Matsue

Matsue (松江) is an old castle town at the heart of Izumo Province (present-day Shimane Prefecture), and with a population of approximately 207,000 is its largest city.

Understand
This laid-back samurai city is home to one of the few authentic wooden castles in Japan, and is also famous for its sunsets and traditional "wagashi" confectionery. Sitting between the shores of Lake Shinji and an inner sea, the city is rich in canals and is often called "City of Water". Matsue and its surrounding area is rich in cultural assets and historical sites, and many of Japan's most ancient legends are set in the area.

History
Matsue has been the political, economic, and cultural capital of the region for much of the past two millennia. At the time of the agriculture-based Yayoi civilization, between the third century BC and CE, and even earlier, during the Jomon civilization, much of whay is now Matsue was underwater. A large inland sea once covered much of the area. As a result, most of the archaeological sites associated with the ancient Izumo tribe and the origins of Japanese civilization are found on higher ground, on the city's southern edge. The younger city center developed from 1607 with the construction of Matsue Castle.

Land of Myths
Many of the myths compiled in the Kojiki, Japan's oldest collection of Myths, dating from the early 8th century take place in the province of Izumo. All the gods of Japan descend upon Matsue before going to their annual meeting at the Grand Shrine of Izumo (in neighboring Izumo). The entrance to the Underworld, ruled over by the god Susanoo can also be found in Matsue.

Lafcadio Hearn
Irish journalist Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) was an author of many books about Japan. He came to work as a teacher in Matsue in 1890, and although he spent only 15 months there, during that time he married a Japanese woman, became naturalized Japanese citizen (adopting the name Koizumi Yakumo). Hearn wrote about his life in Meiji Era Matsue and chronicled many local legends and ghost stories he has become Matsue's favorite son, and the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and his former residence are among the city's most popular attractions. Matsue’s Hearn connection led the national government to proclaim it one of Japan’s three top international tourist cities, along with the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara. Because of Hearn's Irish roots there are cultural connections between Matsue and Ireland and an Irish festival and parade is held yearly.

Orientation
The city center is split into two parts by the Ōhashi River (大橋川). It forms a natural division between the ancient and modern parts of Matsue. Matsue Station, most hotels, shops and restaurants are clustered in the southern part, while most historical sites and attractions are found in the northern part. The city center is not too big and most attractions are at walking distance.



Tourist Information Site
Visit Matsue is the city's official multilingual guide site.

Climate
The northern side of the Chugoku area of Japan on which Matsue lies is called the San'in and the southern part (on the Hiroshima side) is called the San'yo. The San'in and San'yo are separated by a range of mountains which results in quite different weather on both sides. In the San'in there is much more precipitation than in the San'yo with quite some snowfall in winter. Summers are hot and humid with lots of rainfall during rainy season (June to mid-July), making spring and autumn the ideal times to visit.

By plane
Matsue is served by two nearby airports.



By train
Matsue is a major stop on the JR San'in Main Line, which parallels the Sea of Japan coastline for most of its length.

The main way to reach Matsue by JR is by using the Yakumo limited express, which runs about once per hour to/from Kurashiki and Okayama, the latter being a major stop on the shinkansen. The one way trip takes 2 hr 30 min and costs ¥6,140 for a reserved seat. Yakumo services continue on to Izumo, taking around 30 minutes.

Some other JR limited express services run through Matsue:
 * The Super Matsukaze runs a few times per day to Tottori (90 min, ¥4,700) and Masuda (2 hr, ¥5810).
 * The Super Oki runs a few times per day to Masuda and Yamaguchi (4 hr, ¥7,460). The Shin-Yamaguchi shinkansen station is another 15 minutes down the line (¥7,790), offering a scenic alternate if traveling between Matsue and western Chūgoku or Kyūshū.

The above JR services are all free with the Japan Rail Pass.

In addition, one of Japan's few remaining overnight sleeper trains, the Sunrise Izumo, runs through Matsue daily. The train departs JR Tokyo Station at 22:00 and arrives in Matsue at 09:29. The return journey leaves Matsue at 19:24 and arrives in Tokyo at 07:08. The trip cost is the basic fare of ¥16,040 plus additional fees depending on the accommodation. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can book a carpeted floor space on this service at no charge (¥3,830 without the JR Pass). Fees for compartments and rooms range from ¥9,900 to ¥17,280. Showers on board. The train is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.

By bus
Highway buses connect Matsue and Tokyo (night bus only), Osaka, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Okayama, Kobe and Nagoya (night bus only). The ticket office is outside Matsue Station behind Lawson. Visit Matsue offers a discounted one-way fare of ¥500 for foreign tourists to use the highway buses between Matsue and Hiroshima. Tickets must be purchased on either the same day or the day before departure at a designated ticket office.

By car
If you're coming from Kansai, take the Chugoku Expressway west towards Hiroshima. At Ochiai JCT take the Yonago Expressway towards Yonago. Once in Yonago take the San'in Expressway to Matsue. Get off at Matsue Nishi. Alternately, take the free (but slower) Route 9 from Kyoto all the way here.

If you're coming from Yamaguchi or the west, the expressway is not totally complete. Take the Chugoku Expressway east. You can either take the Hamada Expressway at Chiyoda JCT towards Hamada and then Route 9 along the coast to Matsue, or to exit the highway at Miyoshi, take Route 314 through the mountains until Unnan(Mitoya-Kisuki) and then take the expressway to Matsue. Get off at Matsue Nishi. Both routes are of similar length.

On foot
Matsue city center is not that big, and most attractions are at walking distance. The Matsue International Tourist Information Office in front of the station has a free umbrella loan system where abandoned umbrellas are put to good use, so do pick one up in case the weather changes!

By bike
Bicycles are a quick and convenient way to get around Matsue. They can be rented at several locations. Around Matsue Station:

By bus
Matsue Bus is the local bus company, and these buses can take you all over the city.



By train
For most destinations, JR trains can take you there. Catch a train at Matsue Station.



By taxi
Taxis can be found waiting on both sides of Matsue Station. The easiest way to get a taxi when not around the station is to ask a hotel or shop operator to call one.



By car
A car is not needed in the city center, but it could be handy if you're headed to the countryside.



Events and festivals
Many festivals and events are held yearly. Mst official English Matsue tourism websites are rarely updated and will often show the dates and times of events held in previous years. It would be best to call the Matsue Tourist Association to verify the dates if you're planning your trip to Matsue to coincide with any events or festivals.

Recreation

 * Rest your wary feet in the public hot springs footbath at Shinjiko Station while chatting with the locals. Next to Shinjiko Station, free of charge.
 * Take a long soak in the hot springs at Tamatsukuri Onsen and Shinjiko Onsen.
 * Take a long soak in the hot springs at Tamatsukuri Onsen and Shinjiko Onsen.

Wagashi Japanese sweets
Matsue, as one of Japan's three largest centers for the tea ceremony, has been nurturing the art of Japanese-style wagashi confectionery for several hundred years.



Money
ATMs International ATMs can be found at most Post Offices. Many smaller post offices are closed on weekends and most ATMs shut down after office hours. The ATMs at Matsue Central Post Office have the longest hours of operation. Please refer to the Contact section for more information.

Currency exchange Most banks in Matsue will exchange money. The banking section at Matsue Central Post Office also offers money exchange services.

Sleep
For budget travelers or those with unexpected plans, it's possible to stay overnight in an internet cafe.

Connect
All phone numbers displayed on this page are in international format. To dial using local format substitute "+81" with "0".

WiFi hotspots
Most McDonald's restaurants in Japan offer complimentary WiFi internet

Day trips

 * Izumo - Home to the Grand Shrine of Izumo (Izumo Taisha), one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan
 * Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine - A UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * Yasugi - A town known for its sword making and home to Adachi Museum of Art and its famous gardens
 * Yonago - A neighbouring city known as "little Osaka", famous for its food and bar scene
 * Mount Daisen - This extinct volcano towering over the city of Yonago is also known the Mount Fuji of West Japan. Great for hiking and skiing.
 * Sakaiminato - Point of departure for ferries to Korea and Russia. Also known as the home town of cartoon character GeGeGe no Kitaro.
 * Hamada
 * Unnan
 * Takahashi

Further out

 * Oki Islands - A group of two small islands in the Sea of Japan, known for it's distinct landscape and history