Matsumoto & Azumino Local Quiz Practice: Questions and Explanations

Correct answerHimeji Castle

Himeji Castle is correct. Only five castles nationwide have keeps designated National Treasures, and Matsumoto Castle is one of them. It first received the designation in 1936 under the old National Treasure Preservation Law, then was redesignated in 1952 when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties took effect.

Source:Matsumoto Castle

Correct answerNational Treasure

National Treasure is correct. On September 30, 2019, it became the first modern school building designated a National Treasure. Completed in 1876, the building blends Japanese and Western design in the pseudo-Western style typical of early Meiji-era school architecture, and stands as a landmark in the history of Japanese education.

Source:Former Kaichi School building

Correct answerthe Salt Road

The Salt Road is correct. Linking Itoigawa on the Sea of Japan coast with Matsumoto, it carried salt and seafood inland by ox and porter relay. Stretches crossing Azumino still preserve traces of the post towns where those carriers once rested along the route.

Source:The Salt Road: Chikuni-kaido (Nagano)

Correct answeran eruption of Mount Yake

An eruption of Mount Yake is correct. In 1915, lava and mudflow from the eruption dammed the Azusa River, and the pond is said to have appeared almost overnight. Dead trees still standing in the shallow water remain part of the eerily beautiful scenery that makes Taisho Pond one of Kamikochi's signature views.

Source:Chubu-Sangaku National Park: places to see

Correct answera whole chicken thigh marinated in sauce and deep-fried

A whole chicken thigh marinated in sauce and deep-fried is correct. Despite the name including "yaki" (grilled), it is actually deep-fried, and it is served widely at diners and izakayas around Matsumoto and Shiojiri, often as a rice bowl or set meal called sanzoku-yaki-don. Its exact origin is debated, but the most widely cited account traces it to an izakaya in Shiojiri.

Source:Sanzoku-yaki of Matsumoto, Nagano

Correct answera clear-bottom boat ride

A clear-bottom boat ride is correct. The transparent boat floor lets riders see the wasabi fields and riverbed just beneath the surface. The water, fed by snowmelt from the Northern Alps, stays cold even in the height of summer. The farm grounds also include water mills and shops where visitors can sample fresh wasabi products harvested on site.

Source:Daio Wasabi Farm

Correct answerSeiji Ozawa

Seiji Ozawa is correct. A disciple of conductor Hideo Saito, he led the festival for many years after it began in 1992. Every summer the program fills venues around Matsumoto with orchestra concerts, opera, and chamber music performances. The festival was originally called the Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto, honoring Ozawa's teacher Hideo Saito, before being renamed the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival in 2015.

Source:International Music Festival Promotion Division

Correct answerdosojin

Dosojin is correct. Azumino is said to be a treasure trove of dosojin, standing as guardian deities at crossroads and field edges throughout the villages. Their carved forms vary widely, from plain text steles to statues showing a man and woman clasping hands. The paired male-and-female carvings are traditionally read as prayers for a fertile harvest and a harmonious marriage.

Source:Touring the dosojin

Correct answerAme-ichi

Ame-ichi is correct. Once also called the "Salt Market," it is said to trace back to the Sengoku-period legend of "sending salt to an enemy," and remains one of Matsumoto's largest New Year events. Stalls line the central streets, selling lucky charms tied to the gods Ebisu and Daikoku.

Source:Matsumoto Ame-ichi

Correct answerTrue

This is correct. Its home towns extend beyond Matsumoto to several other municipalities in Nagano, including Azumino and Shiojiri. The club's roots trace back to the amateur Yamaga Soccer Club, founded in 1965, and it was approved to join the J.League in 2011. Its home stadium, Sunpro Alwin, sits on the edge of Matsumoto and is one of the largest dedicated football stadiums in the prefecture.

Source:Matsumoto Yamaga FC profile

Correct answerblack weatherboarding from the base to the top story

Black weatherboarding from the base to the top story is correct. It is often contrasted with the white walls of Himeji Castle, and the dark exterior preserves the early Edo-period design. The black coating was originally made with ink, and it has been finished in black lacquer since the mid-20th-century restoration.

Source:Matsumoto Castle

Correct answerthe National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival

The National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival is correct. Highlights include a nationwide ice-sculpting competition where carvers compete for the best work, and an approximately 20-meter ice slide, making it a signature winter event held around January at Matsumoto Castle Park and other venues.

Source:National Treasure Matsumoto Castle Ice Sculpture Festival 2025

Correct answerover 100

Over 100 is correct. The dish is said to have originated at an izakaya in Shiojiri, and awareness spread widely after the "Matsumoto Sanzoku-yaki Supporters" group formed in 2011. It is now a standard menu item at diners and izakayas throughout Matsumoto.

Source:The history of Matsumoto and sanzoku-yaki

Correct answersoba (Shinshu soba noodles)

Soba (Shinshu soba noodles) is correct. Matsumoto has many soba specialty shops open through the day and evening, and the city's tourism site even runs a feature on "soba shops recommended by residents," showing how deeply the noodles are woven into daily life. The Matsumoto basin's wide swing between day and night temperatures is often credited with giving the local buckwheat its favorable growing conditions.

Source:12 recommended soba shops chosen by Matsumoto residents

Correct answerthe Northern Alps (Hida Mountains)

The Northern Alps (Hida Mountains) is correct. Peaks around 3,000 meters line the western edge of Azumino, and each spring a snow pattern resembling a robed monk, called Jonenbo, appears on Mount Jonen's slope and serves as a seasonal marker for local life.

Source:City overview

Correct answerOgatoh

Ogatoh is correct, standing 2,034 meters above sea level as the highest point of the plateau spreading across eastern Matsumoto. The area is counted among Japan's 100 Famous Mountains and is known as one of the few highlands reachable by car almost to the summit. A cluster of broadcast antenna towers stands at the summit, visible from a considerable distance across the plateau.

Source:Utsukushigahara

Correct answerKamikochi

Kamikochi is correct. From Matsumoto Bus Terminal, a three-minute walk from JR Matsumoto Station, services such as the "National Park Liner" run direct buses toward Kamikochi and Utsukushigahara, making the terminal a gateway for nature-bound travelers.

Source:National Park Liner

Correct answerit is an outdoor sculpture made for the museum's 2002 opening

An outdoor sculpture made for the museum's 2002 opening is correct. The giant work by Yayoi Kusama stands permanently beside the entrance of Matsumoto City Museum of Art, which is known for holding an extensive collection of her pieces.

Source:Floor map

Correct answerthe ptarmigan

The ptarmigan is correct. It is also Nagano Prefecture's official bird, and the mascot "Ganzu-kun" became official when the club joined the J.League. The team's nickname "Termigans" likewise comes from the English word for this bird.

Source:Matsumoto Yamaga FC profile

Correct answera literary museum operated by Azumino City

A literary museum operated by Azumino City is correct. It introduces the life and work of Usui Yoshimi and stands in the very region that inspired his best-known novel, displaying many materials tied to the figures depicted in it. The collection includes personal writing implements and manuscripts in Usui's own hand, making the museum a hub for preserving the region's literary heritage.

Source:Yoshimi Usui Literary Museum

Correct answerAsama Onsen

Asama Onsen is correct. Known as Matsumoto's secluded retreat, it even hosted a villa belonging to the Matsumoto domain lord during the Edo period. About fifteen minutes by car from the city center, it remains popular today for day baths and overnight stays at its ryokan. The alkaline, low-mineral water is often praised for being gentle on the skin, and a number of inns and public bathhouses still operate there today.

Source:Hot springs of Matsumoto

Correct answer2nd

2nd is correct, after Aomori Prefecture. Orchards around Azumino and Matsumoto take advantage of the basin's wide swing between daytime and nighttime temperatures, and a succession of varieties come into harvest from September through November. Nagano-bred varieties such as Shinano Sweet and Shinano Gold have also built a following well beyond the prefecture.

Source:2024 apple bearing area, harvest, and shipment volume

Correct answertheir carving styles and expressions vary widely

Their carving styles and expressions vary widely is correct. Forms range from plain "text steles" carved with characters to "handshake statues" showing a man and woman clasping hands, and each is said to reflect the individual style of the stonemason who carved it. Local variations even include figures sharing a cup of sake, and touring the region to compare the different styles has become a pastime of its own.

Source:Touring the dosojin

Correct answerMingei (folkcraft)

Mingei (folkcraft) is correct. The movement, launched in 1926 by Muneyoshi Yanagi and others, held that everyday objects made by anonymous craftspeople carry their own quiet beauty. Taro Maruyama, deeply moved by this idea, brought it to Matsumoto, laying the groundwork for the city's enduring reputation as a hub for furniture-making and traditional crafts.

Source:Mingei movement

Correct answerJapan's 100 Famous Waters (Ministry of the Environment) / 100 Selected Water Villages (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)

Japan's 100 Famous Waters and 100 Selected Water Villages are correct. As clear springs fed by snowmelt from the Northern Alps, the site holds designations from both the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the water is treasured for supporting wasabi cultivation and daily life alike. Several free public spring-water taps are maintained around the city, and visitors are often seen sampling and comparing the water from different sources.

Source:The clear waters of Azumino

Correct answer神垣内 (Kamikochi, “within the divine enclosure”)

神垣内 (Kamikochi, “within the divine enclosure”) is correct. Until the Edo period, it was remote woodland rarely visited except by forestry workers, regarded almost as sacred ground set apart from human settlement. The old spelling tells a history quite different from the resort area it has since become. Serious visits by mountaineers and researchers only began in earnest after the Meiji era, and the area's history since has balanced development against protection.

Source:Kamikochi: Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument

Correct answervalley category

Valley category is correct. Selected through a nationwide vote organized by the Osaka Mainichi and Tokyo Nichinichi newspapers in 1927, the honor is said to have brought Kamikochi its first wave of national attention as a tourist destination. The winning sites in each category received extensive newspaper coverage, which is said to have fueled a wider travel boom at the time.

Source:Kamikochi: Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument

Correct answerJapanese larch

Japanese larch is correct. The Environment Ministry ranger describes it as a suspension bridge harmonizing with nature. The current bridge has been rebuilt several times over the years, and it remains one of Kamikochi's most photographed and painted landmarks.

Source:Kappa Bridge

Correct answerMount Yake

Mount Yake is correct. The Hotaka Range rises upstream, while smoking Mount Yake is visible downstream, so standing on the bridge alone offers a sweeping view of Kamikochi's signature peaks in both directions. Mount Yake remains an active volcano, and the Japan Meteorological Agency continues to monitor it closely.

Source:Kappa Bridge

Correct answerabout 10-15 years

About 10-15 years is correct. Rain and snow falling on the Northern Alps filter slowly through layers of earth that act as a natural sieve, shedding impurities while picking up moderate minerals before finally settling into the aquifer beneath Azumino.

Source:Azumino tap water is 100% groundwater

Correct answerflatland cultivation

Flatland cultivation is correct. Because it draws on springs welling up at the foot of the alluvial fan, it allows for much larger planted areas than the terraced methods used in mountain valleys, and it is one of the techniques that helped make Azumino Japan's leading wasabi-growing region. The water's nearly constant year-round temperature is also considered one of the key conditions that made large-scale cultivation possible.

Source:Wasabi cultivated with Azumino water

Correct answer1832

1832 is correct. Local residents dug this irrigation canal linking Oshino to Koizumi in central Azumino, drawing extra manpower from neighboring villages such as Ikeda. The project shows how late-Edo farming communities pooled their labor to carve out new waterways, and the canal still nourishes Azumino's rice paddies today.

Source:Irrigation canals flowing through Azumino

Correct answerUchikawa at Oshino in Akashina

Uchikawa at Oshino in Akashina is correct. Flowing from Oshino to Koizumi, the canal irrigates rice paddies across five districts, which is how it earned the name Goka ("five districts") Irrigation Canal. Opened in 1832 with help from Ikeda villages, it still supports farming in the area today. Local irrigation cooperatives still manage the canal today, adjusting its flow during the rice-planting season each year.

Source:Irrigation canals flowing through Azumino

Correct answerclear Azusa River / Hotaka Range / Mount Yake

The clear Azusa River, the Hotaka Range, and Mount Yake are correct. Along with these three, riverside chosenia forest, Taisho Pond, and Kappa Bridge also fall within the designated area, and the interplay of mountains, water, and bridges is what gives Kamikochi its distinctive scenery. The scenery shifts noticeably with each season, drawing photographers back again and again throughout the year.

Source:Kamikochi: Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument

Correct answerspring water at 12-16°C year-round / springs at the foot of the fan

Spring water at 12-16°C year-round and springs at the foot of the fan are correct. Wasabi is extremely sensitive to changes in water quality, so large-scale cultivation depends on a constant flow of stable, cool water regardless of the season.

Source:Wasabi cultivated with Azumino water

Correct answera wheeled tower serves as the base / dolls depicting historical figures and scenes are displayed on top

A wheeled tower as the base and dolls depicting historical figures and scenes on top are correct. On festival day, groups of young residents take turns pulling the floats through the shrine grounds and surrounding streets, one of the event's biggest draws.

Source:Hotaka Shrine Ofune Festival

Correct answerStart of Ishikawa castle construction → Start of keep construction → Start of castle-town house construction → Joining the Eastern Army at Sekigahara

The order is castle construction start, keep construction start, town-house construction start, and the Battle of Sekigahara. Ishikawa Kazumasa and his son Yasunaga pushed forward the castle and town's development within a short span, and the keep's defensive character is thought to have been reinforced amid the family's shifting relationship with the Tokugawa side. The layout of moats and earthworks established in this period still forms the basic skeleton of the castle grounds today.

Source:Matsumoto Castle chronology

Correct answerAuction of Matsumoto Castle keep → Exhibitions in Matsumoto Castle keep → Formation of the keep preservation society → Completion of the Meiji-era repair

The order is the auction, the exhibitions, the preservation society, and the completed repair. The keep once faced the danger of demolition, was bought back through the efforts of local citizens, and has continued to be preserved through community-led restoration work ever since. This history is why Matsumoto Castle is often described as "the castle citizens saved," and that spirit of preservation still runs through the community today.

Source:Matsumoto Castle preserved by residents

Correct answerOpening of Kaichi School → Completion of Kaichi School building → Relocation of Kaichi School → Kaichi School national-treasure designation

The order is the school's opening, the building's completion, its relocation, and the National Treasure designation. It opened in 1873 at a different site, the well-known pseudo-Western building was completed in 1876, the whole structure was relocated in 1964 due to river widening, and it became a National Treasure in 2019.

Source:Former Kaichi School building

Correct answerabout 110-116 km²

About 110-116 km² is correct. That area equals roughly 12% of Matsumoto City as a whole, and as much as 28% of the Azumi district alone, showing how large a share of the municipality is devoted to nature conservation.

Source:Kamikochi: Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Special Natural Monument