Shiomi Nawate

Background

Shiomi Nawate is a castle-town street on the north side of Matsue Castle, running parallel to the inner moat; the street itself is not the same entity as the single samurai residence open to paying visitors. According to the residence's management, the inner moat, the road and the samurai housing plots took shape together between 1607 and 1611, while Horio Yoshiharu was building Matsue Castle; the name is linked to Shiomi Kohei, who once lived here, which is a local account of its origins. Matsue City has designated the area a district for preserving traditional scenery and continues to manage its gates, walls, pines and streetscape. Not every building you see today has been preserved untouched since the Edo period; there has also been later restoration and landscaping. Along the street are separate facilities such as Lafcadio Hearn's former residence and memorial museum, which make it easy to link the castle, daily residential life and modern cultural exchange into one walking route, but these museums should not be treated as annexes of the street itself.

Local customs

• The street is shared by residents, pedestrians and vehicles
• when photographing residence gates and walls, do not block entrances or cross fences into private gardens. The samurai residence and the memorial museum each have their own visiting rules and possible charges
• check at the entrance before deciding whether to go in. Watch the path surface and traffic when walking along the moat, and leave room for others when stopping as a group.

Religion & beliefs

• Shiomi Nawate is a historic castle-town street, not a place of worship
• if you also visit nearby temples or shrines, follow their notices and etiquette.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Matsue City's official tourism guide describes Shiomi Nawate as a street about 500 meters long on the north side of Matsue Castle, best walked along the inner moat from the north of the castle. If you only want to see the street, the bridges and the exteriors, allow about 30–45 minutes
• if you plan to enter the samurai residence, Hearn's former residence or the memorial museum, allow a further 30–60 minutes or so for each, rather than squeezing all the museums into a single street photo stop. Check the opening days, tickets and photography rules of each building in current notices
• being able to walk the street does not mean every building is open. Buses around Matsue Castle can get you there
• check return stops and services on site. The moat-side path can be slippery in the rain, so watch out for traffic and your footing
• ask before photographing residents' homes or people.