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JAPAN

Shimane

Myths, sunsets and stillness.

Popular keywords#Architecture#Nature & scenic views#Local sightseeing & town walks#Hot springs & wellness#Culture & history#Matchmaking#Crafts & pottery#Outdoor & land art#Protection from misfortune
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Matsue

Miho Jinja

The head shrine of Ebisu, the deity Kotoshironushi. Custom is to pair a visit here with one to Izumo Taisha.

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Monado · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Matsue

Gesshoji

The funerary temple of the Matsudaira of Matsue. Lafcadio Hearn wrote a ghost story about its huge stone tortoise.

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Mister99 · CC BY-SA 3.0 ↗
Unnan

Suga Jinja

It claims to be the first shrine of Japan. Where Susanoo composed the poem beginning with the rising clouds of Izumo.

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Monado · CC BY-SA 2.5 ↗

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Introduced by city, ward, town and village within the prefecture.

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MatsueShrines & Temples, Architecture · 29 entriesIzumoShrines & Temples, Architecture · 18 entriesOdaArchitecture, Shrines & Temples · 10 entriesOkinoshimaArt & Crafts, Shrines & Temples · 6 entriesTsuwanoShrines & Temples, Art & Crafts · 6 entriesOda & Iwami GinzanHot Springs, Craft Experiences · 6 entries
FEATUREShimane now (autumn)Ancient Izumo shrines and vibrant Iwami Kagura enliven autumn.See the feature Monado · CC BY-SA 2.5
Walk Iwami GinzanWalk through World Heritage mine remains and Omori's historic red-tiled streets.Visit Izumo TaishaExplore one of Japan's most revered shrines in the myth-rich land of Izumo.Explore MatsueVisit Matsue's original castle keep and view the town from a moat boat.

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JAPAN GUIDE

Things worth knowing about Japan

No worries even on a first trip to Japan. Useful things to know, explained clearly.

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Q. What do people get wrong about IC cards (Suica, PASMO) in Japan?

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Q. What do people get wrong about coin lockers and luggage forwarding in Japan?

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Q. What do people get wrong about Golden Week, Obon and New Year travel?

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REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

Meet the Japan you don't know yet.

It is not only the big cities. The regions are full of charm, and special experiences you can only have in each place are waiting.

Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery Head Office FactoryHeron Dance of TsuwanoOni-no-shitaburi

Value Village

Japan's value, to the world.

Regional culture, tradition, food, sightseeing, nature and people. A directory that delivers the appeal of each to the whole world.

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Value VillageLocal Value, Global Reach.
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INSTAGRAM / 6

Official and local Instagram photos

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THINGS TO DO / 6

Things to do in this prefecture

Choose from what you can only do here.

01Visit Izumo TaishaExplore one of Japan's most revered shrines in the myth-rich land of Izumo.See related entries →pelican · CC BY-SA 2.002Explore MatsueVisit Matsue's original castle keep and view the town from a moat boat.See related entries →pelican · CC BY-SA 2.003Walk Iwami GinzanWalk through World Heritage mine remains and Omori's historic red-tiled streets.See related entries →663highland · CC BY-SA 4.004See Adachi ArtAdmire modern Japanese paintings and meticulously composed seasonal gardens.See related entries →Motokoka · CC BY-SA 4.005Watch Iwami KaguraExperience dramatic myths performed with ornate costumes and driving rhythms.See related entries →pattio · CC BY-SA 3.006Explore the Oki IslesCruise and hike among the dramatic cliffs and rock formations of the Oki Islands.See related entries →Saigen Jiro · CC0

NEED TO KNOW

At a glance

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BEST TIME TO TRAVEL

What each season brings

LOCAL FOOD / 12

Local food

What people have long eaten in this place. We collect the dishes themselves, not restaurants.

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Izumo Soba

A dark-colored buckwheat noodle made from flour milled from the whole buckwheat groat, hull and all. There is warigo, served in round stacking bowls with cold sauce poured directly over it, and kamaage, in which the noodles are transferred into the bowl together with their cooking water and eaten warm.

Area：Izumo region

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Shijimi-jiru

A soup of Yamato shijimi clams from Lake Shinji. The clams are purged of sand in salted water, put in a pot of cold water and heated, and miso is dissolved in once the shells open. In summer it is also made as a clear soup.

Area：Eastern area (around Lake Shinji)

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Suzuki no Hosho-yaki

Sea bass with the innards drawn out through the gills is salted, wrapped in hosho paper moistened with sake and water, and steam-baked. Served with soy sauce, grated daikon with chili, and sudachi citrus.

Area：Matsue

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Uzume-meshi

Carrot, burdock, shiitake, taro and tofu simmered in sea bream dashi with soy sauce are put into a bowl, grated wasabi is laid over them, and rice is placed on top. Dashi is poured over it to eat.

Area：Iwami region (Tsuwano, Hamada, Hikimi-cho in Masuda, etc.)

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Kaku-zushi

Vinegared rice is packed into a wooden frame, topped with carrot, burdock and shiitake simmered sweet and salty with soy sauce and sugar, then more vinegared rice is layered on and pressed. No meat or fish is used; vegetables are the main ingredients.

Area：Iwami region

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Sazae Meshi

Turban shell is put in from cold water and boiled in the shell, the meat is chopped fine, and the cooking liquid is used as dashi to cook it together with the rice. Some households add carrot and burdock.

Area：Entire Oki area, coastal parts of the Iwami and Izumo regions

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Tobiuo no Sashimi

Sashimi made from flying fish, which has little fat. It is sometimes served as sugata-zukuri with the head arranged as decoration, and the fish is also processed into products such as ago-noyaki, in which the paste is grilled in a chikuwa shape.

Area：Eastern area, Oki region

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Azuki Zoni

A zoni with a light, clear-style broth: adzuki beans are simmered over low heat so they do not break apart and seasoned with sugar and salt, and round mochi boiled separately is added.

Area：Eastern area

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Bakudan Onigiri

Rice shaped into a ball and wrapped in iwanori seaweed that has been lightly toasted and brushed with soy sauce on one side. Most are plain, with no filling inside.

Area：Izumo region, Oki area

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

Sasamaki

Rice flour is kneaded with lukewarm water and formed into oval dumplings, wrapped in kumazasa bamboo leaves, tied with rush, and boiled for about fifteen minutes. Eaten with kinako soybean flour or sweetened soy sauce.

Area：Eastern area, Oki region

Source：Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

MICHI-NO-EKI / 29

Michi-no-Eki roadside stations

RestInformationLocal links

Rest facilities registered by Japan's national government. Each has parking and toilets open 24 hours, and by definition includes a facility that sells local products. This is where the making and the food of this prefecture can actually be bought.

There are 29 stations in this prefecture in all (national registry).

Source: MLIT register of Michi-no-Eki

LOCAL ACCOUNTS / 2

People posting this area

Japanese-language accounts that post about this area.

These are third-party accounts. They are not affiliated with Value Village and this is not an endorsement.

CITIES & TOWNS / 15

Find by city or town

Sorted by number of entries. Start from the name of a town.

Matsue 29Izumo 18Oda 10Okinoshima 6Tsuwano 6Oda & Iwami Ginzan 6Unnan 4Masuda 4Yasugi 3Hamada 3Gotsu 2Nishinoshima 2Hamada and others 1Okuizumo 1Onan 1

INTERESTS / 14

Find by interest

Only the interests found in this prefecture.

Izumo Taisha · pelican · CC BY-SA 2.0

Shrines & Temples32 entries

Izumo Taisha ／ Yaegaki Jinja

To the list Kuniga Coast · Asturio Cantabrio · CC BY-SA 4.0

Nature & Scenery17 entries

Kuniga Coast ／ Eshima Bridge (Betabumi-zaka)

To the list Yunotsu Onsen · CC BY-SA 3.0

Hot Springs17 entries

Yunotsu Onsen ／ Tamatsukuri Onsen

To the list Yomotsu Hirasaka · ChiefHira · CC BY-SA 3.0

Historic Districts18 entries

Yomotsu Hirasaka ／ Akaten

To the list Adachi Museum · Motokoka · CC BY-SA 4.0

Gardens2 entries

Adachi Museum ／ Yushien

To the list Matsue-jo · Spiegel · CC BY 4.0

Architecture19 entries

Matsue-jo ／ Tsuwano

To the list Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo · 663highland · CC BY 2.5

Museums12 entries

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo ／ Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum

To the list Iwami Kagura · pattio · CC BY-SA 3.0

Art & Crafts36 entries

Iwami Kagura ／ Shimane Art Museum

To the list Kuniga Coast · Asturio Cantabrio · CC BY-SA 4.0

Contemporary Art4 entries

Kuniga Coast ／ Sunset over Lake Shinji

To the list Iwami Ginzan · 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0

Craft Experiences46 entries

Iwami Ginzan ／ Iwami Kagura Costumes

To the list Matsue Castle · Yoshio Kohara · CC BY 3.0

Culture & History13 entries

Matsue Castle ／ Tsuwano Tonomachi-dori

To the list

Festivals1 entries

Kamiarisai

To the list Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery Head Office Factory · Estevoaei · CC BY-SA 4.0

Food & Markets26 entries

Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery Head Office Factory ／ Fuji Sake Brewery

To the list Shimane Prefectural Lake Shinji Nature Museum Gobius · Spiegel · CC BY 4.0

Experiences11 entries

Shimane Prefectural Lake Shinji Nature Museum Gobius ／ Shimane Aquarium Aquas

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HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of this prefecture

From entries with clearly licensed photos.

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Shrines & Temples
Izumo

Izumo Taisha

Across Japan the tenth lunar month is called kannazuki, the month without gods, because the gods are away. In Izumo alone it is called kamiarizuki, the month with gods, because this is where they have gone. In that season the nineteen halls in the grounds are said to serve as their lodgings. Worship here is two bows, four claps, one bow, where most shrines take two claps: another sign of how apart this shrine stands.

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Craft Experiences
Oda

Iwami Ginzan

It was recognised for taking silver without wrecking the environment. At one point Japan held about a third of the world's silver, much of it produced here.

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Gardens
Yasugi

Adachi Museum

It has topped an American magazine's ranking of Japanese gardens for over twenty years. The windows are treated as picture frames.

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SMILE NEWS / 136

Smile news from Japan and the world

Stories that lift your spirits a little, collected with their sources.

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Shimane

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo reopens after renewal

The Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo, next to Izumo Taisha shrine, reopened on October 1 after renovation work. Its myth theater now offers new videos in English, Korean and Chinese, and a special exhibition on the Orochi and Susanoo legend starts October 9.

source: Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo
Shimane

Matsue arena reopens as home of Susanoo Magic

A reopening ceremony was held on 19 September for the renovated Matsue City General Gymnasium, now called Bandai Namco Arena Matsue. B.League side Shimane Susanoo Magic will play its first home games there on 3 and 4 October.

source: Shimane
Patagonia National Park, Chile

Women rangers return Darwin's rheas to the wild in Chile

In Chile's Patagonia National Park, a women-led ranger team returned 13 Darwin's rheas to the wild in April 2026. Working with the Rewilding Chile Foundation, they care for the birds around the clock; surveys once estimated only about 11 to 15 remained.

source: Mongabay

INSTAGRAM

Explore on Instagram

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#島根県Shimane Prefecture

SEASONS & EVENTS

Seasons & events

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BEFORE YOU GO

Before you go

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Q1Q. What do people get wrong about IC cards (Suica, PASMO) in Japan?Q2Q. What do people get wrong about coin lockers and luggage forwarding in Japan?Q3Q. What do people get wrong about Golden Week, Obon and New Year travel?

TRAVEL

Transport & stays

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