Which attractions should you visit in Matsue, Yasugi and Izumo?
Choose Matsue Castle to climb inside the keep and look over town, or Horikawa boats for a waterway trip. For gardens and Japanese paintings, choose Adachi Museum in Yasugi. Pair Izumo Taisha with Inasa Beach for worship and a seaside walk. Check museum closure dates when choosing indoor exhibitions.
Choose attractions beyond the itineraries
Matsue Castle
松江城
Explore Matsue Castle’s old wooden keep to see its structure. Honmaru is free; keep entry is paid. Interior stairs are steep, and visitors remove shoes. Follow date-specific notices for restrictions around the north gate.
- AdmissionAdults pay 1,200 yen; elementary/junior-high students enter free. Prices were revised on 1 July 2026. Honmaru admission 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 change hours.
- Getting thereTake Lakeline from Matsue Station to 国宝松江城（大手前）, then follow castle signs to the keep. Return from the same stop on the loop service. Regular buses at the prefectural offices require separate fare/timetable checks.
Official Matsue Castle informationMore transport and operating informationMore transport and operating information
Izumo Taisha
Izumo Oyashiro Shrine出雲大社
Follow the pine-lined approach to worship at the worship hall. Enter from Shinmon-dori and explore shrine architecture too. The area behind the main hall closes at 16:30; visit early if you want to see it.
- AdmissionOfficial guidance specifies no ordinary-worship admission fee. For prayers or Treasure Hall visits, check their charges separately.
- Hours and closuresWorship hours are 06:00–19:00. The area behind the main hall closes at 16:30.
- Getting thereTake an Ichibata bus towards Izumo Taisha/Hinomisaki from JR Izumoshi north-exit stand 1 to Seimon-mae (正門前). Aeon Mall services cost adults 510 yen one way, 1,020 return by the same route. Return on an Izumoshi-bound bus, checking notices and date-specific two-way services. Private rail normally goes Dentetsu-Izumoshi–Kawato transfer–Izumotaisha-mae; direct services also exist.
Official Izumo Taisha informationMore transport and operating informationCurrent Ichibata Taisha Line timetable/faresSpecial timetable for the 10th–11thSpecial timetable for the 12th
Adachi Museum of Art
足立美術館
Enjoy garden scenery alongside Japanese paintings. View the gardens from inside the museum rather than walking freely through them. The museum recommends at least two hours.
- AdmissionAdults 2,500 yen; university students 2,000; high-school students 1,000; elementary/junior-high students 500.
- Hours and closuresApril–September 09:00–17:30; October–March 09:00–17:00. Open year-round, with separate annex display-change closures. Annex closure notices: 20–23 October and 16–17 November 2026.
- Getting thereTake the free shuttle from JR Yasugi, a ride of about 20 minutes. The stop is about 15 metres to the right outside the station building. The shuttle seats 25, first come, first served; no reservations are accepted. Collect numbered return tickets for everyone at the museum entrance.
Official Adachi Museum informationMore transport and operating informationMore transport and operating information
Horikawa Sightseeing Boat
堀川遊覧船
Take Horikawa boats to explore waterways around Matsue Castle. Low bridges require ducking. Choose keep admission and boat rides separately.
- AdmissionDay ticket: adults 2,000 yen, junior-/high-school students 1,600, elementary students 1,000, preschool 500. One preschool child per adult free. Repeat same-day boarding is allowed; queues may occur.
- Hours and closuresFirst departure 09:00; last departure March–September 17:00, October–February 16:00. Fureai Hiroba services about every 20–30 minutes, Otemae every 15–20; circuit about 50. Reception ends ten minutes before service closes, or 20 at Karakoro Hiroba. Karakoro has no scheduled departures; board a passing boat only if seats are available. Weather/water levels may change services.
- Getting thereTake Lakeline from JR Matsue to 大手前堀川遊覧船乗場・歴史館前, then go to 大手前広場乗船場 reception in the castle Otemae car park. This differs from Fureai Hiroba. Small parties need no booking; reservations for ten or more board only at Fureai. Confirm crossing/access routes and walking time from stop to reception on site.
Horikawa operatorOperator pier mapReservations and full-circuit guidanceMore transport and operating informationCity pier location and layoutCity Otemae reception layout
Inasa Beach
Inasa-no-Hama (Inasa Beach)稲佐の浜
A small shrine sits on Bentenjima rock on the white-sand beach. Walk here for sea views after Izumo Taisha, about 15 minutes from the shrine. Beach visits are free.
- AdmissionFree.
- Getting thereTourism guidance gives about 15 minutes from Izumo Taisha, a different starting point from the 20–25-minute walk from Izumotaisha-mae Station. The 15 minutes exclude Seimon-mae stop–shrine access.
- Suggested visiting timeAllow a suggested 30–45 minutes at the beach. Omit walks in rain or strong winds. On departure day, shorten your stay to fit the station-bound bus and booked departure.
Shimane tourism beach informationIzumo Tourism Association English name
Matsue History Museum
松江歴史館
Visit History Museum’s permanent exhibitions to explore Matsue’s castle-town history. Give keep architecture and town-history displays separate days if preferred. Allow 60–90 minutes to read exhibitions.
- AdmissionPermanent exhibitions for adults living outside Matsue City: 700 yen. Junior-high students and younger enter free. Special exhibitions have separate fees.
- Hours and closures09:00–17:00, reception until 16:30. Closed Mondays (next weekday if a public holiday) and 29 December–1 January. A special-opening notice applies to 2 November 2026.
- Getting thereTake Lakeline from Matsue stand 7 to 大手前堀川遊覧船乗場・歴史館前, then walk about three minutes. Return on the loop bus from the same stop.
- Combined ticketAn adult ticket for the castle keep and permanent history exhibitions costs 1,520 yen and is valid ten days from first use. Separate tickets total 1,200 + 700. Special exhibitions are outside permanent-exhibition coverage.
History Museum hours and feesWalk from the stopTourism information on combined-ticket validity
Shimane Art Museum
島根県立美術館
After collections, walk beside Lake Shinji. Waiting for sunset and special exhibitions are excluded; lakeside walks do not guarantee a sunset visit.
- AdmissionOfficial English collection admission: adults 400 yen, university students 260, high-school students and younger free. Special exhibitions cost extra.
- Hours and closuresOctober–February 10:00–18:30; March–September 10:00 until 30 minutes after sunset. Last admission 30 minutes before closing. Closed Tuesdays and 28 December–1 January; next day when Tuesday is a public holiday. Exhibition schedules may change opening.
- Getting thereWalk about 15 minutes from JR Matsue. After a 60–90-minute visit, return by the same route. If choosing buses due to rain or walking difficulty, check additional fares/services.
- Luggage storageRefundable 100-yen lockers stand beside general reception; larger items that do not fit can be left at reception. Bring a 100-yen coin, returned after use. Ask reception if lockers are full or for large items. Based on the museum FAQ, checked 8 October 2026.
Museum FAQOfficial English hours, fees and walking accessCurrent hours and fees
Frequently asked questions
Does the Adachi course include walking through the gardens?
You cannot walk freely through the gardens. View them from inside the museum and see Japanese paintings. The itinerary suggests about two hours for viewing, with Yasugi–museum travel and shuttle waits allowed separately.
More transport and operating informationOfficial Adachi Museum information
Does the castle/history combined ticket include special exhibitions?
The 1,520-yen ticket combines Matsue Castle’s keep and Matsue History Museum’s permanent exhibitions. History Museum special exhibitions are extra. Individual tickets cost 1,200 and 700 yen, totalling 1,900.
Tourism information on combined-ticket validityHistory Museum hours and feesOfficial Matsue Castle information
Official sources and check dates
- Horikawa operator ·
- Official Matsue Castle information ·
- More transport and operating information ·
- More transport and operating information ·
- Official Izumo Taisha information ·
- More transport and operating information ·
- Official Adachi Museum information ·
- More transport and operating information ·
- More transport and operating information ·
- History Museum hours and fees ·
- Walk from the stop ·
- Tourism information on combined-ticket validity ·
- Museum FAQ ·
- Official English hours, fees and walking access ·
- Current hours and fees ·
- Shimane tourism beach information ·
- Izumo Tourism Association English name ·
- Official JR search ·
- Reservations and full-circuit guidance ·
- Operator pier map ·
- City pier location and layout ·
- Special timetable for the 10th–11th ·
- Special timetable for the 12th ·
- Current Ichibata Taisha Line timetable/fares ·
- City Otemae reception layout ·