About Matsue

Matsue is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture, in Southwest Japan. Known as the “City of Water”, Matsue stands by the Sea of Japan where Lake Shinji and Nakaumi meet, in the middle of Shimane Peninsula.

A former feudal stronghold, Matsue is a castle town crossed with many canals and boasts one of the twelve remaining original castles in Japan.

Matsue can be easily reached by two nearby airports, Izumo Airport (IZO) and Yonago Airport (YNG). There are regular domestic connections from Osaka Itami (Osaka International), Haneda (Tokyo), Nagoya and Fukuoka Airports. International flights are available from Seoul, South Korea (Incheon International Airport) and Hong Kong.

Matsue Tourism Association: visit-matsue.com

General Information

• Passport and Visas: All foreign visitors entering Japan must have a valid passport. Delegates from countries requiring a visa should apply to the Japanese consular office or diplomatic mission in their country prior to departure. For details, participants should contact their local travel agents or consular offices.
• Currency Exchange: Only Japanese yen is accepted at regular stores and restaurants. Foreign currency exchange is available at the banks and the hotels on presentation of your passport. Bank business hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Credit Cards and Traveler's Checks:International credit cards (eg. MasterCard, Diners Cluc, Visa, Union Pay and American Express) are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, shops, and restaurants.
• Insurance: Conference organizers will not accept responsibility for individual, medical, travel or personal insurance, and participants are advised to take out their own insurance policies.
• Climate: Matsue has a humid subtropical climate with very warm summers and cool winters. In February, Matsue experiences chilly weather. The average high temperature is around 8°C (46.4°F), while the average low temperature dips to approximately 0.6°C (33.1°F).
• Shopping: Shops and other sales outlets in Japan are generally open on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays as well as weekdays from 10:00 to 20:00. Department stores, however, are closed on one weekday, differing by store, and certain specialty shops may not open on Sundays and national holidays.