About Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence
In June, 1891, Lafcadio Hearn and his wife, Setsu, moved into this property and lived there until moving to Kumamoto around 5 months later. A strong admirer of the beautiful garden, he would change into traditional Japanese clothes on returning home and spent time staring out upon the three views of the garden from the house in bliss. With his love for plants, bugs, and animals, this garden that feeds all the five senses features prominently in the section “In a Japanese Garden” in his work Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan.
Even now, the views of the garden remain the same as those gazed upon by Hearn himself. Open your senses and take in the elegance of his former residence, just as he did.
Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) was born in Greece in 1850 and raised in Ireland. At the age of 19, he crossed the Atlantic to America, where he would establish himself as a newspaper journalist and author through which he developed an interest in Japan, making his way there in 1890. Arriving in Matsue in August of that year, he was employed as an English instructor at Shimane Prefectural Common Middle School. A deep admirer of Japanese culture and traditions, he penned numerous volumes on the topics, including Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan and Kwaidan. In 1896, Hearn became a Japanese citizen and took the name Koizumi Yakumo. He passed away in 1904 at the age of 54.
→八雲について、詳しくは小泉八雲記念館のウェブサイトをご覧ください。
This property belonged to the Negishi family of samurai who were retainers to the Matsue domain. While Hearn was in Matsue, the head of the Negishi family, Negishi Tateo, was away due to his work as head of the district, leaving the property vacant. It was then rented to Hearn, who wanted to live in a samurai residence with a garden. The garden adored by Lafcadio Hearn had been created in 1868 by the Negishi family.
Tateo’s eldest son, Iwai, was also taught by Hearn at Shimane Common Middle School, Kumamoto Fifth Higher Middle School, and Tokyo Imperial University. Iwai went on to work at the Bank of Japan after graduating, however, he returned to Matsue in 1913 to preserve the house Hearn loved, opening a section of the residence to the public in 1920 and striving to establish it as a museum.
This property had been preserved through the generations by the Negishi family, and continues to be carefully maintained since its handing over to the city of Matsue in 2018.
Opening Hours
April-September: 9:00-18:00 (Last admission 17:30)
October-March: 9:00-17:00 (Last admission 16:30)
Open year-round (closed for some maintenance days through the year)
Admission Fees
| Single Admission ticket / Two-venue joint ticket |
|
|---|---|
| Matsue Citizen Admission ticket / Two-venue joint ticket |
|
| Small Group (Up to 19 people) Tour Groups, etc. (20 people or more) Two-venue joint ticket |
| Admission ticket | Two-venue joint ticket Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence |
|
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 400 yen | 800 yen |
| Child | 200 yen | 400 yen |
- Adult: 16 and over.
- Free admission for disability/rehabilitation certificate holders and one accompanying caregiver.
| Admission ticket | Two-venue joint ticket Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence |
|
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 200 yen | 500 yen |
| Child | 0 yen | 0 yen |
- Matsue Citizen: please present identification showing residency in Matsue City.
- Adult: 16 and over.
- Two-venue joint ticket is available online only.
- Free admission for disability/rehabilitation certificate holders and one accompanying caregiver.
| Admission ticket | Two-venue joint ticket Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence |
|
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 400 yen | 800 yen |
| Child | 200 yen | 400 yen |
- Adult: 16 and over.
- Reservations must be made online at least two weeks prior to your visit.
- Free admission for disability/rehabilitation certificate holders and one accompanying caregiver.
| Admission ticket | Two-venue joint ticket Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence |
|
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 320 yen | 800 yen |
| Child | 160 yen | 400 yen |
- Adult: 16 and over.
- Reservations must be made online at least two weeks prior to your visit.
- Free admission for disability/rehabilitation certificate holders and one accompanying caregiver.
Contact
315 Kitabori-cho, Matsue, Shimane 690-0888, Japan
Tel: +81 852-21-2147 (Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum)
E-mail
- From JR Matsue Station
- Lakeline Bus approx. 16 min. Get off at “Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum”.
- Matsue City Bus approx. 14 min. Get off at “Shiominawate”, 5 minute walk.
- From Ichibata Electric Railway Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station
- 20 minute walk.
- There is no designated car park, so please use any of the nearest car parks.
