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Shimane

Home of Izumo-Taisha, Matsue Castle and the Oki Islands

About Shimane
Photo: maso11 / Shutterstock.com

Top Attractions in Shimane

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Shimane Top 10

  1. 72nd Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition
    1

    72nd Japanese Traditional Crafts Exhibition

    Matsue
  2. Yabusame Horse Archery Tsuwano
    2

    Yabusame Horse Archery Tsuwano

    Tsuwano
  3. Top Things to See in Shimane
    3

    Top Things to See in Shimane

    Matsue
  4. Izumo Airport
    4

    Izumo Airport

    Transportation
  5. Tottori Sand Museum in 2025: A Celebration of Japan
    5

    Tottori Sand Museum in 2025: A Celebration of Japan

    Culture
  6. Meet the Locals on the Volcanic Daikonjima
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    Meet the Locals on the Volcanic Daikonjima

    Matsue
  7. Sunset Over Lake Shinji
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    Sunset Over Lake Shinji

    Matsue
  8. Matsue Water Light Road
    8

    Matsue Water Light Road

    Matsue
  9. Getting Around the San’in Region
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    Getting Around the San’in Region

    Transportation
  10. Heron Dance
    10

    Heron Dance

    Tsuwano

Upcoming Shimane Events

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Where to eat in Shimane

Ajinokura 6
Food

Ajinokura

Sherilyn Siy

The Oki Islands is a sushi and sashimi afficionado's paradise. One of the best local restaurants to enjoy the freshest catch..

1
Kissa Kiharu Cafe
Food

Kissa Kiharu Cafe

Kim Bergström

If you're headed to the Matsue History Museum, you have to pay a visit to the on-site cafe known as Kissa Kiharu. The cafe serves..

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Places to stay in Shimane

Reso Oki Rosage 8
Western

Reso Oki Rosage

Rory Jackson

Reso Oki Rosage is a large oceanside resort with comfortable rooms, a karaoke room, and a great view you can't escape.

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Fukuma-kan
Japanese

Fukuma-kan

Lester Goh

Located in the Mihonoseki Harbour on the Northern tip of Shimane Peninsula, Fukuma-kan is a ryokan offering magnificent views of..

4
Marine Port Hotel Ama 7
Accommodation

Marine Port Hotel Ama

Sherilyn Siy

Ideally located near Hishiura port, Marine Port Hotel Ama is a great starting point to explore Ama Town. The BBQ dinner package..

2
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Latest Shimane Reports

Yasugi Station
Transportation

Yasugi Station

Kim Bergström

Yasugi Station is located on the Sanin Main Line in Shimane, around 15 minutes from the prefectural capital of Matsue. The station..

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About Shimane

Okinawa Nagasaki Fukuoka Saga Kumamoto Kagoshima Miyazaki Oita Ehime Kochi Tokushima Kagawa Yamaguchi Hiroshima Okayama Tottori Shimane Hyogo Kyoto Osaka Wakayama Nara Shiga Mie Fukui Ishikawa Toyama Gifu Aichi Nagano Shizuoka Niigata Yamanashi Kanagawa Tokyo Saitama Gunma Tochigi Chiba Ibaraki Fukushima Miyagi Yamagata Iwate Akita Aomori Hokkaido
Region Chugoku
Island Honshu
Capital Matsue
Population 717,397
Area 6708.23 km²

Located in western Honshu, Shimane Prefecture (島根県, Shimane-ken) is an unfairly underrated tourist destination; there’s more to see and do here than what some people might tell you.

Shimane is most noted for the Izumo-Taisha, which is one of Japan’s can’t-miss sites and is a surprisingly popular date spot; it houses the Shinto deity of marriage, attracting couples from all over the country. Matsue Castle and Kamosu Jinja are two of Matsue City’s most prominent features, along with its many hot springs.

The Oki Islands have some of Japan’s most pristine coasts, while the Adachi Museum of Art is renowned for its breathtaking Japanese garden. The Iwami Ginzan, the largest silver mine in Japanese history, is a World Heritage Site.

Around Shimane

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