Japan Guide
Central Honshū
Matsumoto City Museum of Art
One of the city's main attractions; outside are Yayoi Kusama's The Visionary Flowers – a cross between giant technicolour tulips and triffids. There's a fascinating gallery inside devoted to this famous contemporary artist, who was born in Matsumoto, as well as ones for the calligrapher Shinzan Kamijyo and the landscape artist Tamura Kazuo. Also look out for Yayoi's polka-dotted take on a vending machine outside the gallery. Address: About 1km directly east of the JR station along Ekimae-dōri 
www.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/artmuse Opening time: Tues– Sun 9am–4.30pmPrice: ¥800