<Shimane News Letter June 2026 Issue> A City Suited for Rain, the Stage of Asadora 'Bakebake' in Matsue, Where 'Enishizuku' Weaves a Heart-Warming Journey
Key facts
- <Shimane News Letter June 2026 Issue> A City Suited for Rain, the Stage of Asadora 'Bakebake' in Matsue, Where 'Enishizuku' Weaves a Heart-Warming Journey
- Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture, which has gained attention as the setting for the NHK continuous television novel 'Bakebake,' is known as a place for matchmaking and as a city of water with Lake Shinji, Ohasikawa River, and Matsue Castle Moat. This city is also a city nourished by rain. However, its characteristic is not heavy rain, but rather the gentle 'pitter-patter rain' that often falls on the castle town and the picturesque waterfront. Therefore, the rain that wets the streets is not depressing, but is loved by people as 'Enishizuku,' which beautifully revives the scenery, and a culture of quietly enjoying the rain and tourism that can be enjoyed even on rainy days have developed.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: June 15, 2026
Direct answer
Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture, which has gained attention as the setting for the NHK continuous television novel 'Bakebake,' is known as a place for matchmaking and as a city of water with Lake Shinji, Ohasikawa River, and Matsue Castle Moat. This city is also a city nourished by rain. However, its characteristic is not heavy rain, but rather the gentle 'pitter-patter rain' that often falls on the castle town and the picturesque waterfront. Therefore, the rain that wets the streets is not depressing, but is loved by people as 'Enishizuku,' which beautifully revives the scenery, and a culture of quietly enjoying the rain and tourism that can be enjoyed even on rainy days have developed.
- Citation
- <Shimane News Letter June 2026 Issue> A City Suited for Rain, the Stage of Asadora 'Bakebake' in Matsue, Where 'Enishizuku' Weaves a Heart-Warming Journey (June 15, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- June 15, 2026
Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture, which has gained attention as the setting for the NHK continuous television novel 'Bakebake,' is known as a place for matchmaking and as a city of water with Lake Shinji, Ohasikawa River, and Matsue Castle Moat. This city is also a city nourished by rain. However, its characteristic is not heavy rain, but rather the gentle 'pitter-patter rain' that often falls on the castle town and the picturesque waterfront. Therefore, the rain that wets the streets is not depressing, but is loved by people as 'Enishizuku,' which beautifully revives the scenery, and a culture of quietly enjoying the rain and tourism that can be enjoyed even on rainy days have developed.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: June 15, 2026 at 21:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 16, 2026 at 00:41 (3h 41m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 16, 2026 at 00:52 (10 min after Collected)
Matsue City in Shimane Prefecture, which has gained attention as the setting for the NHK continuous television novel 'Bakebake,' is known as a place for matchmaking and as a city of water with Lake Shinji, Ohasikawa River, and Matsue Castle Moat. This city is also a city nourished by rain. However, its characteristic is not heavy rain, but rather the gentle 'pitter-patter rain' that often falls on the castle town and the picturesque waterfront. Therefore, the rain that wets the streets is not depressing, but is loved by people as 'Enishizuku,' which beautifully revives the scenery, and a culture of quietly enjoying the rain and tourism that can be enjoyed even on rainy days have developed.
① Matsue's Rain is 'Enishizuku'
The rain in Matsue, which beautifully enhances the atmosphere of the castle town and the city of water. Matsue City has branded this climate as 'Enishizuku,' named by local high school girls. Based on this rain, which washes away the noise of daily life and brings wonderful connections, the city has developed numerous events and tourism content limited to rainy days. This is a pioneering regional revitalization initiative that overturns the common sense that 'rain is the enemy of travel' and provides value that can only be experienced because of the rain.
'Pitter-patter' is Matsue's individuality
About 40% of the year is a day with pitter-patter rain. The characteristic is that the number of days is more than the amount of rainfall. This climate has nurtured the calm atmosphere and mood of Matsue.
Rain ties 'connections,' a blessing drop
The stone walls and greenery of the national treasure Matsue Castle shine with a deep luster as if lacquered. As the water of Lake Shinji falls like rain, the circulation of water draws the 'thread of connections' that connects people and hearts, and you can enjoy a chic and glamorous expression that you cannot meet on sunny days.
Implementation of rain day measures
Matsue City has commercialized 'Enishizuku' in 2010 and has been developing special programs to actively enjoy rainy days from June to July as the 'Enishizuku Tourism Month.'
● Enishizuku ema
Next to the Kounkaku in the Ninomaru of Matsue Castle Mountain, where a prayer ticket that became the decisive factor for Matsue Castle to become a national treasure was discovered, is the Matsue Shrine. The ema of this shrine, known as a place for matchmaking, is heart-shaped and is sold at Kounkaku, Matsue Tourism Information Center, etc.
② Events to experience the atmosphere of Matsue loved by Lafcadio Hearn
In a chapter of Lafcadio Hearn's 'Unknown Japan' published in 1894, 'The Capital of the Land of the Gods,' the streets of Matsue, Lake Shinji, morning mist, the sound of bells, and the sound of geta are described with five senses, and the moist, poetic beauty is depicted. The 'quiet beauty' that Hearn found in Matsue, which does not exist in the West, has been revived in modern times through the drama 'Bakebake,' and even after the broadcast ended, the words and scenery still breathe in Matsue. The name 'Ushimizu Yakumo (Ushimizu Yakumo),' which the character 'Refcada Heaven' (played by Tommy Bastow) based on Hearn took when he obtained Japanese nationality, is exactly the one that inherits this poetry.
Matsue City has started a new 'Lafcadio Hearn Month'
A council of government and private organizations, which was established with the aim of maximizing the appeal and tourism promotion of Matsue, has launched a promotion with the catchphrase 'Age, Soge, Bake. Matsue, the city where Lafcadio Hearn and Setsu met.' This year, various events will be held in June, September, and February, which are deeply related to the Hearn couple.
https://ys443.kankou-matsue.jp/yakumo-month/
The first 'Lafcadio Hearn Month' will be held in Hearn's birth month
Period: June 1, 2026 (Mon) ~ June 28, 2026 (Sun)
● Special exhibition at Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum
● Town walking event
● Ghost stories on Ichibata Electric Railway
● Talk events and cruise ship operation
● Cosplay event at the venue in the city
etc.
Shimane Topics
Matsue City Hall Grand Opening: A 'Drama Museum' that Recreates the Worldview of TV Dramas
Urameishi, Subarashi, and the World of Tenku-no-Nagaya
Continuous Television Novel 'Bakebake' Drama Museum
The new building of Matsue City Hall on the shore of Lake Shinji will open on May 16. On the first floor, the 'Bakebake' Drama Museum will appear, displaying the sets and props of the Matsuno family. In Matsue, where Lafcadio Hearn and his wife Setsu met, you can immerse yourself in the worldview of the story.
[Exhibition Contents]
・Set of Tenku-no-Nagaya (※) (Matsuno family, well, wooden gate, etc.)
・Costumes (Matsuno Toki, Refcada Heaven)
・Props (Shachihoko sculpture, fox stone sculpture, illustrated letters, etc.)
※Tenku-no-Nagaya where the heroine Matsuno Toki lived with her family until she married Refcada Heaven. Many scenes appeared in the work.
Period: May 17, 2026 ~ March 31, 2027 (Weekdays only)
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM ~ 4:30 PM
Venue: Matsue City Hall 1st Floor Multi-Purpose Space (86 Suehirocho, Matsue City)
Inquiries: Matsue City Tourism Department Tourism Promotion Section 'The City Where Yakumo and Setsu Met' Brand Strategy Room TEL: 0852-55-5384
Matsue City HP: https://www.kankou-matsue.jp/event_calendar/desc/?event=122174
Hibiya Shimane-kan Information
An antenna shop packed with information on Shimane Prefecture's products, tourism, and migration. This is an information dissemination and activity base for Shimane Prefecture in the metropolitan area. Please enjoy the charm of Shimane Prefecture.
100-0006
1-2-2 Hibiya Shante B1, Yurakucho 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Business Hours: 11:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM (Closed on days when Hibiya Shante is closed)
Official HP: https://www.shimanekan.jp/
Introduction to the Shimane Prefecture Press Expense Support Subsidy System
Part of the press expenses (travel expenses) for media outside the prefecture who come to Shimane Prefecture for coverage will be supported. Please check the details at the URL below.
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/renmei/announcement/43
Shimane Prefecture Commerce, Industry, Labor and Tourism Department Tourism Promotion Section Tourism Promotion Division
■ Shimane Tourism Navi
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/
■ Shimane Film Commission Network
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/loca/
■ Shimane Tourism Photo Gallery
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/gallery
■ Shimane's PR videos are now available!
・PR video: https:/youtu.be/BjryOG0jTGk
・Material collection: https:/youtu.be/VWPdhaAeHdU
・Shimane Tourism Promotion Division Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ShimaneGoen
① Matsue's Rain is 'Enishizuku'
The rain in Matsue, which beautifully enhances the atmosphere of the castle town and the city of water. Matsue City has branded this climate as 'Enishizuku,' named by local high school girls. Based on this rain, which washes away the noise of daily life and brings wonderful connections, the city has developed numerous events and tourism content limited to rainy days. This is a pioneering regional revitalization initiative that overturns the common sense that 'rain is the enemy of travel' and provides value that can only be experienced because of the rain.
'Pitter-patter' is Matsue's individuality
About 40% of the year is a day with pitter-patter rain. The characteristic is that the number of days is more than the amount of rainfall. This climate has nurtured the calm atmosphere and mood of Matsue.
Rain ties 'connections,' a blessing drop
The stone walls and greenery of the national treasure Matsue Castle shine with a deep luster as if lacquered. As the water of Lake Shinji falls like rain, the circulation of water draws the 'thread of connections' that connects people and hearts, and you can enjoy a chic and glamorous expression that you cannot meet on sunny days.
Implementation of rain day measures
Matsue City has commercialized 'Enishizuku' in 2010 and has been developing special programs to actively enjoy rainy days from June to July as the 'Enishizuku Tourism Month.'
● Enishizuku ema
Next to the Kounkaku in the Ninomaru of Matsue Castle Mountain, where a prayer ticket that became the decisive factor for Matsue Castle to become a national treasure was discovered, is the Matsue Shrine. The ema of this shrine, known as a place for matchmaking, is heart-shaped and is sold at Kounkaku, Matsue Tourism Information Center, etc.
② Events to experience the atmosphere of Matsue loved by Lafcadio Hearn
In a chapter of Lafcadio Hearn's 'Unknown Japan' published in 1894, 'The Capital of the Land of the Gods,' the streets of Matsue, Lake Shinji, morning mist, the sound of bells, and the sound of geta are described with five senses, and the moist, poetic beauty is depicted. The 'quiet beauty' that Hearn found in Matsue, which does not exist in the West, has been revived in modern times through the drama 'Bakebake,' and even after the broadcast ended, the words and scenery still breathe in Matsue. The name 'Ushimizu Yakumo (Ushimizu Yakumo),' which the character 'Refcada Heaven' (played by Tommy Bastow) based on Hearn took when he obtained Japanese nationality, is exactly the one that inherits this poetry.
Matsue City has started a new 'Lafcadio Hearn Month'
A council of government and private organizations, which was established with the aim of maximizing the appeal and tourism promotion of Matsue, has launched a promotion with the catchphrase 'Age, Soge, Bake. Matsue, the city where Lafcadio Hearn and Setsu met.' This year, various events will be held in June, September, and February, which are deeply related to the Hearn couple.
https://ys443.kankou-matsue.jp/yakumo-month/
The first 'Lafcadio Hearn Month' will be held in Hearn's birth month
Period: June 1, 2026 (Mon) ~ June 28, 2026 (Sun)
● Special exhibition at Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum
● Town walking event
● Ghost stories on Ichibata Electric Railway
● Talk events and cruise ship operation
● Cosplay event at the venue in the city
etc.
Shimane Topics
Matsue City Hall Grand Opening: A 'Drama Museum' that Recreates the Worldview of TV Dramas
Urameishi, Subarashi, and the World of Tenku-no-Nagaya
Continuous Television Novel 'Bakebake' Drama Museum
The new building of Matsue City Hall on the shore of Lake Shinji will open on May 16. On the first floor, the 'Bakebake' Drama Museum will appear, displaying the sets and props of the Matsuno family. In Matsue, where Lafcadio Hearn and his wife Setsu met, you can immerse yourself in the worldview of the story.
[Exhibition Contents]
・Set of Tenku-no-Nagaya (※) (Matsuno family, well, wooden gate, etc.)
・Costumes (Matsuno Toki, Refcada Heaven)
・Props (Shachihoko sculpture, fox stone sculpture, illustrated letters, etc.)
※Tenku-no-Nagaya where the heroine Matsuno Toki lived with her family until she married Refcada Heaven. Many scenes appeared in the work.
Period: May 17, 2026 ~ March 31, 2027 (Weekdays only)
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM ~ 4:30 PM
Venue: Matsue City Hall 1st Floor Multi-Purpose Space (86 Suehirocho, Matsue City)
Inquiries: Matsue City Tourism Department Tourism Promotion Section 'The City Where Yakumo and Setsu Met' Brand Strategy Room TEL: 0852-55-5384
Matsue City HP: https://www.kankou-matsue.jp/event_calendar/desc/?event=122174
Hibiya Shimane-kan Information
An antenna shop packed with information on Shimane Prefecture's products, tourism, and migration. This is an information dissemination and activity base for Shimane Prefecture in the metropolitan area. Please enjoy the charm of Shimane Prefecture.
100-0006
1-2-2 Hibiya Shante B1, Yurakucho 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Business Hours: 11:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM (Closed on days when Hibiya Shante is closed)
Official HP: https://www.shimanekan.jp/
Introduction to the Shimane Prefecture Press Expense Support Subsidy System
Part of the press expenses (travel expenses) for media outside the prefecture who come to Shimane Prefecture for coverage will be supported. Please check the details at the URL below.
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/renmei/announcement/43
Shimane Prefecture Commerce, Industry, Labor and Tourism Department Tourism Promotion Section Tourism Promotion Division
■ Shimane Tourism Navi
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/
■ Shimane Film Commission Network
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/loca/
■ Shimane Tourism Photo Gallery
https://www.kankou-shimane.com/gallery
■ Shimane's PR videos are now available!
・PR video: https:/youtu.be/BjryOG0jTGk
・Material collection: https:/youtu.be/VWPdhaAeHdU
・Shimane Tourism Promotion Division Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ShimaneGoen
FAQ
What is the rain culture in Matsue City like?
The rain culture in Matsue City is called 'Enishizuku (eishizuku),' and events and tourism content that enjoy the rain are being developed.
What kind of events are held during the Enishizuku Tourism Month?
During the Enishizuku Tourism Month, many events and tourism content limited to rainy days are developed.
What kind of events are held during the Lafcadio Hearn Month?
During the Lafcadio Hearn Month, special exhibitions at the Hearn Memorial Museum, town walking events, ghost stories on the Ichibata Electric Railway, and more are held.
Where is the 'Bakebake' Drama Museum held?
The 'Bakebake' Drama Museum is held in the multipurpose space on the first floor of the new Matsue City Hall building.
Where can I check the information about the products, tourism, and migration of Shimane Prefecture?
You can check the information about the products, tourism, and migration of Shimane Prefecture at the Hibiya Shimane-kan.