Matsusaka travel guide

Matsusaka, Japan

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Matsusaka

Introduction

Matsusaka is a city in Mie Prefecture, Japan, and it is best known for Matsusaka beef. The city spreads across a large area of roughly 624 square kilometres, and its population lives at a relatively low density across that space.

Before you go

Matsusaka sits in the centre of Mie and has long been a merchant town, selling goods to pilgrims on their way to the sacred shrine in Ise. That trade continues today, with travellers and pilgrims passing through in numbers, and the city is best known for Matsusaka beef, counted among the finest wagyu in the country. Whatever brings you here — a backpacking stop, a family holiday, or a serious interest in food — you'll find something to suit you. The local Tourist Information Center runs a multilingual guide site worth checking before you arrive.

Matsusaka is extremely safe, and crime against tourists is practically unheard of. The large red light district, Atago-machi, has a reputation among locals for danger, but that isn't really the case; you'll know if you wander in, and at worst you may be solicited — a simple "no thank you" always suffices — or hear a drunken businessman singing terrible karaoke through a thin wall. Avoid places with "snack" in the name unless you want to pay exorbitant prices for watered-down drinks. Don't visit the Matsusaka castle ruins after dark unless an event is on: the walls are extremely steep with no guard railing, so it's easy to lose your step. Drivers here can be erratic compared with other places, so take care on narrow, dark roads.

Getting there

Matsusaka is served by two rail networks, JR and Kintetsu. From Nagoya Station, trains run to Matsusaka, and paying extra for the faster, more comfortable Limited Express option cuts the journey time. From Osaka-Namba Station, take the Toba-bound Kintetsu Special Express to Matsusaka Station, a trip of roughly an hour and a half. From Kyoto, the Kashikojima-bound Kintetsu Special Express reaches Matsusaka Station in about two hours.

By air, the nearest airport is Chubu Centrair International Airport, from which ferries connect to the neighbouring city of Tsu; from Tsu Station, trains to Matsusaka Station take about twenty minutes. Matsusaka is also reachable from Kansai International Airport: take a train from the airport to Osaka-Namba, then continue to Matsusaka, for a total trip of about two hours and forty minutes. By car, the city is accessible from the Ise Expressway via the Matsusaka interchange, with the main part of town about ten minutes from the exit.

Getting around

Matsusaka Station is the hub of visitor life, and the simplest strategy is to base yourself near it: the majority of the city's hotels and restaurants are clustered around the station, and most of the main sites can be reached on foot. Walking is genuinely viable for the centre, so you can cover the core of the city without any vehicle at all. For anything farther out, switch to a bus or a rental car.

Where to stay

Most accommodation in Matsusaka caters to business travellers, so mid-range chain hotels are easy to find. Toyoko Inn sits right beside the station on the JR side, with clean, comfortable rooms. A short walk from the Kintetsu side of the station, AU Hotel has a rooftop bar and restaurant worth knowing about.

Food & drink

Matsusaka beef is the reason many travellers come here, and it is treated with something close to reverence: almost anything containing it, from rice crackers to finely marbled cuts, is marketed under the name. Budget eaters will find that the food people travel for is not cheap, but a takoyaki and taiyaki stand on the main street near the station makes a cheap snack, and chain restaurants and mom-and-pop eateries with decent prices are scattered throughout the city.

Matsusaka's nightlife is vibrant but different from the youthful clubs of Osaka and Tokyo, with bars and clubs aimed at a middle-aged working-class crowd and a genuinely friendly atmosphere in most local watering holes. Popcorn sits right outside the station on the JR side, run by a friendly, funny English-speaking owner-bartender who makes his drinks strong. Gappa Ramones is a small punk bar decked out in memorabilia, playing everything from local underground metal to The Pogues. Posse is a newer bar with a modern vibe and a bartender fond of heavy metal, as at Gappa Ramones. Shots Bar Owl is a cosy bar tucked in an alley near the station, with Audrey Hepburn films and smooth jazz on the television. Wally Cook, in front of the station on the Kintetsu side, is a Japanese-style izakaya with a modern feel and decent, pricy food.

What to see and do

The ruins of Matsusaka Castle anchor the city's sightseeing, with well-preserved walls and grounds that double as a local park. Spring brings cherry blossoms and wisteria, while autumn turns the trees colourful, and historical monuments and markers are scattered throughout—including stone coffin lids reused as building material. A bar and restaurant sit in the lower part of the main bailey, and a coffee stand occupies the second bailey; both open when their owners feel like it. Watch your footing near the steep walls, as there are no guard rails. Just outside the castle, Gojoban Yashiki is a street of preserved Edo-period samurai houses still lived in by their descendants, so keep noise and photography respectful; an open house near the end of the road lets you look around one of the homes. Museums cover two local scholars: the Museum of Motoori Norinaga, devoted to an 18th-century figure, and the Matsuura Takeshirō Museum, which covers the Hokkaido exploration of the man who named the island and lets you try on traditional Ainu clothing. For something louder, Matsusaka Rockers Club hosts local punk and metal bands in a rowdy room shared by punks, bikers and off-duty businessmen—bring ear protection. To get above the city, hike Mt. Hossaka, which looms overhead and is visible from almost anywhere; the trail suits relative beginners and the summit offers views as far as Nagoya on a clear day. Seasonal festivals run through the year, with the Ujisato Festival in November standing out: samurai march through the streets and gather at the castle ruins to honour the former lord of Matsusaka.

When to go

Matsusaka has a humid subtropical climate, so your trip will be shaped by warm, muggy summers and cool winters that see little to no snow. Summer is the hottest stretch of the year, with temperatures peaking on average in August — expect humid conditions and plan around the heat if you visit then. Winter is cool rather than severe, with January the coldest month on average; snow is rare, so winter weather is unlikely to disrupt your travel.

September stands out as the wettest month, making rain most likely then. If you travel in September, be prepared for wet conditions.

Three days in Matsusaka

Day one: Arrive at Matsusaka Station, reachable by JR or Kintetsu Limited Express from Nagoya Station, from Osaka's Namba Station on the Kintetsu Special Express, or from Kyoto; drivers can use the Ise Expressway, and Chubu Centrair International Airport and Kansai International Airport are the air gateways. Start at the Tourist Information Center, then spend the day walking the city streets of Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture.

Day two: Use buses to explore beyond the center. Head toward Bell Farm and Iinan, and consider the Kisei line for connections. Keep Matsusaka as your base and return in the evening.

Day three: Take a day trip toward Ise, Toba, or Kashikojima, or go via Tsu and Tsu Station. From Matsusaka Station you can also continue to Osaka, Namba, or Nagoya Station. Avoid overpacking your final day; whatever you choose, allow time to return to Matsusaka Station.

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