Matsue (Japanese: 松江市, Hepburn: Matsue-shi) is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture, Japan, located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu.

The Lake Shinji-Nakaumi metropolitan area is the fourth largest on the Sea of Japan coast after Niigata, Greater Kanazawa, and Fukui.

Matsue is located within ancient Izumo Province and there are many archaeological sites from the Yayoi, Kofuns and Nara periods within the city borders.

Unlike the previous rulers Naomasa had children and his heirs managed to keep Izumo for ten generations until the end of the Edo period.

He invested in mulberry bushes and promoted special foods like shijimi clams that were a delicacy in Matsue.

Because his influence on wagashi, Japanese sweets for the tea ceremony from Matsue are famous, especially one called wakakusa.

Matsue has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city council of 34 members.

In terms of national politics, the city is part of the Shimane 1st district of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.

Agriculture, commercial fishing and tourism play major roles in the local economy; however, the city has only a small industrial base.