©
Shimane Prefecture trip planner
Create a fully customized
day-by-day itinerary for free
Shimane Prefecture
Shimane Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on the main Honshu island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to the Sea of Japan on the north side. It is divided into the Izumo Region in the East, the Iwami Region in the West and the Oki Region, a small group of islands off the northern coast. Most of the cities are near the shoreline of the Sea of Japan. Izumo Taisha in Izumo City is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.The Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan are also part of Shimane Prefecture, which also claims to have jurisdiction over the South Korea-controlled island of Liancourt Rocks (Korean: Dokdo(獨島), Japanese: Takeshima(竹島)).HistoryEarly historyThe history of Shimane starts with Japanese mythology. The Shinto god Ōkuninushi was believed to live in Izumo, an old province in Shimane. Izumo Shrine, which is in the city of Izumo, honors the god. At that time, the current Shimane prefecture was divided into three parts: Iwami, Izumo, and Oki. That lasted until the abolition of the han system took place in 1871. During the Nara period, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro read a poem on Shimane's nature when he was sent as the Royal governor.Shimane Prefecture is in Chugoku. Our Japan vacation website allows you to schedule your trip to Shimane Prefecture, learn about its attractions, and find out about where else to go during your holiday.
Source
Create a full itinerary — for free!
Plan your trip to Shimane Prefecture
Get a personalized plan
A complete day-by-day itinerary
based on your preferencesCustomize it
Refine your plan. We'll find the
best routes and schedulesBook it
Choose from the best hotels
and activities. Up to 50% offManage it
Everything in one place.
Everyone on the same page.
Top Shimane Prefecture tours
Places to visit in Shimane Prefecture
Load more
Regions of Shimane Prefecture
View more regions
Hidden gems in Shimane Prefecture
Recently planned trips to Shimane Prefecture
29 days in Shimane Prefecture
BY A USER FROM BRAZIL
September, popular sights
PREFERENCES: September
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
3 days in Matsue
BY A USER FROM UNITED STATES
November, popular sights
PREFERENCES: November
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
19 days in Japan & Sydney
BY A USER FROM AUSTRALIA
November, popular sights
PREFERENCES: November
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
33 days in Japan
BY A USER FROM NETHERLANDS
September, culture, outdoors, historic sites, fast-paced, hidden gems
PREFERENCES: September, culture, outdoors, historic sites
ATTRACTION STYLE: Hidden gems
PACE: Fast-paced
21 days in Japan
BY A USER FROM SINGAPORE
October, popular sights
PREFERENCES: October
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
7 days in Hiroshima & Matsue
BY A USER FROM SINGAPORE
September, popular sights
PREFERENCES: September
ATTRACTION STYLE: Popular sights
PACE: Medium
View more plans
