Historic places in Matsue

11 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Matsue.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Castle Festival
Held yearly from late March to mid April. Around this time the cherry trees around the castle will be in full bloom, and many people have hanami picnics on the castle grounds. In the evening lanterns are lit, making it possible to picnic until 9PM. On the weekends various events are held on the castle grounds.
Closed · opens 7 amFree
See
Fudoki-no-Oka
風土記の丘
Ancient burial mounds and relics from the Kofun period (3rd to 6th centuries CE).
Tue-Sun 09:00-17:00¥200
Do
Horan-enya
ホーランエンヤ
A very special festival, held only once every 12 years. Very colorful boats with many rowers and dancing kabuki actors on them accompany a portable shrine from Jozan Inari Shrine at Matsue Castle to a shrine in Higashi-Matsue. The festival lasts for three days, with the boats putting on a show underneath the bridges of Matsue on day 1 and 3, and a smaller show in Higashi-Matsue on day 2. Expect huge crowds especially on the final day. The next Horanenya festival will be held in May 2021.
Free
Do
Horikawa Sightseeing Boat
Take one of these boats through the moat around Mastue Castle and the neighboring canals for a totally different perspective on the city. The boats feature traditional charcoal heated low table or kotatsu during colder weather. There are several stops for getting on and off, the main one being right behind the parking area of Matsue Castle.
Closed · opens 9 am¥1200 adults, ¥400 children. 33% discount for foreigners
Buy
Keigetsudo
計月堂 Keigetsu-dō
This shop is famous for a sweet called Matsue-jō (Matsue Castle), which is a sweet paste-based, golden-floured confection.
Closed · opens 9 am
Buy
Lapin Quality Foods
Imported foods and delicatessen. A good place to go if you have a craving for a taste of home. Has a good selection of imported cheeses, cereals, wines and beers. Lapin has several stores throughout Matsue, but the store to the east of Matsue Castle is the easiest to get to on foot from the city center.
Closed · opens 9:30 am
See
Matsue Castle
松江城, Matsuejo
The castle keep is one of only twelve original castles left in Japan, dating back to 1611. Inside the castle you'll find an impressive array of original artifacts from the Matsudaira clan including original armor, swords, and helmets. The top of the castle offers a great view of Matsue City and Lake Shinji.
Closed · opens 8:30 amAdults ¥550, children ¥280. 50% discount for foreigners
Do
Matsue Dogyoretsu Drum Parade
An ancient and very loud festival, where massive drums on floats are pulled through the streets of Matsue. Every neighbourhood has their own drum, so competition to have the best drumming performance is fierce each year. Held yearly mid-October in the afternoon. Drummers gather around Matsue castle around noon and the parade starts at 2PM.
14:00Free
See
Matsue History Museum
松江歴史館 Matsue Rekishikan
The Matsue History Museum offers a glimpse into the past of Matsue and the surrounding area. The museum also houses the Matsue International Tourist Information Office. The staff speaks English and can help with booking a hotel.
Closed · opens 8:30 am¥500 for adults, ¥250 for children, 50% discount for foreigners
Do
Matsue Suitouro Lantern Festival
Paper lanterns luminate the streets along the Matsue Castle moat from the Shimane Prefectural office all the way along Shiomi Nawate street. On Fridays and weekends there are food stalls on the Matsue Castle parking area and the Horikawa Sightseeing Boats will also operate in the evening during this period. From mid-September to mid-October.
Closed · opens 6:30 pmFree
See
Shiomi Nawate
塩見縄手
This old samurai residential street runs along the north east side of Matsue Castle, across the moat. Many of Matsue's musea and other historical attractions can be found in this area.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Matsue (CC BY-SA 4.0).