投稿日：2025/03/10
10 Things to Do in Shimane (Matsue)
We'll introduce you to "10 things to do in Shimane (Matsue)".
Matsue Castle
Completed in 1611, it had a five-story, six-storey castle tower and six turrets. Himeji Castle, Matsumoto Castle and Matsue Castle are the only castle towers that still exist. There are 21 Important Cultural Properties including the castle tower, and the sights include Ichinomon Gate and Shichikumon Gate. The view from the castle tower has been awarded one star in the Michelin Green Guide Japan. The climbing stone walls are also rare nationwide, and among the 12 castle towers still standing in Japan, only Matsuyama Castle and Hikone Castle have been confirmed to have them. Nearby is Fufu Ramen Matsue Gakuen Branch. The recommended dish is the soy sauce ramen.
Yaegaki Shrine
After defeating Yamata no Orochi (the eight-headed serpent), Susanoo-no-Mikoto arrived in Suga and said, "My heart has become refreshed," and when he built a shrine there, clouds rose from there. The song he sang at that time was, "Yakumo tatsu Izumo yaegaki Tsumagomini yaegaki tsukuru sono yaegaki wo" (First verse), and this song became the origin of the shrine's name. A popular "fate fortune-telling" is a fortune-telling service where you place a coin on a fortune-telling paper floating on the surface of the "Mirror Pond" in the forest, and the result is revealed by the time it takes for the coin to sink and the distance from you.
Miho Shrine
Mihotsuhime is the wife of Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, and is the guardian deity of agriculture and prosperity of descendants, who brought rice down from Takamagahara and led the cultivation of the rice. Kotoshironushi-no-Kami is the first child of Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, and is the guardian deity of a wide range of livelihoods, including fishing and commerce, and Miho Shrine is the head shrine of 3,385 Ebisu shrines located throughout the country. The main hall is made up of two large shrines lined up in a style known as Miho-zukuri. The approximately 250m Blue Cobblestone Street is filled with a unique and pleasant atmosphere.
Mihonoseki Lighthouse
This is the oldest lighthouse in San'in, first lit on November 8, 1898. It stands 83m above the water and has been selected as one of the 100 best historic lighthouses in the world and one of the 50 best lighthouses in Japan. It is a scenic spot with a magnificent view of the Sea of Japan, and on clear days you can see Oki Island and Mt. Daisen. The adjacent stone building was the official residence of the lighthouse staff before it became an unmanned lighthouse, but it is now a restaurant where you can dine while taking in the spectacular view.
Tamasakuyu Shrine
Located deep inside the 1300-year-old Tamatsukuri Onsen, it is said that successive feudal lords of Matsue visited the shrine when taking a bath. The red Miyabashi Bridge leading to the shrine grounds is also known as the Koikanobashi Bridge, and it is said that if you take a photo with the torii gate in the background, you will be blessed with a good match. At the back of the shrine grounds is the Madama (Wish Stone), and it is said that if you pray by stacking the small natural stones called Kanaiishi, which you can receive at the shrine office, your wish will come true. The shrine grounds also enshrines Yuhime Daimyojin, the goddess of beautiful skin, safe childbirth, and child rearing, and there are also cute parent-child lion dogs, so many people come to pray for safe childbirth and fertility.
Yushien Garden
Daikon Island, which floats in Lake Nakaumi on the border between Shimane and Tottori prefectures, is well-suited to cultivating peonies and is known as the number one producer in Japan. Surrounding the island is Yushien Garden, one of the largest pond-style Japanese gardens in Sanin. The garden is modeled after the scenery of Izumo, and includes a dry landscape garden that shows the view from Daikon Island, and a lava garden where you can experience the history of the island. The best time to see the peonies is during Golden Week, when 20,000 peonies of 250 varieties are in full bloom in the moss garden.
Lake Shinji
Said to have been formed about 10,000 years ago, it is the seventh largest lake in Japan, stretching 17km east to west, 6km north to south, and with a circumference of 47km. As a slightly salty brackish lake, it is rich in fish species, especially clams and whitebait. Lake Shinji is also famous for its sunsets. The breathtaking scenery is registered as one of Japan's 100 Best Sunsets. To enjoy the sunset at Lake Shinji, there is a popular photo spot called "Torupa," a parking lot for taking pictures of the sunset, which has been developed as a promenade along 300m of the lake shore on the east side of National Route 9.
Horikawa Pleasure Boat
The canal that surrounds Matsue Castle was created when the castle was built, and the boat takes a 50-minute tour along the canal. The boat passes under 17 bridges, and one of the attractions is that the roof is lowered to match the height of the bridge when passing under four of them. You can experience the scenery of each season, and the sunset is beautiful at sunset. The kotatsu boat, a typical winter sight, is also popular. In a ranking of water sightseeing boats organized by a tourism newspaper, the "Horikawa Pleasure Boat" has been ranked number one in Western Japan for two consecutive years.
Shiomi Nawate
It is a street reminiscent of a castle town, with samurai-style houses, including the former residence of Lafcadio Hearn, lining the street along the moat. It has been designated as a traditional beauty preservation area by Matsue City, and has also been selected as one of the "100 Best Roads in Japan." The old pine trees lining the moat, coupled with the river, give the street a sense of atmosphere. It is said that the name comes from the fact that the residence of Matsue Domain's middle elder, Shiomi Kobee, was once located here, and that the narrow road was called "Nawate." There are souvenir shops and restaurants in the area.
Samurai residence
It is located almost in the center of Shiomi Nawate. It is said that from the early Edo period, mid- to high-ranking feudal lords of the Matsue domain with stipends of around 500 to 1,000 koku lived here in turn as their residences were changed. The building is over 280 years old and has been designated a cultural asset by Matsue City. The building's construction, including nageshi and kakushi, shows the strict separation of public and private spaces between the front and back (living spaces), and conveys the lifestyle of the samurai.
summary
We have introduced "10 things to do in Shimane (Matsue)". There are places where you can feel the history, such as the famous Matsue Castle with its five-story, six-storey castle tower and samurai residences. There are also many shrines, and there are some that we were not able to introduce, so it is also a great place to go shrine-hopping. There are also other places with spectacular views, such as Lake Shinji and Mihonoseki Lighthouse. Please visit and see for yourself!
<Gourmet food introduced this time>
- Recommended dish: Soy sauce ramen
- Location: Fufu Ramen Matsue Gakuen store
- Address: 2-9-19 Gakuen, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
- Store link URL