Things to do in Matsue

12 activities, venues and outings in Matsue, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

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
Do
Floating lanterns on Lake Shinji
Held each year mid August at the end of the Obon festival. The sight of floating paper lanterns being placed on Lake Shinji, symbolizing the return of ancestor spirits to another realm, is quite breathtaking. In 2012 this event will be held on the 16th of August.
19:00
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
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
Do
Matsue Irish Festival
Because writer Lafcadio Hearn, one of Matsue's favorite sons, was from Ireland there are strong links between Ireland and Matsue. This ties are the most visible at the Matsue Irish Festival, which is held yearly for two consecutive days on a weekend in March and may (or may not) coincide with St. Patrick's Day. Events include a parade during the day and an Irish pub with live music inside Karakoro Art Studio in the evening. Wear something green!
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
Do
Matsue Tenjin Festival
A lively festival held for two days every year in late July in the Tenjin-machi area, not too far from Matsue Station. On the first day a portable shrine is carried around town from 5PM to 9PM. On the second day there are food stalls and events in the Tenjin-machi area.
Free
Do
Sada Shin Noh
佐陀神能
A ritual purification dance performed yearly on 24 and 25 September at Sada Shrine. This dance has been inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and for this reason it's being performed every Saturday evening (reservation required).
Sat 20:00-21:00¥1200 (children free)
Do
Shimane Susanoo Magic
島根スサノオマジック
Matsue's basketball team competes in the top tier Japanese league. Matches are held on a regular basis.
Do
Suigosai Fireworks
Massive fireworks display over Lake Shinji on two consecutive evenings, the second evening having the larger show. The Suigosai festival is held yearly late July or early August. Many locals like to lay down a plastic sheet the day before to reserve a top viewing spot, so don't be afraid to do the same. The northern bank of Lake Shinji will be host to a huge amount of food stalls.
First day: 20:00-20:30, second day: 20:00-21:00Free
Do
Tamatsukuri Onsen Cherry Blossom Festival
玉造温泉桜まつり
Held yearly from late March to mid April. The cherry blossom trees in Tamatsukuri Onsen hot springs town will be in full bloom, so it's a great spot to have a picnic and maybe afterwards have a long soak in one of Tamatsukuri's many hot springs. Lots of events are held on the weekends and the streets are lit until late, making it an ideal place for a romantic evening stroll along the river which runs through town.
Closed · opens 7 amFree

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