What is Shimane known for?

Shimane prefecture is located facing the sea of Japan along the coast of the Chugoku region in western Japan. Shimane has the 2nd smallest population (after Tottori prefecture) in Japan but boasts a rich history and many scenic spots to enjoy. Izumo Taisha, one of the oldest shrines in Japan, where you can pray to the gods of love and marriage and is said to be the meeting place for the gods of Japanese mythology. Shimane is also home to the World Heritage Site, Iwami Ginzan Silver mine, which a…

Shimane is an area in SHIMANE, Japan.

What are the best places to visit in Shimane?

WOW U lists 28 spots in Shimane. Popular spots include Tonomachi Street, Taikodani Inari Jinja Shrine, Dangyo no Taki Waterfalls, Chichisugi Japanese Cedar, Wakou Museum.

WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.

Shimane

Spots in this area(28)

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Beautiful Scenery History Art & Architecture Insta-worthy Culture Experience Entertainment Unesco World Heritage Food & Drink Outdoor Activities

Shimane

Tonomachi Street

Koi drift past iris blooms where samurai retainers once held power.

HistoryArt & Architecture

Shimane

Taikodani Inari Jinja Shrine

A thousand red gates tunnel through cedar silence above Tsuwano.

Art & ArchitectureHistoryInsta-worthy

Shimane

Dangyo no Taki Waterfalls

Duck behind a 50-meter curtain of water on a remote Oki island.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Chichisugi Japanese Cedar

An 800-year-old cedar dangling 24 stalactite roots from its bark.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Wakou Museum

Clay furnaces, iron sand, and 1,500 years of Japanese steel-making.

History

Shimane

Shimane Winery

Ten seasonal pours, free tastings, and wine-laced soft-serve in Izumo.

EntertainmentFood & Drink

Shimane

Susa Jinja Shrine

The storm god named this land himself — a cedar still guards his shrine.

Art & ArchitectureHistory

Shimane

Oki Jinja Shrine

The exiled emperor whose chrysanthemum became the Imperial seal.

Art & Architecture

Shimane

Archaeological Museum Kojindani

Where a muddy footpath once hid 358 bronze swords beneath Izumo.

History

Shimane

Matsue Vogel Park

Owls, falcons, and parrots on your arm — rain never cancels this.

Entertainment

Shimane

Tsutenkyo

A basalt arch carved by five million years of crashing waves.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Jodogaura Kaigan Beach

Red cliffs, gnarled pines, and reefs where divers vanish into blue.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Shirashima Observation Deck

White rhyolite cliffs crown Oki's northernmost tip, pine-fringed and sea-struck.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Candle Island (Rosokujima) Leisure Cruises

Once a year, the setting sun crowns a lone sea rock like a lit candle.

Beautiful SceneryInsta-worthy

Shimane

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo

More bronze swords unearthed here than anywhere else in Japan.

History

Shimane

Matengai Cliff

257-meter cliffs drop straight to sea, cattle grazing at the edge.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Takuhi Jinja Shrine

A shrine carved into living rock, reached only by sea and steep cedar path.

Art & Architecture

Shimane

Hinomisaki Jinja Shrine

Vermilion lacquer and sea pine — Japan's guardian of the night.

HistoryArt & Architecture

Shimane

Kuniga Kaigan Coast

Sea-carved cliffs rise 275 meters above the Japan Sea.

Beautiful SceneryInsta-worthyOutdoor Activities

Shimane

Horikawa Sightseeing Boat

Drift through castle moats where the city slows to a paddle's pace.

Beautiful SceneryHistory

Shimane

Yushien Garden

Peonies crowd the ponds where Sanin's mountains meet still water.

Beautiful Scenery

Shimane

Kiyomizudera Temple (Shimane)

Where monks' meatless cuisine rivals Kyoto's finest kaiseki spreads.

Culture ExperienceHistory

Shimane

Inasanohama Beach

The shore where Japan's gods once struck a deal — at dusk, it glows.

Beautiful SceneryCulture Experience

Shimane

Adachi Museum of Art

A raked garden so perfect, it's framed like a painting on the wall.

Beautiful Scenery

Frequently asked questions

What is Shimane known for?: Shimane prefecture is located facing the sea of Japan along the coast of the Chugoku region in western Japan. Shimane has the 2nd smallest population (after Tottori prefecture) in Japan but boasts a rich history and many scenic spots to enjoy. Izumo Taisha, one of the oldest shrines in Japan, where you can pray to the gods of love and marriage and is said to be the meeting place for the gods of Japanese mythology. Shimane is also home to the World Heritage Site, Iwami Ginzan Silver mine, which a…
Where is Shimane?: Shimane is an area in SHIMANE, Japan.
What are the best places to visit in Shimane?: WOW U lists 28 spots in Shimane. Popular spots include Tonomachi Street, Taikodani Inari Jinja Shrine, Dangyo no Taki Waterfalls, Chichisugi Japanese Cedar, Wakou Museum.
What is WOW U?: WOW U is a booking platform that connects travellers directly with local guides in Japan, called Locals. You book, message your Locals host and pay on WOW U, and every experience can be reviewed afterwards. More than 6,100 Locals are registered on WOW U. Reviews left by travellers average 4.7 out of 5.