Matsue (松江市, Matsue-shi?) is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.
As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 196,093 and the density of 369.84 persons per km². The total area is 530.21 km².
It is called the "water city," as it sits on Lake Shinji, the seventh largest lake in Japan. Nearby Izumo Taisha is considered to be the oldest and most important Shinto shrine in Japan.
Culture
Universities in Matsue
- Shimane University [1]
- Shimane Prefectural Women's College (junior college) [2]
History
The city boasts Matsue Castle, the "black castle" or "plover castle", one of the few remaining medieval castles in Japan. The castle grounds include a winding path through mixed forests of bamboo, shrubs and trees, many of which are very old and identified by species. Surrounding the grounds and the castle park is the old moat, "horikawa".
Author Lafcadio Hearn taught in Matsue from 1890-1891. His house is now a museum about his life, and a popular tourist attraction in Matsue.
Municipal timeline
Sister cities
External links
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