Shimane Prefecture
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Shimane Prefecture: read a guide to Shimane Prefecture in the Chugoku region of south west Japan including the cities of Matsue, Izumo, Hamada and Masuda.
Shimane Prefecture is located on the Sea of Japan coast in the Chugoku (south west) region of Japan, bordering Tottori Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Hiroshima Prefecture. Shimane is the second-least populous prefecture in all of Japan right after its neighbor of Tottori.
Shimane is a mainly rural prefecture divided into the Izumo Region in the east of the prefecture, the Iwami Region in the west and the off-shore Oki Islands. Around 6% of the total area of Shimane Prefecture is protected land including Daisen-Oki National Park, Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku and Nishi-Chugoku Sanchi Quasi-National Parks plus 11 Prefectural Natural Parks. Shimane Prefecture's main cities and towns include the capital, Matsue, with a population of a bit over 200,000 inhabitants, Gotsu, Hamada, Izumo, Masuda, Oda, Unnan and Yasugi.
Shimane has slightly cooler weather in the summers than areas further to the south in Honshu and those towns and cities on the Pacific Coast, though temperatures usually top 30 degrees celisus (86F) or more in July and August. The coastline of Shimane Prefecture typically receives snowfall in winter.
Shimane Attractions
Shimane Prefecture has a number of attractions well worth the journey from the major Japanese cities on the Pacific Coast.
Matsue, on the shores of Lake Shinji, has an original castle, Matsue Castle, and a number of sights related to the writer Lafcadio Hearn, who lived in the city briefly during the Meiji Period.
Izumo, is home of Izumo Taisha Shrine, one of the most important and historic Shinto shrines in Japan and the excellent Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo, located close by. Iwami Ginzan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was an important silver mining area during the Edo Period of Japanese history. The beautifully-restored Kumagai Residence is the former home of a very powerful and wealthy merchant family in the area.
Hamada is the third largest city in Shimane Prefecture behind Matsue and Izumo, with a population of 62,000, including the nearby towns of Asahi, Kanagi, and Misumi. Masuda is a pleasant town on the Shimane coast and Iko-ji Temple includes a garden by the Zen Buddhist artist Sesshu, who was the head priest here in the 15th century.
Matsue Castle in Matsue
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The Shimenawa at Izumo Taisha Shrine, Shimane Prefecture
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Mihonoseki is a historic fishing port with hot springs close to Sakaiminato. The Oki Islands are a group of unspoiled islands located about an hour from the coast by high speed ferry from Matsue or Sakaiminato in neighboring Tottori.
One of the most celebrated art museums in all of Japan also calls Shimane home. The Adachi Museum of Art is located in Yasugi and is built around a pristine Japanese garden, consistently ranked one of the most beautiful in the country. The museum is also home to an impressive collection of famed 20th century artist, Yokoyama Taikan.
Shimane History
Shimane has a long history with a number of distinctive and unusual square-shaped kofun (burial mounds) dating from the Yayoi Period. The Izumo Yayoi-no-mori Museum has a number of artifacts that had been unearthed from the ancient burial mounds.
What is now Shimane Prefecture may well also have remained outside of the influence of the Yamato dynasty in Nara and it is known to have strong connections with both ancient Korea and China.
During the Edo Period, Shimane was ruled first by the Horio Clan, who deposed the Mori Clan after the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and later by the strong Tokugawa allies, the Matsudaira clan. The Iwami Ginzan mines and Yunotsu port were under the direct control of the Tokugawa regime.
One of the most distinct historic sites in Shimane is that of Ichibata Yakusha Temple, located in Izumo City. It was founded all the way back in the 9th century and home to a legendary collection of 84,000 statues of the buddha Yakushi Nyorai. It's for Yakushi Nyorai for whom the temple was originally erected after an original statue of the figure was found off the coast by a fisherman.
Shimane Prefecture as it stands today was established during the Meiji Period in 1871 with its present borders fixed in 1881.
84,000 Buddhas, Ichibata Yakushi Temple, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
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Access to Shimane
Shimane Prefecture is located in the Chugoku region of Japan, near Hiroshima and the Kansai Region. Unfortunately, the Shinkansen bullet train doesn’t go out to Shimane directly, but limited express trains from cities such as Hiroshima, Osaka, and Kyoto still make it easily accessible. To get to Shimane from Tokyo, it may be best to first take the Shinkansen out to Okayama via the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen and then take the Super Yakumo Express Train that goes out to Matsue, the capital of Shimane. For many, going from Tokyo, then to Osaka and/or Kyoto, then making a trip out to Okayama is a common itinerary, meaning Shimane can be easily added as another destination. These Shinkansen bullet trains can be ridden with the National Japan Rail Pass or regional pass options, such as the Sanyo Sanin Pass and the JR West All Area Pass.
For those wanting to undertake a scenic road trip through the Japanese countryside, going out from central Osaka to Matsue takes a bit under five hours via highway and a bit under eight hours with local roads. There are also highway bus options from major destinations like Hiroshima, Okayama, Osaka, Kyoto, and even Tokyo.
Fly out to Shimane easily and affordably with the JAL Japan Explorer Pass
Flying to Shimane is one of the more convenient options for a lot of people, especially since direct Shinkansen transportation isn't an option. There are flights to Izumo Enmusubi Airport in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, from Haneda Airport. The JAL Japan Explorer Pass, which covers numerous flights at a discounted rate and is perfect for tourists visiting different parts of the archipelago, is one of the most affordable options for air travel in Japan. One of the most well-known airlines serving flights to and from Japan is Japan Airlines. Even on their domestic flights, travelers can take advantage of all the advantages of an international airline while taking in the finest that Japan has to offer. Go here to learn more about the JAL Japan Explorer Pass!
