Shimane Prefecture

The land of myth, with a deep heritage of history and culture including Izumo Taisha, Matsue Castle and the Iwami Silver Mine.

Shimane Prefecture lies in the north of Honshu's Chugoku region, facing the Sea of Japan to the north, and also administers the Oki Islands. Izumo Taisha is one of Japan's oldest shrines and is regarded as the home of the god of matchmaking. Matsue is a city of waterways, where Matsue Castle's keep is a National Treasure, and the sunsets over Lake Shinji and the former residence of Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo) are charming too. The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine site is World Heritage-listed, and the Adachi Museum of Art in Yasugi is known for its Japanese gardens. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit. Izumo Airport and Yonago Airport have flights to Tokyo and elsewhere, and you can also take the JR limited express Yakumo from Okayama.

Destinations

• Izumo & Matsue
• Iwami Ginzan & Yunotsu
• Hagi & Tsuwano

Itineraries

• San'in Sea of Japan Railway Traverse – From Kyoto to Shin-Yamaguchi, travel along the Sea of Japan to visit hot springs, sand dunes, Izumo, Iwami Ginzan, and…
• Chugoku Region San'in & Sanyo Grand Loop Self-Drive – Depart from Okayama to loop around western Honshu, covering both the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea sides in one…
• Yamaguchi Coast & Karst Road Trip – Drive north from Shimonoseki along the Sea of Japan, cross the Tsunoshima Bridge, explore the Hagi Castle Town, and tra…
• Izumo, Matsue & Iwami Ginzan (No Car Required) – Explore Shimane without driving: visit Izumo Taisha, the World Heritage Iwami Ginzan, Matsue Castle, and the Adachi Mus…