Matsue, Izumo Taisha, Matsue Castle, Lake Shinji
The eastern Shimane area covering Izumo Taisha, Matsue Castle and Lake Shinji. Located in San'in on the Sea of Japan side, it sees many cloudy, rainy and snowy days in winter, a different climate from the Seto Inland Sea. Sunsets over Lake Shinji are also popular.
JMA forecast issued Oct 22, 11 AM
Weather and wind are for the wider area; temperature is for the main forecast point. Chance of rain is for the 6-hour period.
May has a long 206.5 hours of sunshine and highs around 23°C. October is also around 22°C — a good season for taking in the sunsets over Lake Shinji.
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Max snow depth | What to wear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.3℃ | 1.5℃ | 153.3mm | 13cm | Winter coatDown or heavy coat, gloves, waterproof shoes |
| Feb | 9.4℃ | 1.3℃ | 118.4mm | 12cm | Warm jacketLight down or winter coat, sweater |
| Mar | 13.1℃ | 3.6℃ | 134mm | 4cm | Warm jacketLight down or winter coat, sweater |
| Apr | 18.5℃ | 8.2℃ | 113mm | — | Long sleeves + jacketLong sleeves with a light jacket or hoodie |
| May | 23.2℃ | 13.5℃ | 130.3mm | — | T-shirt + layerT-shirt, plus light long sleeves for mornings and evenings |
| Jun | 26.2℃ | 18.2℃ | 173mm | — | T-shirtT-shirt, with a light layer for evenings and air conditioning |
| Jul | 29.8℃ | 22.8℃ | 234.1mm | — | T-shirtT-shirt, with a light layer for evenings and air conditioning |
| Aug | 31.6℃ | 23.8℃ | 129.6mm | — | T-shirtT-shirt, with a light layer for evenings and air conditioning |
| Sep | 27.1℃ | 19.6℃ | 204.1mm | — | T-shirtT-shirt, with a light layer for evenings and air conditioning |
| Oct | 22.0℃ | 13.4℃ | 126.1mm | — | T-shirt + layerT-shirt, plus light long sleeves for mornings and evenings |
| Nov | 16.5℃ | 8.0℃ | 121.6mm | — | Long sleeves + jacketLong sleeves with a light jacket or hoodie |
| Dec | 10.9℃ | 3.6℃ | 154.5mm | 7cm | Warm jacketLight down or winter coat, sweater |
Clothing tips are based on the normal high temperature and snow depth. Bring an extra layer for mornings and evenings.
PR8.6
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PR8.2Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.
The average cherry blossom opening date is March 29. Some days in March still bring snow, and April mornings are around 8°C.
The rainy season runs from June to mid-July, with a heavy 234.1mm of rain in July. August highs are around 32°C.
September is rainy, and October highs are around 22°C. In November, cloudy and rainy days increase.
Highs around 8–11°C, mornings around 1–4°C. January sunshine is a short 67.4 hours and there are snowy days, so bring warm clothing and non-slip shoes.
NovemberChugoku & Shikoku ・ Izumo & Matsue
Every year on the 10th to 17th days of the 10th lunar month (varies by year on the modern calendar, usually around November)
2026: Nov 18 (Wed) Kamimukaesai – Nov 25 (Wed) Karasadesai
CastleChugoku & Shikoku ・ Izumo & Matsue
🌸 Typical peak: Late Mar – Early Apr
🎆 AugustDate announcedChugoku & Shikoku ・ Matsue, Shimane
🎆 To be held on Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1, 2027
♨ OnsenChugoku & Shikoku ・ Matsue, Shimane
♨ Day use Adults (junior high school students and up) ¥600, children (age 3 and up) ¥300 (as of October 2026)
GardenChugoku & Shikoku ・ Izumo & Matsue
🍁 Typical peak: Early Nov – Early Dec
ZooChugoku & Shikoku ・ Izumo & Matsue
A flower and bird themed park spread over hills on the shore of Lake Shinji. Its 320,000㎡ grounds include display greenhouses totaling 12,000㎡, and the main facilities are linked by covered walkways, so you can get around without an umbrella even on rainy days. The Ichibata Electric Railway station connects directly to the park.
🚄 JRChugoku & Shikoku ・ 7 consecutive days (from 0:00 on the first day to 24:00 on the last day)
From ¥23,000
🚄 JRNationwide ・ Three types: 7, 14 or 21 days. The period of use cannot be extended or changed
From ¥50,000
Back to the Chugoku & Shikoku Weather Guide (all months & areas) →
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (climate normals 1991-2020). Compiled by tripuuu.log. Temperature and snow figures are normals from the Matsue station; actual weather varies from year to year.
