Matsue Castle is the only surviving castle with a castle tower in the San’in region.
It is one of the five castles designated as a National Treasure (the others are Inuyama Castle, Matsumoto Castle, Hikone Castle, and Himeji Castle). The ruins of the castle are designated as a national historic site.
The Matsue Clan was established in 1600 as a result of its success in the Battle of Sekigahara.
The castle was built on Mt. Kameda, where Suetsugu Castle was located from the Kamakura period (1192-1333) to the Warring States period (1611-1644), as an advantageous location for transportation to form a castle town.
In the Edo period (1603-1867), the castle was the political and economic center of the Izumo region as the seat of government of the Matsue clan.
The castle was centered on a five-story, six-story keep with six turrets.
The castle tower stands on Mt. Kameda, 29 meters above sea level, and commands a view of Lake Shinji.
The castle portion of the castle is open to the public as Shiroyama Park, a major tourist attraction in Shimane Prefecture, selected as one of the 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan and one of the 100 best urban landscapes in Japan. Matsue Shrine and Kounkaku, a wooden Western-style building, are located on the ruins of Ninomaru.
Tenshukaku (castle tower)
April-September: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (reception until 6:00 p.m.)
October - March: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (reception until 4:30 p.m.)
Honmaru (main citadel)
April - September 7:00 - 19:30
October - March: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
No holidays
Tenshukaku entrance fee
Adult 680 yen
Child (elementary and junior high school students): 290 yen
Entrance to Honmaru
Free of charge
Ote-mae Parking Lot
10 min. by Lake Line Bus from JR Matsue Stn. to “National Treasure Matsue Castle (Ote-mae)” / 2 min. walk