Matsue

Matsue (松江) [1] is the capital of Shimane prefecture, Japan.

Travel to Matsue - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Matsue

Izumo Airport (出雲空港, IZO) fields flights to major Japanese cities and is about 30 minutes away by car. Direct bus service to Matsue train station. The airport in Yonago, to the east just across the prefectural boundary, is also a viable option and even fields a solitary flight to Seoul.

By train

Matsue is on the San'in Main Line, which runs along western Honshu's Japan Sea coast, starting in Kyoto and passing through Tottori and Matsue on its way to Shimonoseki. Frequent Trains run from Okayama to Matsue before continuing to Izumi-shi , departing every hour from 0700 until 2130 daily taking approx 2 hrs 30 mins, costing 5360 yen.

Tours and Getting around Matsue

• Take a boat trip around the moat of Matsue Castle - hop on and hop off the boat at various points. Fun for kids.

• Use the Matsue Walker Bus it runs in a loop around all of the major attractions, every 30 mins, 300 yen for a unlimited pass.

Matsue tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Lafcadio Hearn Residence (小泉八雲旧居). The residence of the famous Irish writer. He spent only 15 months here, but during that time he married a Japanese woman, naturalized and adopted the Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo and started his career writing about Japan.

• Matsue Castle. The main castle building is original from the 1600s. Lots of original artifacts from the Matsudaira clan including original armor, swords, and helmets. Great views of Matsue from the top of the castle. Half price admission for foreign visitors with passport or alien registration card.

• Matsue Moat Boat Ride. Ride boats in the moat around Mastue Castle and neighboring canals. Pass under at least 12 bridges. You can ride all day getting on and off at Matsue Castle, the microbrew Ji Beer Kan, and Karakoro Square, making this a relaxing way to get around town. The boats feature traditional charcoal heated low table or kotatsu during colder weather and your boatman may regale you with a song about Matsue.

• Samurai houses, in central Matsue - worthwhile

• Yaegaki Shrine

• Adachi Museum of Art, [2], about 30 minutes by train east of Matsue in Yasugi City (free shuttle bus from JR Yasugi, Yonago stns). Gorgeous gardens, although you're mostly confined to looking at them through windows. Huge private art collection with wonderful pieces by Taiken Yokoyama.

• Kokki Sake Factory, [3]

• Lake Shinji, Watch the sunset over Shinjiko at Yomegashimi. (Past the Gusto restaurant on route 9). Get there slightly early to grab a good spot. Lake Shinji is the siteseeing symbol of Shimane-ken and the 7th largest lake in Japan.

• Matsue Vogel Park, [4] Indoor garden with various species of birds

Matsue city tours

Japan's largest konyoku (mixed) onsen is Yuyu[5] in Tamayu at JR Tamatsukuri Onsen stop (10 minutes from JR Matsue).

Matsue souvenirs and shopping

Matsue Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

• Beehive, near Matsue the station. Follow main road - turn right at the intersection with the guitar shop - stay on the the RHS and walk a couple of blocks. Macrobiotic restaurant.
• Daikichi, Yakitori , reasonably priced place. The Chicken Hips were great!. English menu available. 491-1 Asahimachi, near the train station on the main street.
• Yakumo-an, Known for their Soba and Udon noodles. A great lunch spot next to the Buke Yashiki samurai house.

Matsue nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Matsue cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

• Terazuya Ryokan [6] A Japanese family run ryokan. A nice place to stay while visiting Matsue. The hosts will pick you up at the train station. Nothing fancy. Shared bathrooms. A nice shrine across the street.

• Matsue City Hotel is a quirky but centrally located business hotel. Tel. 0852-25-4100. Although fine for a solo traveler, avoid double occupancy as the rooms are small even by business hotel standards and the so-called doubles only have one single bed. This hotel is easy to find with a large clock tower on top. The owners have sprinkled their collection of antique clocks and other furniture throughout the hotel.

Get out

• Izumo - home to Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's Three Great Shrines

• Mount Daisen - A 4-5 hour hike that is worth a day trip, departing from JR Yonago

• Mount Mitoku & Nagaeiredo Temple - An hour bus away from JR Kurayoshi (1 hour by train) to hike for 2-3 hours in Tottori Prefecture

• Tottori - Tottori Sand Dunes (paragliding, hang-gliding, camel-riding, etc.) About 1.5-3 hours by train to JR Tottori

This page was last edited by Jani Patokallio. Based on work by Ted O'Neill, Matt Posner and David, Wikitravel user(s) KakinokiJames, Suhobei, Philnicau and Episteme and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license