The 7th Matsudaira lord of Matsue, Matsudaira Fumai, is better remembered for his contributions to chanoyu, the tea ceremony, than for his rule or policies. Having successfully revitalized the local economy, he used some of the resulting income to amass a collection of some 800 tea tools which is ...
An Ink-redible Mess
You probably shouldn’t wear your favorite shirt to this festival.
Why do these people have ink on their faces? Come find out, and while you’re at it protect yourself from disaster at sea, meager catches and the common cold in the coming year. Sound good? We thought so too.
F...
Lake Shinji, or Shinji-ko, is Japan's seventh largest, and connected by a lagoon to the Japan sea. As a result, the lake hosts a bounty of marine life. In Matsue, Shimane's prefectural capital, travelers flock to sample Kyodo ryori, an assortment of seven dishes drawn from the waters of the lake. ...
The architecture, gardens and exhibits of the world famous Adachi Art Museum offer an aesthetic banquet to visitors. The building itself draws you on past a superb collection of modern Japanese art, including about 130 pieces by the Yokoyama Taikan, a pioneer in the Nihonga movement which sought to...
Matsue is sometimes called the Water City, or Shimane's Venice, because of its location on Lake Shinji and the city's ample system of moats built for defense and transport. Today, one of the best ways to view the city is to board one of the low, narrow pleasure boats that cruise the largest moat as...
Matsue Vogel combines one of the world's largest indoor gardens (about eight thousand square meters) with an aviary to display flowers and birds from across the globe. On hand are thousands of varieties of blossoms, stacked in pyramids, arrayed in patterns on the ground and hanging overhead. The g...
Only twelve of Japan's feudal era castles have survived intact to the present day, and in Matsue you can see the largest of these. Matsue Castle was completed in 1611 for the use of the local lord Horio Yoshiharu. The castle is also called the Plover Castle for its color and proximity to water.
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Just beyond Matsue Castle's northwest gate, a beautiful stretch of old samurai homes stretches 500 meters along the curving, tree lined bank of the northern moat. Several of the homes are open to the public, giving visitors a feel for the daily life of the samurai families who served in feudal Mats...
The first thing you'll notice about Shimane's impressive Prefectural Art Museum is it's striking architecture, featuring glass walls with large cutouts in the sloping roof to admit light. Located on the eastern shore of Lake Shinji, the building is meant to harmonize with the water, and the museum ...
For those who don't have time to split their trip between Matsue and Tamatsukuri Onsen, an obvious choice is to visit Matsue Shinji-ko Hot Springs, on the shore of the lake. The inns and hotels here are a bit expensive, but the amenities make them well worth the money if you're feeling indulgent. ...
One of Japan's most famous hot springs, Tamatsukuri Onsen is an assortment of modern and traditional resort inns lining the Tamayu River about two kilometers from Shimane Prefecture's Lake Shinji.
The hot springs here have been valued for their therapeutic effects for at least 1,600 years. The tow...
Lake Shinji, or Shinji-ko, is Japan's seventh largest, and connected by a lagoon to the Japan sea. As a result, the lake hosts a bounty of marine life. In Matsue, Shimane's prefectural capital, travelers flock to sample Kyodo ryori, an assortment of seven dishes drawn from the waters of the lake. ...
