In Matsue

11/10/2023

As of late, there have been a lot of local events here in Matsue.

This last Sunday, Matsue held it's "Matsue-New Orleans Festival 2023". This was the first time in 4 years the city was able to hold this annual festival!

Although the event in previous years was largely centered around a lively parade, this time it was held right inside the grounds of Matsue Castle accompanied by live music and tasty concessions.

The live music included a local highschool's marching band, a local brass band, a New Orleans' style funk band, and more. Also, in spite of their not being a full blown parade around the city this year, that day's performers and festival goers did a modest but jolly procession around the event venue mid-performance!

Food and drink of course also ranged widely, but among these 3 seperate types of delicious gumbo were sold in the spirit of New Orleans. One of those made use of basket clams sourced from Matsue's Lake Shinji, a local specialty.

Locals and out-of-prefecture visitors alike had a wonderful time at this year's event, and with next year marking the 30th anniversery of Matsue's sister city relationship with the city of New Orleans, the city of Matsue hopes to produce an even bigger celebration around this time next year.

02/10/2023

It is currently the season again where the vicinity and grounds of Matsue Castle are lit in the evening by countless paper lanterns and illumination displays.

For those of you who don’t know, this seasonal festival period is Matsue’s Suitouro (i.e., the Water Lantern Festival)(水燈路).

***The festival period covers every weekend (Saturday & Sunday) from September 23rd to October 15th.

To celebrate the beginning of this period, on last week’s Thursday and Friday there were two special additions to the festival's regular programme. The first of these was a free Iwami Kagura performance (a shinto ritual ceremony dance). The second of these was the opportunity for festival goers to try their hands at playing drums (a kind of promotion for the upcoming Dogyoretsu Drum Festival).

Also, starting this year Matsue Castle’s tower will be open in the evenings for those wishing to see a specially lit view from above.

In addition, the Horikawa Sightseeing Boat’s service is extended into the evenings during this period, so one can enjoy a pleasant boat ride through the mystically charged atmosphere of the castle’s lit moat.

I will post updates as the festival period progresses, but for now enjoy some photos I took this last weekend!

19/09/2023

Had an absolute pleasure sitting down with the wonderful hosts of the Krewe of Japan podcast to talk about Matsue.

Although I would never claim to be an expert of all things Matsue, I will be the first to promote this absolutely wonderful area to those who have any interest in Japan and its culturally rich localities.

We took the time to discuss quite a number of topics, so hopefully there will be useful information in this discussion for every single one of you.

If you have the time and are interested, please give it a listen!

17/08/2023

Local residents and visitors alike gathered last night at Matsue's Ohashi bridge to witness a buddhist ceremony known as Toro Nagashi (灯篭流し), an event which traditionally marks the end of Obon (お盆).

In this ceremony, lit paper lanterns are set afloat down Ohashi River creating a magical evening spectacle.

As was mentioned in a previous post, these lanterns called Okuri-bi (送り火) are lit with the belief that they will help guide the visiting souls of the departed back to the spirit world. This ceremony is also thought of as a chance for us to think about those who have departed, and a way to pay reverence to our ancestors.

Toro Nagashi takes place every year in Matsue on the evening of August 16th, so if you are in town around this time next year then you will have an opportunity to see this spectacle for yourself.

For those interested, check out some of the pictures I took during the event!

16/08/2023

Some of you may be familiar with the Buddhist event of Obon. It's believed that during this short period the spirits of our ancestors return to this world in order to visit us. And in commemoration of those ancestors, many kinds of events and celebrations are held all over Japan.

Last night at Matsue's Gesshou-ji temple (月照寺), a candle-lit illumination event called Mantou-e (万灯会) was held in the temple's garden. The stone lanterns scattered around the temple garden were lit, and all visitors were given a palm-sized candle to light and place at one of the grave sights in the temple grounds. This light is supposed to act as a guide for the spirits who will once again leave the world of the living at the end of Obon.

Mantou-e is held every year at Gesshou-ji temple on August 15th, so if this is something you'd like to see for yourself around this time next year please make a visit to Matsue during Obon!

26/07/2023

This Monday evening Matsue City held the Tenjin-san Summer Festival (also known as the Shirakata Tenmangu Summer Festival) for the first time in 4 years!

A staple of summer festivals in Japan is the bearing of the O-mikoshi (御神輿). In this celebration, members of the local community transport a local deity from its resident Shinto shrine throughout the nearby neighborhoods via a portable Shinto shrine known as a mikoshi (神輿). The bearers of the mikoshi will chant expressions to fire themselves up and enroute to the destination will rock the mikoshi from side to side in order to amuse the deity inside.

During Monday evening’s festival, bearers of the mikoshi transported the resident deity of Shirakata Tenmangu Shrine to Matsue Castle and back. On the return trip, the bearers made a stop in Matsue’s downtown district where they celebrated in revelry with music and dance.

That evening, food and drink stalls, as well as those featuring festival style games lined the packed streets neighboring Tenmangu Shrine. The turnout of so many people at this week’s festival is a sign that health and vigor has returned to the local community after these past few years.

Be sure to check out some of the pictures I took that evening!

04/07/2023

A few weeks ago I went out on another hike to one of Matsue’s lesser-known locations that’s a ways out from the city’s urban center. We took a long and winding road up into the mountains, and eventually reached a trail that would lead to Kezou-ji Temple (華蔵寺).

I assumed from the style of the Chinese characters chiseled on stone blocks scattered about the trail that this mountain and its temple have a long history. Indeed, I later found out that Kezou-ji Temple itself has over 1000 years of history.

As you are walking along the path, one of the first things that will stand out is a large, imposing stone statue. This statue is called the “Immovable Stone Wisdom King”, wisdom kings being a kind of deity belonging to the Buddhist Pantheon. Although I couldn’t find precise measurements, this statue seems to be sitting at a height close to 4 meters.

That day my companion and I had the entire temple area to ourselves. Pure white hydrangeas were in full bloom by one of the main buildings, and the passing fog that day was so close that it seemed to skim along the tops of our heads. Nearby the temple area was a viewing platform, which on a clear day you can see all of Daikon Island, Yonago, and some of Tottori Prefectures’ Sakai Minato.

Below this viewing platform we took a narrow trail down the mountain that led us to a small clearing. We found out that this general vicinity is thought to be one of numerous locations throughout Japan where the legendary warrior Benkei (弁慶) engaged in his training.

There’s quite a bit more I can say about this location, but instead I will encourage you to visit Matsue and to find out for yourself what more there is to see and learn when it comes to Kezou-ji Temple.

21/06/2023

Matsue has a very interesting relationship with its often overcast, rainy weather.

I first became aware of this when I was taught a quirky local expression by a taxi driver.

“Even if you forget your lunch, don't ever forget an umbrella.”
弁当は忘れても傘は忘れるな

This expression is apparently known amongst some of the locals of Matsue, primarily the older generation.

In more recent years, Matsue`s rainy weather has become tied in with Shimane prefecture’s reputation for being “the land of fated encounters” (ご縁の国、島根).

More specifically, it's thought that the rain drops of the current rainy season have a special kind of property that brings people together. These rain drops have been dubbed Eni-shizuku（縁雫）by local highschool students, which can be literally interpreted from the word's Chinese characters as "rain drops of fate". You can find Eni-shizuku statues all over the city of Matsue, the phenomenon portrayed in the likeness of Buddhist statues known as Jizou.

To tie this all together, the city of Matsue is currently holding its Umbrella Sky Event (2023) at Matsue Terrsa Hall, at which a colorful artistic display of Umbrellas is being showcased. The contrast of colorful umbrellas with the rainy season adds a little bit of a positive spin to what can be interpreted by some as a gloomy period. These will be on display at Matsue Terrsa Hall until the 31st of July, so if you are in the vicinity come have a look for yourself!

Although rainy days aren’t always thought of as the most ideal occasion for an outing, you may find yourself feeling different while in Matsue.

12/06/2023

Nestled away in an inconspicuous neighborhood in Matsue City is a Buddhist temple by the name of Gesshou-ji (月照寺). Gesshou-ji has admittedly been one of my favorite locations to visit in this entire city ever since I first began to frequent during last year’s rainy season.

Gesshou-ji was originally a Zen Buddhist temple but was long ago repurposed as the family temple of the Matsudaira clan, the previous lords of Matsue. The lords of each generation have their impressive graves spread throughout the temple’s garden which covers quite a large area.

Aside from being one of the favorite locations (within Matsue) of the famous Lafcadio Hearn, this temple is known for its beautifully colored scenery during Japan’s rainy season, owing to its plentiful amount of Hydrangea. Hydrangea is indeed of those kinds of flowers that takes on a beautiful appearance in rain, shine, and even on gloomy overcast days.

Look forward to a video showcasing the beauty of this temple sometime in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime enjoy some photos I took this last weekend.

06/06/2023

To the east of Matsue City is Mt. Asahi, a place that is something akin to the setting of a Ghibili Film.

Nestled toward the top of the mountain is a Buddhist temple, one that’s atmosphere fits right in with the surrounding natural elements.

Just off to the side of the temple is a charming rest place that is well known among the locals. This rest place is unmanned, so snacks and drinks sold here are bought via an honor system. Reaching the top of the mountain and then enjoying a cold beverage or an instant ramen purchased from the rest place is a very satisfying way to conclude a hike.

The main hiking trail is fairly steep, but the hike itself is not incredibly long, around 30 minutes at the most. The scenery you will see while hiking the main trail is partly stunning nature, and partly something from a dream. The scenery from the top of the mountain is also breathtaking: this mountain is one of the only locations in the San-in region you can see the neighboring sea, Lake Shinji, Mt. Sanbei, Mt. Daisen, and the Oki Islands, weather permitting.

If you find yourself in Matsue and itching for a wonderful outdoor experience, I can’t recommend Mt. Asahi enough.

31/05/2023

I recently had the privilege of photographing Sada Shin Noh, a series of sacred dances that were inscribed on Unesco’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2011.

Sada Shin Noh was developed by the priests of Matsue’s Sada Shrine in 1608 out of a desire to shift away from rituals songs. This was done by incorporating theatrical elements into the performance that stemmed from Noh, a performance art the priests had studied in Kyoto.

The dances themselves are conducted as a part of a larger ritual for replacing the shrine’s rush mats with newly purified ones. Each of these dances have their own distinct features, some incorporating props such as swords and bells, and others in which the performers wear masks and re-enact stories from Japanese mythology.

Although Sada Shin Noh is traditionally performed on the 24th and 25th of September each year, there were two additional performances planned for this year, one of which took place this last weekend on May 27th.

Passed down from generation to generation among members of the local community, it earnestly preserved by said members as well as the Association for the Preservation of Sada Shin Noh.

If you would like to know more details concerning the history and particulars of Sada Shin Noh, I will leave the link to its official Unesco webpage below.

https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/sada-shin-noh-sacred-dancing-at-sada-shrine-shimane-00412

10/05/2023

Some of you Japanese anime fans will be excited to hear that Matsue City has done an interesting collaboration with Bandai Namco in the form of Gundam-themed manhole covers.

Gundam being the flagship franchise of Bandai Namco, it is not only of great renown but it has a fanbase that stretches to all corners of the globe.

To any fans of this mecha-level franchise, consider visiting Matsue in the future to get a wide angle shot of you with these beautifully illustrated manhole covers!

Thank you Bandai Namco!

08/05/2023

Here in Japan we just enjoyed a consequtive holiday period known as "Golden Week". Golden week is often an excuse for people to travel domesticly or abroad, and we here in Matsue certainly welcomed quite a number of tourists this last week.

For Golden Week, Daikon Island's Yuushien Garden held a special "Chisen Botan" (池泉牡丹) event in which it display around 100,000 Peony flowers in it's garden's pond. This beautiful display attracts many viewers from all over each year, this year's Golden Week being no exception.

Event's like these happen at Yuushien throughout the year, so even if you weren't able to make it during this Golden Week there will always be more opportunities to enjoy similar seasonal events such as illuminations or flower displays.

Here are also some photos I took during this Golden Week to give you a better idea of what it was like!

24/04/2023

I and many others gathered together Saturday evening at Mochida Shrine to witness a long-standing local tradition, Kameo-shinnou (亀尾神能). This performance is a local variant of Kagura, a Japanese ritual/dance performance with over 1000 years of history.

Although the exact origin for the Kameo-shinnou is unclear, we do know that the tradition of Kagura was imparted to the people of the Kameo area by a previous head priest at Mochida Shrine (持田神社) sometime between 1596-1615 CE. From this we can infer that the Kameo-shinnou performance has continued to be practiced at Mochida Shrine for at least 400 years.

Mochida Shrine itself is of great historical importance due to its mention in Japan's oldest written text the Kojiki (古事記). The Kojiki having been composed between 711-712 CE, the shrine is thought to be over 1300 years old.

Although my pictures cannot do justice to the impressive nature of this performance, I hope it can at least give you an idea. Enjoy!

10/04/2023

For the last couple weeks, Matsue celebrated its O-shiro Castle Festival (お城祭り) for the first time in 4 years.

To end this celebratory period on a high note, Matsue City held it's Musha Samurai Warrior Parade (松江武者行列) this last Saturday under nice sunny weather.

People that visited the castle grounds before 1:30pm were able to enjoy concessions, watch staged performances, and take pictures with the Samurai and others that appeared in the parade later that day.

Historically significant figures from Matsue's history made an appearance in the parade, including the founder of the Matsue Domain Yoshiharu Horio (堀尾吉晴), the first lord of the Matsue Domain (and son of Yoshiharu) Tadauji Horio (忠氏), and many others.

As a city that takes pride in its history and cultural heritage, Matsue went all out during this celebratory period.

Here are some photos from the main event on Saturday. Enjoy!

06/04/2023

Hello everyone,

Matsue's cherry blossom season is now coming to a close, so now would be a better time than ever to share a few photos.

I was personally worried that this year wouldn't turn out well due to the rain we had at that end of March, but thankfully I was wrong!

Enjoy!

20/03/2023

An example of Japanese Culture that I was completely unaware of until after I began my life in Matsue is Kagura (神楽).

Kagura is a Shinto ritual and ceremonial performance, the name of which is a contraction of a Japanese expression (神座) that literally translates to "seat of god". This is interpreted to mean that gods are present and involved in this ritual.

These performances are accompanied by music and dance, and the Japanese spoken in them being far from modern, is actually at times difficult for even Japanese people to understand.

The performance I went to see a couple of weeks ago at Tama-tsukuri Onsen was split up into 2 different acts. The first of these was a light-hearted episode featuring Ebisu, a god of fisherman and fortune. The other was of the legendary tale in which the god Susano slays a monstrous serpent known as Yamata no Orochi (八岐大蛇).

Although Kagura performances can be seen in some urban regions such as Hiroshima, the art itself largely thrives here in Shimane. In fact, there are three regional variants of Kagura within this prefecture alone.

If you ever make your way to Matsue or Shimane, do not miss out on the opportunity to watch Kagura!

With that being said, enjoy some of these photos that I took during that evening's performance.

14/03/2023

Here is the short video I mentioned in the previous post showcasing some of the fun we all had at Matsue's Irish Festival on Sunday.

Below is a rough English translation of the original post's French.

"Here is a video of the other day we spent celebrating while wearing the colors of Ireland 🍀
Matsue's Irish Festival is held every year around St. Patrick's Day and is a reminder of our city's relationship with Ireland. This connection is largely thanks to the writer Lafcadio Hearn and the time he spent in Matsue in the 19th century❗️"

13/03/2023

The city of Matsue makes it a point to treasure its relationships with its friends abroad. Previously I showcased an instance of Matsue and New Orleans' relationship, and this time around it's Matsue meets Ireland on a grand scale!

Although Irish Parades are held in a number of locations throughout Japan, Matsue celebrated in it's own localized fashion.

It began with a water procession in the moat of Matsue Castle featuring St. Patrick, a leprechaun, and Irish members of the local community. Following this, the procession made its way to Karakoro Plaza and Studio, at which live Irish music and other performances were held. It had been some time since this writer had seen that much bright green all in one place here in Japan.

Speaking of green, for this occasion Matsue Castle and other nearby buildings have been lit up at night. This is a treat to see whether it be from up close or afar.

Enjoy some of these pictures taken this weekend, and look forward to a short video some time in the future!

06/03/2023

With the advent of spring comes the wonderful sights and smells of fresh flowers.

Japan is of course known internationally for it's cherry blossom season, but even before that is the entrance of the beautiful plum blossom. Due to weather, temperature and other natural elements, every locale in Japan has it's own time frame for when each of these blossoms bloom.

Matsue being on the colder side means that this area experiences its peak bloom period later than areas such as Tokyo.

With that being said, enjoy some of these early photos from this spring season in Matsue!

01/03/2023

In the outskirts of Matsue exists a small port town by the name of Mihonoseki (美保関町).

This quaint seaside locale is historically significant for a number of reasons, one of those being it was a port often frequented during the Edo period by those carrying goods bound for Osaka and Tokyo. This locale is also culturally significant for its ties to Japanese folklore/mythology, it being the location of Miho Shrine (美保神社).

Miho Shrine has 2 resident gods, one being Ebisu the god of fisherman and prosperity. Stories featuring Ebisu are widespread throughout Japan, and some of them are used as themes in traditional Japanese theatrical performances called Kagura (神楽).

Mihonoseki Harbor's narrow walkways are also a great pleasure to take a stroll down, as their atmosphere is the epitome of what many envision old, traditional Japanese towns to be like.

13/02/2023

For those of you who are unaware, Matsue has maintained a sister city relationship with Louisiana's historic city of New Orleans since 1994. In celebration of that relationship, Matsue City held its very own modest Gumbo Festival yesterday.

The Gumbo served at the event was the product of a number of local businesses, some recipes among which used local specialties for ingredients such as basket clams from our very own Lake Shinji.

There was also live music that ranged from genres such as folk, jazz and blues, and even a performance from a local circus troupe which had the kids absolutely memorized.

Another beautiful weekend in the city of water~

06/02/2023

This weekend it was just the right weather here in Matsue to see some stunning sunsets at Lake Shinji (宍道湖).

As I have mentioned before on this page, Matsue's Lake Shinji has been ranked in Japan's top 100 locations to view a sunset. In addition to this, the lake itself is often used as the setting for all sorts of locally produced art, the sunset often being the primary motif.

After seeing these photos, I think you will understand why so many people from all over the country come to view it for themselves.

I have also recently made an Instagram profile [ images_in_matsue ] that produces largely the same kind of content as this page, so I would appreciate it if you would follow that page as well!

With that being said, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

03/02/2023

Today is Setsubun (節分) in Japan, the eve of the first day of Spring according to the country's old lunar calendar. The Chinese characters used for this word have the literal meaning of "Seasonal Division".

There are a number of traditions associated with Setsubun, the main one being mamemaki (豆まき). In this ritual, roasted soy beans are thrown at an Oni (a Japanese demon) in order to drive out bad energy and create a vacuum for good energy to come into your life for the upcoming year.

Today I went to Kumano Grand Shine in Matsue to celebrate this occasion. The recent snow really added a lot to the scenery of the shrine grounds, making it a wonderful visit.

30/01/2023

With the snow continuing to fall here in Matsue, I decided to pay a visit to a teahouse known as Meimei-an (明々庵), a precious symbol of Matsue's tea culture.

Meimei-an was constructed in 1779 by the then reigning lord of Matsue, Matsudaira Harusato, who also went by the name of Fumaiko (不昧公). On top of being the lord of Matsue, Fumaiko was also a master of the tea ceremony and the progenitor of his own style of the art which appropriately came to be called fumairyū.

The garden, architecture, and the Japanese sweets served at the teahouse are all designed and served with Fumaiko's style of the tea ceremony in mind.

It's a treat to see how this teahouse appears within the context of each season, and going forward I will continue to post about Meimei-an. For now, please enjoy the photos!

25/01/2023

It's been snowing heavily throughout the week here in Japan, and the city of Matsue has been covered by a blanket of snow since last night.

Here are some pictures I took this morning of Matsue Castle and the surrounding area.

Stay warm and be safe everyone!

13/01/2023

Hello everyone,

I have posted about Lake Shinji (宍道湖) on this page previously, specifically about the lake's stunning sunset. Lake Shinji's sunset is in fact ranked as one of Japan’s top 100 sunset locations.

Of course when we think of sunsets, we often first imagine stunning reds and oranges. However, as many of you know, the show doesn't end as soon as the sun dips below the horizon. It is during dusk that calming, cool pastels make an appearance creating a far different feel to the surrounding scenery.

Here are just a couple of photos I was able to take yesterday evening while on the shore.

10/01/2023

Happy New Year, everyone!
Akemash*te Omedetou Gozaimasu!

In Japan, it's a tradition to make one's first shrine visit at the start of the New Year. This first shrine visit is called "Hatsu Mode (初詣)" in Japanese. Although the image of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples may evoke a kind of spiritual or mystical emotion within some of us, the tradition of Hatsu Mode is now more or less a secular tradition tinged with long enduring superstition.

Concerning shrines, each one has its own fascinating stories that you can experience through its history, architecture, and the folklore concerning their resident gods (神). In the future I would like to do a deeper dive on these stories of specific local shrines.

Until then, enjoy some photos I took while visiting Kotohira (琴平神社) and Matsue Gokoku (松江護國神社) shrines this last weekend.

20/12/2022

It is the holiday season here in Matsue, and with this comes a number of seasonal events.

One that I attented just the other day is the Yuushien Garden Christmas illumination event. Blending themes of traditional Japanese culture with other more modern cultural influences, this Christmas illumination event made for a beautiful, memorable evening stroll.

The timeliness of that evening's snow really put the finishing seasonal touch on the garden's atmosphere.

05/10/2022

This video is of Matsue's Water Lantern Festival (松江水燈路), an event in which Matsue Castle and it's surrounding walkways are lit-up by paper lanterns and other art displays. The lanterns and displays used in this event are made by local school children, businesses & organizations, as well as artists from both Matsue and neighboring locales.

https://youtu.be/OXxaIjzZACs
*Video credit goes to Matsue City Guide .

This is the first time in 3 years that the city of Matsue is able to hold this special event. Locals as well as people from neighboring cities and prefectures have been enjoying their weekend experiencing the magical and romantic atmosphere of a lantern-lit Matsue Castle.

The Horikawa Pleasure Boat's hours have also been extended during this festival period, so for a limited period you can enjoy a relaxed evening boat ride in the canals of Matsue.

Matsue's Water Lantern Festival is held on weekends and holidays from September 23rd until October 16th, so there is still time remaining to enjoy this period's festivities!

Le Festival des Lanternes, 水燈路 (Suitouro) en japonais, a lieu tous les ans au mois d'octobre. Les week-ends et jours fériés, de 18h à 21h, l'enceinte du chât...

30/09/2022

We have featured Matsue’s point of pride, Matsue Castle, quite a number of times on this page. One of the castle’s key features is that it’s 1 of only 12 remaining in Japan that retains its original castle keep from when it was first constructed between 1607-1611. This castle keep was finally designated as a national treasure in 2015 once an artifact was found that could be used to accurately determine the year its construction was finished.
So that even those who use a wheelchair or are unsteady on their feet can enjoy exploring Matsue’s castle keep, Matsue City has partnered up with Doshisha University’s Research Center for Knowledge Science in Cultural Heritage to deliver a Virtual Reality (VR) experience that can simulate what it would be like exploring each floor.
A few of us took the time to try out the castle keep’s current VR course the other day, and it was one interesting and highly interactive experience! You can experience this VR course for free at Matsue History Museum by signing up to participate via the museum’s homepage. This experience will be available at this location until November 27th.

*Please note that you must be 13 years or older to experience this VR course.

08/07/2022

Today is a very special day for those of us living in Matsue. Today marks the 7th anniversary of Matsue Castle being designated as a National Treasure here in Japan! And what a worthy designation, what with the castles long history, it's unique features, and it's irreplaceable presence in this community.

Here are some stunning pictures of Matsue Castle to go with this occasion.

25/04/2022

Hello everyone,

This last weekend Matsue City celebrated the 50th anniversary of the opening of Shinjiko Onsen with the first ever Sky Lantern Release event for the area.

Sky lantern festivals are traditionally held in many different locals throughout Asia and elsewhere throughout the world, and the lantern’s themselves are often made of paper with an area inside to suspend a flame.

The construction of the lanterns from this last weekend deviated a bit from this traditional model for safety reasons, the lantern itself being made of plastic and the flame being replaced with an LED light. With that being said though, they carried their own charm and made for a wonderful evening at Shinjiko’s lakeside.