Lafcadio Hearn Residence — Ghost Story Writer's Home

Lafcadio Hearn (小泉八雲, Koizumi Yakumo, 1850–1904) was a Greek-Irish writer who moved to Japan in 1890, married a samurai's daughter in Matsue, and wrote 'Kwaidan' — the famous collection of Japanese ghost stories introducing yokai and supernatural folklore to Western readers. His former residence in Matsue preserves the house where he lived for 15 months, featuring his study, Japanese garden, and personal artifacts.

Hearn's writings ('Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan,' 'Kwaidan,' 'In Ghostly Japan') shaped Western understanding of Japanese culture during the Meiji Period. His sympathetic, poetic descriptions of Japanese traditions contrasted with condescending accounts by other foreign observers. The museum adjacent to the residence displays manuscripts, photos, and explanations of the ghost stories.