This museum houses an important collection of letters, manuscripts and items belonging to the celebrated author, Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), of Irish descent. He wrote many books about Japan and was eventually naturalised under the name of Koizumi Yakumo. Despite having lived for only fifteen months in Matsue where he taught English, it was this town that cemented his love for the archipelago. Just beside the museum stands the house and garden where he lived, unchanged since his departure.