Written by Aarohi Narain
Lafcadio Hearn loved his home in Matsue, and thanks to painstaking conservation efforts over the past century, visitors get to see exactly why.
Background
Lafcadio Hearn moved into this former samurai house in 1891 with his wife Setsu. The house belonged to the Negishi family, who rented it to Hearn when their own home was vacant. Hearn described the garden here in detail in his writing, and thanks to the efforts of the Negishi family and later the city of Matsue, both the house and its garden have been carefully preserved for over 130 years.
What to expect
The Lafcadio Hearn Former Residence has tatami floors and a peaceful garden that shifts beautifully with the seasons. Inside, you’ll find the high desk Hearn used to write — raised so he could read and work more easily despite his poor eyesight.
“At home again, I slide open once more my little paper window and look out upon the night. I see the paper lanterns flitting over the bridge, like a hundred lights trembling upon the black flood. I see the broad shoji of dwellings beyond the river suffused with the soft yellow radiance of invisible lamps; and upon these lighted spaces I can discern the slender moving shadows, silhouettes of graceful women,” wrote Hearn of this very Matsue residence, in the volume Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan.
“Devoutly do I pray that glass may never become universally adopted in Japan — there would be no more delicious shadows.”
Indeed, while it might only take 45 minutes to see the whole house, it’s worth lingering to appreciate the shifting light and shadows.
Opening hours
It is open year-round, with hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry at 5:30 p.m.) between April and September, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry at 4:30 p.m.) between October and March. The museum closes several times a year for maintenance.
Tickets
Admission is ¥400 for adults and ¥200 for elementary and junior-high school students, with discounted rates for groups and Matsue residents (proof of address required).
A combined ticket for the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and his former residence is available for ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children, and can be purchased at either facility’s counter.
How to get there
Hearn’s former residence is right next to the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.
We recommend going to the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum first, then heading to the former residence. This is because the former is much larger, and you’ll want to budget more time for it.
