松本 Castle to Summit 2026

From National Treasure Matsumoto Castle to Utsukushigahara, one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains, this is a town-to-highland challenge with a proper journey built into it. The route moves from castle town to satoyama foothills and then up toward open plateau country, linking history and nature on your own two feet. It sounds like the kind of run where the mood changes as much as the view: "with every step, the scenery and your feelings change." Expect the legs to notice the transition from streets to mountain edge to high ground, with the finish feeling earned rather than handed over. The distinctive bit is right there in the idea: carrying yourself from castle to summit, "connecting" the place by foot.