Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [385]
Horikawa Pleasure Boat tours (27-0417; ¥1200, foreigners with ID ¥800; every 15-20min 9am-5pm Mar-Jun & Sep–mid-Oct, to 6pm Jul & Aug, to 4pm mid-Oct–Feb) circumnavigate the castle moat and then zip around the city’s canals and beneath a series of bridges.
KOIZUMI YAKUMO (LAFCADIO HEARN) RESIDENCE
Matsue’s favourite Irishman lived in this house with its attractive garden for 15 months shortly after his arrival in Japan. The view from his study is little changed since Hearn described it in his 1892 essay ‘In a Japanese Garden’. The former residence (admission ¥350; 9am-4.30pm) is at the northern end of Shiomi Nawate.
KOIZUMI YAKUMO (LAFCADIO HEARN) MEMORIAL MUSEUM
Next door to Hearn’s former home is this memorial museum (21-2147; 322 Okudani-chō; admission ¥300, foreigners with ID ¥150; 8.30am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar), which has displays on Hearn’s life and work as well as personal effects – including his dumb-bells, his spectacles, and a stack of Japanese newspapers on which Hearn wrote words and phrases to teach English to his son. You can also see some of the letters that Hearn and his wife wrote to each other – all written painstakingly in the phonetic syllabary, since Hearn (despite all his other achievements) never learned how to read Japanese properly.
TANABE ART MUSEUM
This museum (26-2211; 310-5 Kitahori-chō; admission ¥600; 9am-4.30pm Tue-Sun) exhibits a collection of bowls, scrolls and other items relating to the tea ceremony, and many of the items are associated with the Matsudaira family who ruled Matsue during the Edo period.
BUKE YASHIKI SAMURAI RESIDENCE
Built for a middle-ranking samurai family during the early 18th century, Buke Yashiki (22-2243; 305 Kitahori-chō; admission ¥300, foreigners with ID ¥150; 8.30am-6.30pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct-Mar) is an immaculately preserved house and garden.
SHIMANE PREFECTURAL ART MUSEUM
This impressive museum (55-4700; 1-5 Sodeshi-chō; admission ¥300; 10am-6.30pm, to 30min after sunset Mar-Sep, closed Tue; ) displays rotating exhibits from its collection of European paintings, wood-block prints and contemporary art. It’s in a perfect spot overlooking the lake, and is famous for the sunset views from the 2nd-floor viewing platform or outside by the water. The museum is a 15-minute walk west of the station.
Sleeping
Terazuya (21-3480; fax 21-3422; www.mable.ne.jp/~terazuya/english; 60-3 Tenjin-machi; per person with/without 2 meals ¥7000/4000; ) This friendly ryokan, next to Matsue Tenmangū shrine, is a great budget option. Some English is spoken, and there’s free internet access. Accommodation is in smart tatami rooms with shared bathrooms.
Matsue City Hotel (25-4100; fax 25-4102; www2.crosstalk.or.jp/sobido/dalian/ctyhote.html, in Japanese; 31 Suetsugu Honmachi; s/tw ¥3900/5500; ) Right by Matsue-ōhashi bridge, this recently renovated hotel is housed in an old-fashioned building and has antique clocks on every floor. Look for the clocktower on the left-hand side as you cross the bridge away from the station.
Tōyoko Inn Matsue Ekimae (60-1045; fax 60-1046; www.toyoko-inn.com; 498-10 Asahi-machi; s/tw with breakfast ¥5040/7700; ) The ever-dependable Tōyoko Inn is close to the station and has small but comfortable rooms with LAN internet and terminals in the lobby.
Hotel Route Inn Matsue (20-6211; fax 20-6215; www.route-inn.co.jp/english/pref/shimane.html/matsue; 2-22 Higashi Honmachi; s/tw ¥5000/10,500; ) Across the river from JR Matsue Station in the entertainment district, this hotel has views of the downtown area. There is LAN internet in all rooms, and there are consoles in the lobby.
Hotel Ichibata (22-0188; fax 22-0230; www.ichibata.co.jp/hotel, in Japanese; 30 Chidōri-chō; s/tw ¥9390/17,100; ) Located on the lakeside close to the Matsue Shinjiko-onsen Station,