Which attractions in Matsue, Yasugi and Izumo will you visit?
Choose Matsue Castle to explore inside the keep and look over the town, or Horikawa for a boat trip through the waterways. Adachi Museum in Yasugi suits garden and Japanese painting visits. Pair Izumo Oyashiro with Inasa-no-hama for shrine worship and a beach walk. Check art museum and history museum closure days when choosing indoor exhibits.
Choose attractions separately from an itinerary
Matsue Castle
松江城
Matsue Castle lets you explore inside its historic wooden keep and see the building's structure. The Honmaru area is free to enter, while the keep is paid. Interior stairs are steep and you remove your shoes to enter. Follow visit-date notices for access restrictions near the north gate.
- AdmissionAdults pay ¥1,200; elementary and junior high school students enter free. These revised prices took effect July 1, 2026. The Honmaru area is free.
- Hours and closuresApril–September 08:30–18:00 (reception until 17:30); October–March 08:30–17:00 (reception until 16:30). Open year-round; events may alter hours.
- Getting thereTake the Lakeline from Matsue Station to Kokuhō Matsue-jō (Ōtemae) (国宝松江城（大手前）), then follow castle signs up to the keep. After visiting, return to the station on the loop bus from the same stop. Check fares and times separately for ordinary buses at Kenchō-mae.
Official Matsue Castle guideAdditional transport and operating informationAdditional transport and operating information
Izumo Oyashiro Shrine
出雲大社
Walk the pine-lined approach and worship at the Worship Hall. Enter from Shinmon-dori to explore the shrine architecture. The area behind the Main Hall closes at 16:30, so arrive earlier if you want to see it.
- AdmissionThe official guide does not specify an ordinary worship admission fee. Check separate prices for prayers or the treasure hall if using them.
- Hours and closuresWorship access 06:00–19:00. The area behind the Main Hall closes at 16:30.
- Getting thereTake an Ichibata bus towards Izumo Oyashiro or Hinomisaki from bay 1 at JR Izumoshi Station's north exit, getting off at Seimon-mae (正門前). Via AEON Mall, the adult fare is ¥510 each way or ¥1,020 return by the same route. Return on an Izumoshi Station-bound bus from Seimon-mae, checking operating notices and both services for your date. The usual private railway route starts at Dentetsu-Izumoshi, changes at Kawato and ends at Izumo-Taisha-mae; direct services also exist.
Official Izumo Oyashiro guideAdditional transport and operating informationCurrent Ichibata Taisha Line timetable and faresSpecial timetable for the 10th–11thSpecial timetable for the 12th
Adachi Museum of Art
足立美術館
View garden scenery alongside Japanese paintings. The garden is viewed from inside the museum, rather than freely walked through. The museum recommends at least two hours for a visit.
- AdmissionAdults pay ¥2,500; university students pay ¥2,000; senior high school students pay ¥1,000; elementary and junior high school students pay ¥500.
- Hours and closuresApril–September 09:00–17:30; October–March 09:00–17:00. Open year-round, with separate New Wing closures for exhibition changeovers. Announced New Wing closures in 2026: October 20–23 and November 16–17.
- Getting thereThe free shuttle from JR Yasugi Station takes about 20 minutes. Its stop is about 15 m to the right outside the station building. Capacity is 25, boarding is in arrival order, and reservations are unavailable. Collect one numbered return ticket per person at the museum entrance.
Official Adachi Museum guideAdditional transport and operating informationAdditional transport and operating information
Horikawa Sightseeing Boat
堀川遊覧船
Take a Horikawa boat to explore the waterways around Matsue Castle. Some low bridges require you to duck. Choose the boat ride separately from keep admission.
- AdmissionOne-day boat tickets: adults ¥2,000; junior and senior high school students ¥1,600; elementary school students ¥1,000; preschool children ¥500. One preschool child rides free per adult. Repeat rides are possible that day, with waits when busy.
- Hours and closuresFirst departure is 09:00; last departure is 17:00 in March–September or 16:00 in October–February. Boats leave Fureai Hiroba about every 20–30 minutes and Otemae about every 15–20 minutes; a loop takes about 50 minutes. Reception ends 10 minutes before closing, or 20 minutes at Karakoro Hiroba. Karakoro has no scheduled departures; board a passing boat only when seats are available. Weather and water levels may alter operations.
- Getting thereTake the Lakeline from JR Matsue Station to Otemae Horikawa Yūransen Noriba/Rekishikan-mae (大手前堀川遊覧船乗場・歴史館前). Go to Otemae Hiroba boarding-point reception (大手前広場乗船場) inside the castle's Otemae car park, distinguishing it from Fureai Hiroba. Ordinary small groups can ride without reservations; reservations for 10 or more board only at Fureai Hiroba. Check on-site information for crossings, entrance routes and walking time from the stop to reception.
Horikawa boat operatorOperator's boarding-point mapReservations and full-loop ride guideAdditional transport and operating informationCity boarding-point location and site planCity plan of Otemae reception
Inasa-no-hama Beach
Inasa-no-Hama (Inasa Beach)稲佐の浜
Bentenjima rock, with a small shrine, stands on this white-sand beach. It is about a 15-minute walk from Izumo Oyashiro for a seaside visit after worship. Beach access is free.
- AdmissionFree.
- Getting thereThe tourism body's estimate is about 15 minutes on foot from Izumo Oyashiro. It has a different starting point from the 20–25-minute walk from Izumo-Taisha-mae Station. Those 15 minutes exclude travel from Seimon-mae (正門前) to the shrine.
- Time to allowThe suggested beach visit is 30–45 minutes. Omit the walk in rain or strong winds. On departure day, shorten your visit to fit the bus back to the station and your booked onward service.
Shimane tourism body's beach guideEnglish name from the Izumo tourism association
Matsue History Museum
松江歴史館
Explore the history museum's basic exhibition to learn about Matsue's castle town. You can see keep architecture and town-history exhibits on separate days. Allow 60–90 minutes to read the exhibits.
- AdmissionBasic-exhibition admission is ¥700 for adults living outside Matsue; junior high school students and younger enter free. Special exhibitions have separate, exhibition-specific prices.
- Hours and closures09:00–17:00, reception until 16:30. Closed Mondays (next weekday if Monday is a public holiday) and December 29–January 1. A special opening is announced for November 2, 2026.
- Getting thereTake the Lakeline from Matsue Station bay 7 to Otemae Horikawa Yūransen Noriba/Rekishikan-mae (大手前堀川遊覧船乗場・歴史館前), then walk about three minutes. After visiting, take the loop bus from the same stop back to the station.
- Combined ticketCastle keep and history museum basic exhibition: ¥1,520 for adults, valid for 10 days from first use. Separate tickets cost ¥1,200 + ¥700. Special exhibitions are outside the combined ticket's basic-exhibition coverage.
History museum hours and pricesWalk from the stopTourism body's combined-ticket validity information
Shimane Art Museum
島根県立美術館
After the museum collection, walk beside Lake Shinji. Waiting for sunset and special exhibitions are outside the itineraries; a lakeside walk does not guarantee a sunset viewing.
- AdmissionThe official English guide lists collection admission at ¥400 for adults, ¥260 for university students and free for senior high school students and younger. Special exhibitions cost extra.
- Hours and closuresOctober–February 10:00–18:30; March–September 10:00 until 30 minutes after sunset. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed Tuesdays and December 28–January 1; if Tuesday is a public holiday, closed the next day. Exhibition schedules may alter opening.
- Getting thereWalk about 15 minutes from JR Matsue Station. After a 60–90-minute visit, return by the same path. If taking a bus because of rain or difficulty walking, check additional fares and services.
- Luggage storageThere are ¥100 refundable lockers beside general reception, and oversized luggage can be left at reception. Bring a ¥100 coin, returned after use. Ask reception if lockers are full or your luggage is too large. Museum FAQ, checked October 8, 2026.
Museum FAQOfficial English hours, prices and walking accessCurrent opening and price guide
Frequently asked questions
Does the Adachi itinerary walk through the garden?
You do not walk freely through the garden. View it from inside the museum and see the Japanese paintings. Allow a suggested two hours for the visit; travel from Yasugi Station and shuttle waits are extra.
Additional transport and operating informationOfficial Adachi Museum guide
Does the castle/history museum combined ticket cover special exhibitions?
The ¥1,520 combined ticket covers Matsue Castle's keep and Matsue History Museum's basic exhibition. The history museum's special exhibitions are separate. Distinguish this from separate ¥1,200 and ¥700 tickets totalling ¥1,900.
Tourism body's combined-ticket validity informationHistory museum hours and pricesOfficial Matsue Castle guide
Official sources and check dates
- Horikawa boat operator ·
- Official Matsue Castle guide ·
- Additional transport and operating information ·
- Additional transport and operating information ·
- Official Izumo Oyashiro guide ·
- Additional transport and operating information ·
- Official Adachi Museum guide ·
- Additional transport and operating information ·
- Additional transport and operating information ·
- History museum hours and prices ·
- Walk from the stop ·
- Tourism body's combined-ticket validity information ·
- Museum FAQ ·
- Official English hours, prices and walking access ·
- Current opening and price guide ·
- Shimane tourism body's beach guide ·
- English name from the Izumo tourism association ·
- Official JR search entry point ·
- Reservations and full-loop ride guide ·
- Operator's boarding-point map ·
- City boarding-point location and site plan ·
- Special timetable for the 10th–11th ·
- Special timetable for the 12th ·
- Current Ichibata Taisha Line timetable and fares ·
- City plan of Otemae reception ·