San'in

The Sea of Japan side of western Honshu: Izumo Taisha, Matsue Castle, the Tottori Sand Dunes and Kinosaki Onsen, with few visitors and unspoiled scenery.

San'in is the name for the side opposite "San'yo," which faces the Seto Inland Sea. It means western Honshu north of the Chugoku Mountains along the Sea of Japan. For travelers it mainly covers Izumo and Matsue in Shimane, the dunes and Kaike Onsen in Tottori, and Kinosaki Onsen in northern Hyogo, and sometimes extends to Hagi in Yamaguchi and the Iwami Ginzan silver mine. This is the stage of Japanese mythology: Izumo Taisha is regarded as the head shrine of the god of matchmaking, where eight million gods are said to gather every year in the tenth lunar month; Matsue Castle is one of the twelve surviving original castle keeps, and the sunset over Lake Shinji and the garden of the Adachi Museum of Art are famous; the Tottori Sand Dunes are Japan's largest coastal dunes, where you can ride a camel or go sand sliding; Kinosaki Onsen is known for its tour of seven public baths and winter snow crab; and the World Heritage Iwami Ginzan can be explored by bike through its mine shafts. Plan 4–6 days, taking a limited express from Osaka to Kinosaki or Tottori and then heading west through Yonago and Matsue to Izumo. Trains on the JR San'in Main Line are infrequent, so combining buses or driving is more convenient; the sightseeing trains "Yakumo" and "Tenchi" are worth trying.

Destinations

Itineraries