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October 31, 2017

A two-day, one-night trip to Matsue and Izumo from Izumo Airport (Part 1)

Walking around the city using public transport. We will send you on a journey to enjoy the city while experiencing its history and culture. This is our third trip, and this time we will be in Shimane Prefecture, where ancient customs and religious rites are highly valued, such as calling October, the month without gods, "Kamiarizuki." This time, we will be traveling to the historic Izumo region. We will tour the scenery of the national treasure Matsue Castle and its castle town, as well as Izumo Taisha Shrine and its approach to the shrine. We will also be traveling to the easternmost tip of the Shimane Peninsula!
In addition, as a tourism ambassador, I will be introducing new food spots and specialties of Shimane under the title "Not just Shimane."
画像1: 出雲空港から行く1泊2日 松江・出雲の旅(前編)

Ai Nishimura

Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.

画像2: 出雲空港から行く1泊2日 松江・出雲の旅(前編)

Matsue Station is 30 minutes from the airport! Here's how to get to Matsue Castle.

I headed to Izumo Airport at the beginning of September. This year's weather was the complete opposite of Tokyo, and it was very hot in Shimane. However, it was starting to get a little cooler in the mornings and evenings. Rice ripening under the blue sky!

The Hikawa district, where the airport is located, is a large agricultural area with vast plains, rice fields, flower fields, and in season, wheat is grown.
Izumo Airport is conveniently located about 30 minutes from Matsue City and Izumo City, the two largest cities in Shimane Prefecture. First, take the airport bus to Matsue Station.

You can use the "Gurutto Matsue Lake Line" bus from Matsue Station to Matsue Castle. A one-time ride costs 200 yen, and a one-day pass with unlimited rides costs 500 yen. It stands out with its cute design.
However, this time I took a taxi to the castle. Once you get to Matsue Castle, you can walk around the area. The taxi ride is about 1000 yen and you get some change back.
This is a problem for those of you who rent a car. The parking lots around Matsue Castle are crowded on weekends. In that case, you can park at the prefectural office next to Matsue Castle. It is open to tourists only on weekends and holidays!

Matsue Castle, a national treasure, and prayer tablets found in a shrine storehouse

In 2015, Matsue Castle's castle tower was designated a national treasure. It is one of the 12 remaining castle towers that have survived to the present day without being burned or destroyed. At the beginning of the Meiji period, the government issued an order to demolish castles all over Japan that could no longer be maintained. Matsue Castle was no exception and was to be demolished, but thanks to local residents who paid the government 180 yen (the amount at the time), the castle tower was bought back from the government. Matsue Castle has been preserved in this way, and you can still see its former appearance today.

However, that alone was not enough to make it a national treasure. Along with Matsue Castle, we also recommend visiting Matsue Shrine, located right next to the castle. The storehouse visible in the back between the pale green Western-style building Kounkaku and the shrine was the key to its national treasure status. A prayer tablet with the year Matsue Castle was built written on it was found in this storehouse, making it clear that the castle was completed in 1613. This led to the castle being designated a national treasure.

Let's climb Matsue Castle

The first thing that is impressive about Matsue Castle is its stone walls. It is known that the stone was cut and transported from the coast of the Shimane Peninsula under the supervision of the Anō-shu, a group of stone wall craftsmen. There are various construction methods, and the castle is like an exhibition center for stone walls. The restored tower on top of the stone walls is also cool and a must-see.

Important things in the castle are the place where prayer tablets were hung, the largest shachihoko statue still standing, the tsutsumiita (a wooden board wrapped in a paper) on a pillar, and the fan bestowed by Sanadamaru. From the top floor, you can get a great view of Matsue and Lake Shinji. Come and enjoy the feeling of being a lord!

The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.

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Translated by AI