Matsumoto Jujo, an accommodation facility in Asama Onsen, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, is taking part in Matsumoto Architecture and Art Festival 2026: Advance (マツモト建築芸術祭2026 ADVANCE), which runs from Tuesday, November 3 (a national holiday) to Sunday, December 13, 2026.
At Matsumoto Honbako, the book hotel within Matsumoto Jujo, an installation by contemporary artist Kengo Kito (鬼頭健吾) is on display. "Otona Honbako" (オトナ本箱), a space renovated from what was once the large bath of a long-established ryokan, has become a special place where visitors can encounter contemporary art.
In this edition, the festival's venues also extend to the Asama Onsen area, where Matsumoto Jujo is located. Works can be viewed at four locations, including Matsumoto Jujo. Visitors can see art at the inn, then walk through the hot spring town to see contemporary art in buildings that tell the history of the area.
Kengo Kito's Installation in "Otona Honbako" at Matsumoto Honbako
Matsumoto Honbako, the book hotel of Matsumoto Jujo, was created by renovating the building of the former long-established ryokan Koyanagi (小柳). Inside is a bookstore where visitors can enjoy discovering books, and "Otona Honbako" in one corner of the store serves as the exhibition venue for this festival.
Here, contemporary artist Kengo Kito presents an installation. Kito is known for dynamic expression using color, light, and everyday materials. In a space that retains the look of the large bath once visited by many guests who came to take the waters, the work creates a new landscape.
Books, architecture, and contemporary art intersect in an experience unique to Matsumoto Honbako.
Art Spots in Asama Onsen Within Walking Distance of Matsumoto Jujo
Venues for this edition of the festival are located not only in downtown Matsumoto but also in the Asama Onsen area. Four sites, including Matsumoto Jujo, serve as exhibition venues, so visitors can enjoy art while walking around the hot spring town.
Asama Onsen has long been known as Matsumoto's "okuzashiki" (inner parlor). Buildings that convey its history as a geisha district and a hot spring cure resort still remain. In this festival, such buildings that hold the memory of the area become the stage for art.
Visitors can leave the inn, walk the alleys of the hot spring town, and step into buildings that they might otherwise pass by. Art offers a way to discover the history of Asama Onsen and new charms of the town.
Exhibition Venues in the Asama Onsen Area
Matsumoto Honbako (Matsumoto Jujo) / Kengo Kito: An installation by Kengo Kito is shown in "Otona Honbako," inside the bookstore renovated from the former large bath.
Former Asama Onsen Geien Kumiai (旧浅間温泉芸苑組合), 2nd floor of Tanabe Yakuhin (田辺薬品) / Kengo Kito: A building where geisha once worked hard at their practice. Works by the same artist can be seen in a space with a history different from that of Matsumoto Honbako.
Former Yoshizawa Souvenir Shop (旧吉沢土産店) / Mihoko Ogaki (大垣美穂子): The stage is a building that was once a souvenir shop in the hot spring town. In the work, human figures emitting countless lights appear in the darkness.
Shomon Bunko (松門文庫) / Takashi Nakajima (中島崇): A private library built in the Taisho era. Rather than treating the building as a mere backdrop for the exhibition, the work incorporates the architecture itself as part of the piece.
Stay Plan and Day Visits
Matsumoto Jujo sells accommodation plans that include a ticket to the Matsumoto Architecture and Art Festival.
After viewing the works at Matsumoto Honbako and touring Asama Onsen, guests can spend a relaxed time soaking in the hot spring and enjoying Matsumoto's food and books. Architecture, art, and hot springs: Matsumoto Jujo can serve as a base for a trip around Asama Onsen.
Accommodation plan with Matsumoto Architecture and Art Festival ticket
Plan details and reservations are available on the booking page.
Day visits (non-guests)
- Address: 3-13-1 Asama Onsen, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture
- Hours: 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM (last entry 4:00 PM)
- Closed: Saturday, November 7 and Monday, November 30
- Admission: Free, advance reservation required (viewing time: 1 hour)
- Reservations: https://matsumotojujo.jp/
Matsumoto Architecture and Art Festival 2026: Advance
- Dates: Tuesday, November 3 (national holiday) to Sunday, December 13, 2026
- Venues: 19 venues (18 facilities) in Matsumoto City
- Participating artists: 18 artists and groups from Japan and abroad
- Official website: https://maaf.jp/
About the Matsumoto Architecture and Art Festival
The Matsumoto Architecture and Art Festival is an art festival that exhibits works in historic buildings that remain in Matsumoto and in distinctive buildings around the city.
Through contrast, fusion, and resonance between architecture and art, the festival aims to create new appeal for the city of Matsumoto.
By using historic buildings as stages for art, it creates opportunities to rediscover the townscape and the value of architecture that had gone unnoticed until now.
