History / Culture / Tour Spots in Shimane Area
Area
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Shimane
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Shimane
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- Kounkaku
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Matsueshi Tonomachi 1-59
- A structure built as a temporary residence for Emperor Meiji for a planned official visit completed in 1903. Located inside Matsue Jozan Park in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, the building is designated a Tangible Cultural Property by Shimane Prefecture. Although the Emperor’s tour was ultimately never implemented, the building was used to host Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taisho) as well as for a variety of other uses such as a reception hall for the city and as a venue for various exhibitions. The building was opened to the general public in 2015 after repairs were made to preserve its original appearance. The magnificent structure is adorned with a much ornamentation and carving both inside and out, and visitors can enjoy the superb blending of Japanese and Western influences incorporated into its design. There is a café on the first floor where you can take a relaxing break while soaking in the Meiji period atmosphere.
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- Sahimeyama-jinja Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Odashi Omorichou
- Sahimeyama-jinja Shrine is located in the area of the world heritage site, Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine in Omori Town, Ohda City, Shimane Prefecture. The enshrined deity is Kanayamahiko, protector of the mine. It is a mountain shrine located about 200 meters from the Ryugenji Mabu mine shaft which has the largest shrine building in the whole country. It is said that the Ouchi clan of the Suo Province built the shrine. Two competing theories claim that it was built either in 1434 or during the 16th century. Locally referred to as Sanjin-san (shrine of the mountain god), it is an old shrine revered by mountaineers, miners and refinery workers.
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- Gesshoji Temple
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Matsueshi Sotonakabarachou 179
- This Jodo (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism temple is located in Sotonakabara Town in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, and it is the family temple of the Matsudaira family, the old leaders of the Matsue clan. The graves of the first through ninth generations of the clan leaders are on the temple grounds, and it has been designated as a National Historic Site. The seventh leader, Matsudaira Fumai was famous as a tea master, and his mausoleum gate is said to have been made by famous artisan Jodei Kobayashi. The grape latticework is spectacular. The sixth leader Munenobu’s Juzo-hi (tombstone set up prior to one’s death) that rests atop a big stone turtle statue appears in the writings of famous writer Yakumo Koizumi (Patrick Lafcadio Hearn), and legends say the big turtle wandered the streets of the castle town after dark. Around mid-June, the hydrangeas bloom, which attract many visitors and have earned the temple the nickname “hydrangea temple in the mountain shade.”
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- Inochinushi no Yashiro
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Izumo-shi Taishacho
- You’ll find this auxiliary shrine about a five-minute walk to the east from Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. The deity Kamimusubi-no-kami is enshrined there. This deity is one of the three deities that are said to have created the world, and is said to have saved the life of the deity Okuninushi-no-mikoto. In front of the shrine is an enormous Aphananthe oriental elm about 17 meters tall with its roots raised about two meters from the ground. It is nearly 1,000 years old, and it has also been designated as one of Shimane’s famous trees. In 1665, a bronze dagger-axe and jade magatama were discovered beneath a large rock behind the shrine, and they are currently being stored and displayed as treasures in the treasure room of Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. The nearest station is Izumotaisha-mae Station.
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- Karakama-jinja Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Izumoshi Karakawachou Shinko 408
- This shrine has a very long history, one that is mentioned in written records such as the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki (Records of Izumo Culture and Climate) and the Engishiki (Procedures of the Engi Era). It is located in Karakawa Town, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture. It is said that the enshrined deity Susanoo-no-mikoto brought plant cultivation and iron craft techniques from Silla (one of the ancient countries in Korean Peninsula) into Japan. The “kama” in “Karakama” supposedly refers to a blast furnace. The great stone said to be the “stone ship” boarded by Susanoo is a must-see. The approach is a long, steep series of staircases, and to reach the main shrine, you must pass through a crack in a rock about 40-45 centimeters wide, so be sure to wear clothing you don’t mind getting dirty and sneakers.
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- Cotton Road Exchange Center
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Izumoshi Hiratachou 841
- This museum is located on the Momen Kaido (Cotton Road) in Hirata Town, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture where the old cityscape still remains, and which prospered as a cotton trading center from the middle of the Edo period to the Meiji period. There are two buildings on the grounds, the Koryuto which uses the former residence of Doctor Nagasaki, also called Geka Gomen Yashiki in recent times, and the Hon-Ishibashi-tei (Ishibashi Residence), the former landowner’s house. On the site there is also a tourist information office, a restaurant to enjoy local cuisine, galleries, as well as a meeting room used for workshops and events. Visitors can also enjoy a weaving experience for a fee.
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- Tatara Sannai Sugaya Steel Mills
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Unnanshi Yoshidachouyoshida 4210-2
- The Tanabe family was the center of Okuizumo, where tatara iron making flourished. Tatara iron making is a technique passed down from Japan’s ancient times, to produce iron from iron sand. It is a technique to create high-quality ball steel which is a material for making Japanese swords. Sugaya Takadono is one of the stately mansions operated by the Tanabe family, and is the only existing Takadono-style structure in the country. It is designated as a National Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property.
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- Iya-jinja Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Matsueshi Higashizumochouiya 2229
- This is a shrine located in Iya, Higashiizumo Town, Matsue City. Izanami-no-mikoto, the wife of Izanagi-no-mikoto is enshrined here. It is a historical shrine that has been described in Izumo Nation Fudoki and Nihon Shoki, and was also involved in the creation of Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine. It is near the entrance of the underworld Yomotsu Hirasaka appearing in Japanese mythology, so is regarded as a shrine deeply related to Hades.
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- Takuhi Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Okigunnishinoshimachou Mita
- Located in Mita, Nishinoshima Town, Oki County, Shimane Prefecture, the Takuhi Shrine is situated on the slopes of Mt. Takuhi, the highest mountain in the vicinity of Okinoshima Island. The Takuhi Shrine has since ancient times attracted large numbers of worshippers, as it was believed that the deity enshrined there could ensure the safety of mariners at sea. The Shrine buildings that visitors see today are the result of renovation work in the Kyoho period (1716-1736); the Takuhi Shrine has been designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The area around the Takuhi Shrine has lush vegetation, including both temperate and subtropical plant species, and has been designated as a Prefectural Special Natural Monument.
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- Tamawakasu-Mikoto Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Okigunokinoshimachou Shimonishi 713
- The Tamawakasu-Mikoto Shrine is located in Shimonishi, Okinoshima Town , Oki County. The Shrine is dedicated to Tamawakasu-no-mikoto, and is one of the chief shrines in the Oki region. According to tradition, the “Yao-sugi” cedar tree in the Shrine grounds was planted by Yao-bikuni (a female Buddhist disciple called Yao); the tree is said to be over 2,000 years old, and has been designated as a National Natural Monument.
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- Kitchokan
- Leisure / Hobbies
- Shimane Pref. Izumoshi Taishachoushurimen 735-5
- Held on January 3 each year, the Kitcho-san festival involves a procession around the town carrying 10-meter-high banners caked “Kitcho-ban” that are embroidered with the characters for Toshitoku-jin (the Goddess of Auspicious Directions). The Kitchokan showcases the “Kitcho-ban” banner and the history, culture and traditional ceremonies of the Taisha Town. The Kitchokan building is constructed in the style of a Shinto shrine; the glittering gold-colored lucky “fans” on the roof are particularly striking. There is a tourist information desk and restrooms, making this a good place to get tourist information for the Izumo area.
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- Ginzan Village wadachinmiwamiginzanten riyoukan Arata
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Pref. Odashi Omorichou C
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- Matsue Jinja
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Matsue-shi Tonomachi 1 (Matsuejo Yamauchi)
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- Inasa-jinja Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Izumo-shi Taishacho Kizukihigashi 195
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- Amasashihiko-no-mikoto Shrine
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Oki-gun Chibumura
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- Seisuiji
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Oda-shi Omoricho
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- Yomekoi Kannon and Mukokoi Jizo
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Yasugi-shi Hirosecho Okutawara
- A spot for happy couples about an hour's drive from Yasugi Interchange where statues thought to bestow matrimony stand at the roadside in a lush natural setting. Tradition says you can pray at the Kannon statue to find a bride and at the Jizo statue for a groom. For best results, it's said to first visit the Kannon and Jizo statues, then cross Yomekoi and Mukokoi Bridge spanning the Yamasa River and pray again at that spot.
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- Hirose Gasuri Center
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Yasugi-shi Hirosecho Machicho 775-1
- A museum that's part of Roadside Station Hirose Tomita Castle. With its many looms, the museum passes on Hirose-cho, Yasugi City's traditional weaving and dyeing craft to the present day. Known as Hirose Gasuri, the weaving tradition was developed in 1824. The fabric features large patterns combining motifs and geometric designs. With a simple, natural feel made with indigo dye, it's carefully woven to make it extremely sturdy. Hirose Gasuri is one of the San'in region's leading kasuri fabrics, along with the Yumigahama area's Yumihama gasuri and Kurayoshi City's Kurayoshi gasuri. It's also been designated a Prefectural Intangible Cultural Property. Indigo dyeing workshops are available with advance reservation.
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- Ancient Izumo King Tombs Hill
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Yasugi-shi Arashimacho 1965
- The area around Arashima Station overlooking Lake Nakaumi has a concentration of tombs built between the Yayoi and Kofun periods. Ancient Izumo King Tombs Hill consists of four parks, including the burial mounds at Chusenji, Miyayama, and Shiotsuyama, as well as the main Tsukuriyama Burial Mound group, one of the largest in the nation. Tombs in the park are all open to public viewing. There are royal tombs from the Yayoi period at Chusenji Park and Miyayama Park and four mounds like a flat-topped burial mound and conjoined rectangular mounds at Tsukuriyama Park. Excavations here showed the tombs in eastern Izumo were four-cornered. Today the site is known as a local recreation spot.
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- Oki Family
- Travel / Tourism
- Shimane Oki-gun Okinoshimacho Shimonishi
- A historic building tucked away in the eastern part of Oki Island. It's the site of the Oki clan's residence, who were hereditary priests of Tamawakasu-mikoto-jinja Shrine. It has cultural properties on display like an old ekirei bell and ancient copper seals. During the ancient Ritsuryo period, ekirei were used to requisition people and horses. It's the only one of its kind left in Japan. Along with the family's residence with a thatched gabled roof next to Tamawakasu-mikoto-jinja Shrine, it is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property.
Shimane Areas
What Shimane prefecture lacks in size and population, it makes up for in scenery and ancient mythology. Izumo-taisha, in the middle of the prefecture, is said to be Japan’s oldest Shinto shrine, where stories that delve into the creation of the Japanese race have been passed down over centuries. The 180 Oki Islands, a 40-minute ferry ride north of Sakaiminato, offer an undiscovered paradise well off the beaten track.
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