heat.
It is my habit to always sneak one or two books into my bag when traveling, but when the theme itself is "books," I pin book spots on Google Maps before I go.
The destination I chose at that time was Matsumoto. A city already filled with various attractive elements like a castle town, folk crafts, and hot springs... I had stopped by for a day trip over ten years ago, but I had been wanting to take my time and walk around the town in a relaxed manner.
Asama Onsen "Matsumoto Honbako"
Immediately after arriving at Matsumoto Station on the Limited Express Azusa, I headed to Asama Onsen. I took a bus there. As many of you may know, this area has recently been in the spotlight again as a collection of hot spring inns under the concept of "Matsumoto Jujo" has been built.
My first destination was "Matsumoto Honbako" located within that area.
It is a bold experiment to renovate a bathing area into a library. The bathtubs and washbasins remain as they were, yet books are lined up all around... this strange space is addictive.
Even if you are not staying overnight, you can visit for up to an hour, so I highly recommend that book lovers stop by.
There is also a day-trip hot spring facility near the bus stop, so you can enjoy the high-quality water of Asama at an affordable price!
Tegamisha Fumibako
Something you cannot miss in Asama Onsen is the Tegamisha shop, which deals in paper goods. Their main store recently made headlines by moving from Chofu to Tachikawa, but this branch in Asama Onsen is a shop and cafe renovated from a former bank.
It is fun to take your time choosing souvenirs in the spacious store, where light pours in from windows covering an entire wall. Furthermore, there is a used book corner in the space that used to be the vault! This is truly another book spot in Asama Onsen.
Shioribi
After returning to Matsumoto city, I had dinner that day and immersed myself in reading at the hotel. And the next morning, after checking out and visiting a shrine, I headed to a famous book spot in Matsumoto.
Shioribi has many faces: it is a bookstore that mainly sells independent new books, a cafe, and also a public bathhouse.
Please check this website for more details.
The second floor is recommended for book lovers. Once you buy a drink on the first floor, head straight to the seats on the second floor. The sight of countless books lined up in a spacious area is sure to make any book lover feel excited.
Since it is a renovated old shop, the entrance being a bit hard to find at first is part of the charm. Also, 'Kiku-no-yu' across the street is an affiliated public bath, so depending on the time, you can immerse yourself in the world of Shioribi as a set with a bath.
Avoid Tuesdays in Matsumoto.
I also visited the art museum famous for Yayoi Kusama's art, and it was a very fulfilling two-day, one-night trip to Matsumoto. ...However, there was one disappointing thing.
Shops on Nawate-dori Shopping Street, such as Kissa Marumo and Mingei Chikiriya, are closed on Tuesdays, and since I happened to be there on that exact day, I couldn't go to either...
The deserted Nawate-dori... Walking through it while the sunlight beat down on me like torture, feeling a bit lonely, is a bittersweet memory...
So, for those planning a tour of shops in Matsumoto, it seems best to avoid Tuesdays. Furthermore, many shops take consecutive days off, such as Mondays or Wednesdays, so I recommend checking the closing days of the shops you want to visit thoroughly!