Shiomi Nawate

Overview

Shiomi Nawate is one of the streets created when the castle town was developed alongside Matsue Castle. It's a historically charming district north of Matsue Castle. It thrived as a samurai district during the Edo period and still retains its old-world charm. It was named in commemoration of the promotion of Shiomi Kohei, a senior retainer of the Matsue clan. Shiomi Nawate is lined with historic buildings, including Myōmyōan, a tea room built by Matsudaira Fumai; the former residence and memorial hall of Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo), who introduced Japan to the world through his works such as *Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan*; and samurai residences, some of which are open to the public as museums, offering a glimpse into the lives of mid-ranking samurai from the early Edo period to the end of the shogunate. Shiomi Nawate is also designated as a Matsue City Traditional Beauty Preservation District, offering a charming streetscape perfect for a stroll. Exploring these historical buildings and imagining the lives of Matsue's residents in the past is highly recommended.