Matsumoto is one of only five castles in Japan with its original 16th-century wooden donjon still standing. That gets you off the Shinkansen; the black-walled streets, the Kusama museum, the soba and the Alps ten minutes up the road are what keep you for two nights. Plus the practical bits most guides skip.

What altitude sickness actually feels like in the Japan Alps, which peaks catch people out, how to prevent it, and what to do if it happens. With hut advice, insurance notes, and the one Japan-specific trap (bullet climbing) to avoid.

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