Matsue’s Lantern Festival — The Chief City of the Gods Aglow

Matsue — Once described by Lafcadio Hearn as “the chief city of the Province of the Gods” — opened its annual Suitōrō Lantern Festival this weekend. Each autumn, more than 1,000 handmade lanterns transform the city’s castle and waterways into a realm of light, drawing an estimated 100,000 visitors.

First launched in 2003, the festival has become a fixture of Matsue’s cultural calendar, blending heritage with artistry. Washi paper lanterns, bamboo craft and calligraphy line the historic streets, uniting tradition with creativity. While the large-scale summer workshops for the Handmade Lantern Exhibition have ended, smaller, drop-in craft sessions are still offered at the Yoiyatai food stall area, where local vendors gather.

At its centre rises Matsue Castle, a national treasure and Japan’s second-largest surviving keep. This year, the castle’s illumination used hydrogen energy for the first time, producing no carbon dioxide emissions — a step that adds a modern note of sustainability to the historic setting. Hearn himself once called Matsue “the most beautiful and the most weird of Japanese cities,” a description that still resonates as the lanterns reveal the town’s quiet, dreamlike character.

The festival runs until 19th October, held on weekends and national holidays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Together with the Suigōsai Fireworks in summer, the Dō Taiko Parade in autumn, and the Musha Gyōretsu warrior procession in spring, Suitōrō forms what locals now call Matsue’s four great festivals — a cycle of traditions marking the seasons of the city.

“It’s so beautiful — we’re really enjoying it,” said Klomb Frederic, visiting with his family. Around them, other spectators spoke of their anticipation for Bakebake, NHK’s upcoming morning drama on Japan’s public broadcaster, often likened to the BBC, which tells the story of Setsu, the Japanese wife of Hearn. Lanterns inspired by the series bathed the castle grounds in a gentle glow.

On the water, Horikawa boat tours drift through the moat and canals, surrounded by flickering light. On 27th September, passengers listened to ghost stories told in Japanese while gliding across the water — an experience as if lifted from the pages of Kwaidan. At Shiomi Nawate Street, where Hearn’s former residence still stands, lanterns lit the narrow lane. At the Otemon Gate, a towering folding-screen lantern and bamboo installations welcomed visitors, creating an atmosphere where art and tradition meet.

That same evening, a cosplay event added playful colour to the illuminated streets, while food stalls offered local flavours.

Beyond the festive bustle, Suitōrō invites something more personal. “You discover autumn in a way found nowhere else,” sang a local songstress during her live performance — a refrain that has since echoed among visitors. Lanterns swayed along the stone-paved Karakoro Street, reflections shimmered on the Horikawa River, sake was poured, drums resounded, and guests lit their own lanterns, becoming part of a new chapter in Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan.

 

Most displays are free; however, activities such as climbing the castle tower, tasting regional sake, or joining craft workshops require a fee. Matsue Castle is about ten minutes by bus or taxi from JR Matsue Station, and roughly thirty minutes by limousine bus from Izumo Enmusubi Airport. The historic centre is compact and best explored on foot or by bicycle.

Hearn once wrote of Lake Shinji at dusk as “a sea of molten gold and purple, where the sun sinks into silence.” In the same way, Matsue’s autumn is etched in lantern light — fleeting, luminous, unforgettable. Even today, Matsue lingers in silence and dreams, just as Hearn once saw it.

— Words by Takashi Saito

🏯 Access to Matsue Castle

✈️ From Airport

• Izumo Enmusubi Airport → Matsue Castle → About 30 min by limousine bus