Matsumoto was born in the Sarugakuchō district of Tokyo into a family of Noh theater players of the Hosho school.

He also had a strong interest in classical Chinese literature, Japanese calligraphy and the English language, and was also fond of popular theater and rakugo comic storytelling.

At around the age of 20, Matsumoto abandoned the idea of becoming a Noh actor because of his ongoing health problems and turned to composing haiku professionally.

After spending the summer of 1925 recuperating from illness in Kamakura, Matsumoto moved there the following year and made it his home until 1945.

This was followed by the haiku anthologies Taka ("Hawk"), Yumi ("Arrow"), Nomori ("Gamekeeper") and the essay collections of Ego no Hana ("Styrax blossom"), and Kanawa ("Iron Ring") In 1946, he began his own literary magazine, Fue ("Flute").