Matsue – Festivals and Events Archive 2008 – 2/2009

DAN DAN SHOKU FESTA 2009

 

 

The 7th Dan-dan Shoku Festa (Food Festival) will be held in Matsue City from February 1st – 28th 2009! You can enjoy a wide range of food made from local products by local people. The streets are packed with stalls selling all kinds of hot food to keep you warm and at very reasonable prices.

Dates as follows…

February 1st (Sunday) Stalls around the station area. (From around 11 am to mid-afternoon)

February 8th (Sunday) Stalls around the Kyomise area. Take Ichibata Bus nos. 93 to 99 from stop no. 6 at the station or No. 31 from stop no. 3. Get off at Matsue Ohashi bridge stop.

February 15th (Sunday) Stalls around the Tenjin area. From the north exit of the station turn left and keep going, cross the road and walk a bit further down. You can’t miss it!

There are other events at various hotels and shops throughout the period, however as they are reservation only and no English is spoken, they are not introduced here. Anyway, we recommend the street stalls for the food and the atmosphere!

 

 

AUTUMN SAMURAI PARADE

 This parade re-creates the scene of the samurai marching from Toda Castle to the newly built Matsue Castle. Events include…the recreation of the samurai reaching the castle gates and a drum performance. 

Travel back 400 years on…

November 15th (Sat) from 10:00am.

Take the lakeline sightseeing bus from stop no. 7 at Matsue Station and get off in front of the castle.

GENTAN SOBA FESTIVAL IN YAKUMO

SUNSET SUMMIT IN MATSUE

Matsue’s first ever Sunset Summit will be held this November, celebrating the city’s most stunning sight.

It will include… an exhibition of sunset photos from around 40 places in Japan and also pictures from Matsue’s sister cities around the world. There will also be a symposium (in Japanese) focused on community development and sunsets and a lakeside jazz concert held at sunset time. (Let’s hope it doesn’t rain…!)

 

Schedule: Photo exhibition – Oct 31st – Nov 9th in Tersa (walk out of the North Exit of Matsue Station and it is the big metal and glass building to your left).

Symposium – Nov 1st Hotel Hakucho (Take the Lakeline Bus from stop no. 7 at the station to Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station. The hotel is opposite the lake with no written English on the front but has a huge wedding picture on the side – you can’t miss it. Honestly!) 1:00pm – 4:00pm (No English though…)

Concert – Nov 8th on the east side of the lake at the sunset spot. A 15 min walk or a short bus ride on the Matsue City Southern Inner Loop line to Kenritsu Bijutsukan mae (the art museum). Will start at around 4:15 – 5:00pm, 40 mins before the sun goes down. (Will be cancelled if it rains).

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MATSUE 400 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS!

It has been 400 years since the City of Matsue was born with the construction of Matsue Castle by Horio Yoshiharu in 1607. It took 5 years to complete the castle so 400 years later, from 2007 – 2011, Matsue City will be honouring this with 5 years of events and celebrations. There is very little English information on these events so we will try to post as many details here as possible.

 

JAPONISM OF MATSUE 2008

2008 events are centered around tea and Japanese sweets, for which Matsue is famous. The tradition was started around 250 years ago by feudal lord Matsudaira Fumai Harusato, who developed an original style of tea ceremony called ‘Fumai’.

Here are some events which don’t require reservations.

Tea on the top floor of Matsue Castle

Enjoy tea and sweets on the top floor of the castle overlooking the city and lake.

Days: Sept 27th/28th (Sat/Sun), Oct 11,12,13 (Sat/Sun/Mon), Oct 18,19 (Sat/Sun), Oct 25th – Nov 3rd(Mon)

Times: 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Cost: 1,000 yen (including entrance to the castle and sweet)

Take the Lakeline Bus from stop No.7 at Matsue Station to Matsue Castle (Otemae) Stop.

Tea on Lake Shinji

Enjoy the unusual experience of tea on Yomegashima Island in the middle of Lake Shinji.

Days: Oct 11 (Sat) – 19 (Sun)

Times: 10:00am – 4:00pm (Weekdays until 2:00pm)

From: Shimane Art Museum on the Lake’s eastern shore.

Cost: 1,000 yen (includes tea and sweet)

(Last entrance is an hour before closing)

From Matsue Station take the North Exit and head east to the lake. You will see the Art Museum in front of you. About a 15 min walk. (Lakeline bus doesn’t go to the museum during the day..but you can take the city bus inner loop line)

 Tea in the castle grounds

Enjoy drinking tea within the castle grounds near the tourist information centre from Oct 11th – Nov 2nd on Saturdays and Sundays (10:00 – 16:00)

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Matsue Illumination Festival

(the photo is from the Matsue City website)

Matsue Castle, the samurai houses and the Lafcadio Hearn memorial hall stay open till 9pm and the Horikawa moat boat trip runs from 6:30pm to 9:00pm on the specific festival days.

When: 6:30 pm - 9:00pm from 9th Sep (Sat) to 19th Oct (Sun), 2008, BUT only on Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays during this period. (Except the national holiday on 23rd Sep).

Head for the castle or prefectural hall by bus from the north exit of Matsue Station.

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42nd ANNUAL LAFCADIO HEARN SPEECH CONTEST

The Lafacdio Hearn speech contest has been held in Matsue every year since 1966. The aim is to encourage children to become familiar with Hearn’s writings. (See the Matsue -What to See page for more info on Hearn).

Students from primary school age to senior high school age will be taking part, each reciting a section from one of Hearn’s works.

Place: Matsue Cultural Centre (Plover Hall)

Take the south exit from the station and turn left. Go across the main road and keep walking until you get to Saty. Turn right and keep walking until you come to the large junction on Route 9. (You’ll see car dealers and a petrol stand. Cross the lights and the cultural centre is on your left).

Date and Time: Sun 28th Sep 2008, 9am -6pm

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MATUSE DOGYO RETSU (Drumming Parade)

Drum Festival 2007

 

The best place to see it is from around the prefectural office to the Ohashi bridge.

The parade will be held on Sunday 19th October 2008. The sounds of the drummers practicing can already be heard around the town most nights!

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 SUIGO SAI FESTIVAL

 

 ’Suigo sai’ festival – a summer festival held every year famous for the fireworks display over Lake Shinji. It is usually held on the first or 2nd weekend of August. The best place to see the fireworks is from outside the Shimane Prefectural Art Museum on the lake’s shores.

The firework display  lasts 30 mins on Saturday and 1 hour on Sunday.   Live events such as Japanese drum performances take place outside the city office on the north side of the lake and the streets are lined with stalls selling food and beer. The fireworks start at 20:00 and finish at 21:00. From Matsue station head west towards the lake and follow the crowds!

August 9th – 10th 2008 Matsue City Lake Shinji Area