About Matsue
Shimane Prefecture is the setting of numerous myths that appear in Japan's oldest historical texts, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki. The prefectural capital, Matsue City, a prosperous castle town crisscrossed with canals, has long served as the political and cultural center of the San'in region.
Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn), who was appointed to Matsue as an English teacher, was fascinated by this city and introduced the beauty of its culture and spirituality to the world in his book "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan (知られぬ日本の面影)".
Matsue Castle
20 min. walking from conference venue
Matsue Castle is one of the only 12 remaining original castles in Japan and the only one in the San'in region. It was designated as a National Treasure in 2015. Matsue Castle is also known as "Chidori Castle" (Plover Castle) because it is known to have had an ornamental gable called "Chidorihafu" on the roof of its tenshu (main keep).
Shimane Art Museum
25 min. walking from conference venue
https://www.shimane-art-museum.jp/en/
Shimane Art Museum maintains a collection of about 1,600 Katsushika Hokusai works and about 40 of his works are always on display in HOKUSAI Gallery. The sunset over Lake Shinji, visible from the museum, is spectacular and was selected as "Japan Sunset Best 100". (From March to September, the museum is open until 30 minutes after sunset.)
From the museum collection: KATSUSHIKA Hokusai,
"Under the Wave off Kanagawa (L)" and "Hodogaya on the Tōkaidō Road(R)", from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei).
Please note that exhibited works will be rotated regularly.
Lake Shinji
35min. walking from conference venue
Lake Shinji is the seventh largest lake in Japan and is known for its rich ecosystem created by the mixing of seawater and the spectacular sunset. The sunset with silhouette of Yomegashima Island, Sodeshi Jizo and Sekkai Jizo, are particularly beautiful and their ever-changing appearance attracts many tourists.
