Written by Aarohi Narain
If you’ve never heard of Shimane, start here.
Beneath drifting clouds and guarded by mountains, this is where the gods gather, spirits linger, and tōji masters brew pristine sake in centuries-old breweries.
Famed Greek-Irish horror writer Lafcadio Hearn once lost his heart to this corner of the San’in region, and it still casts the same bewitching spell today. It’s a place for slow travel, shaped by half-seen worlds and deep quiet.
Here’s how to explore Shimane over three richly atmospheric days.
Note: This three-day itinerary is based on our own recent trip to Shimane. Treat this as a guide, not a prescription. If you have the time, it’s worth staying longer — and even venturing into the wider San’in region, including Tottori. A full week here would barely scratch the surface.
How to get to Shimane from Tokyo
Haneda Airport to Izumo Enmusubi Airport¥25,000 round trip (approx.)
1 hour 30 minutes
First things first, how do you get to Shimane? Located along the Sea of Japan, this is the country’s westernmost prefecture.
From Tokyo, by far the most straightforward route is to fly from Haneda to Izumo Enmusubi Airport. The flight takes just over 90 minutes.
Cheapest flights from Tokyo to Shimane (Izumo Airport)
| Route | Airline | One-way Fare | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Haneda => Izumo | Japan Airlines | US$78.00 | Sep 25, 2025 | Booking options |
 | ||||
How to get to Shimane from Kyoto, Osaka, Okayama or Hiroshima
Whether you’re heading west from Kyoto or combining it with a trip to Hiroshima, Shimane can slot neatly into your Japan itinerary.
From Kyoto or Osaka, hop on a direct train or overnight bus, or take a short domestic flight to Izumo.
Coming from Okayama or Hiroshima? The Yakumo Limited Express or direct buses will get you to Matsue or Izumo in just a few hours. You can also use your JR Pass.
Traveling by car
Having a car makes exploring this region much easier — and opens up the option to venture into Tottori too, famed for sand dunes, a whimsical town home to mischievous goblins and mosters known as yōkai, and a mindblowing art museum.
More transport options
For more information on how to get to Shimane, check out our comprehensive Shimane guide.
Day 1
Although you may be tempted to explore Izumo Taisha right on day 1, save the in-depth exploring for tomorrow. Why? Izumo Taisha is best explored early in the morning, before the day-trippers and school groups. During this hallowed time, you’ll have the cedar-lined paths all to yourself. Instead, dedicate day 1 to uncovering Izumo’s merchant history, sipping on Shimane’s holiest tipple, and simply soaking in the vibes.
Arriving in Izumo
Izumo Airport to Izumo Taisha¥1,100 one-way per person
Around 40 minutes by limousine bus
If possible, you’ll want to touch down in Izumo in the late morning to maximize your time.
From the airport, a direct limousine bus, in sync with the flight arrivals, brings you to Izumo Taisha in about 40 minutes (¥1,100 per person, one-way).
Our stay in Izumo
Izumo Taisha to Masuya InnAround 15 minutes on foot
We opted to stay at the historic ryokan Masuya Inn, which worked out exceedingly well. The hotel puts you within walking distance of both the train station, Izumo Taisha-mae, and the main approach to Izumo Taisha.
Most inns only allow guests to check in later in the afternoon, typically around 3 p.m. so we left our luggage with the reception and continued on while the day was still fresh.
Izumo Taisha to Momen Kaidō
Izumo Taisha-mae Station to Unshū-Hirata Station¥570 one-way per person
30 minutes by train
From Izumo Taisha-mae Station, board the Ichibata Electric Railway. Charmingly dinky but surprisingly refined, there are just two cars with plush seats, wooden tables, and wide windows that frame the countryside like a moving postcard. It recalls a bygone era of train travel, when the journey was half the joy. And, as you may have guessed, you’ll need a paper ticket to experience it.
After about 30 minutes winding past flooded rice paddies, with an interchange at Kawato, you’ll arrive at Unshū-Hirata Station.
Exploring the Momen Kaidō
Unshū-Hirata Station to Momen Kaidō15 minutes on foot
A short walk from the station brings you to Momen Kaidō, a preserved street once central to Izumo’s cotton trade. The old townhouses are beautifully restored and host both new and centuries-old shops: an unmanned postcard shop and gallery, a sake brewery, a soy sauce maker, and a royally endorsed confectionery, to name a few. The area is compact and easily walkable.
Here’s a couple of highlights:
Kurumaya Ginger Candy Shop
Kurumaya Ginger Candy Shop is a 300‑year‑old confectionery still making traditional ginger candy or shōgatō by hand using locally grown Shussai ginger. On the wall you’ll see a yellowed, carefully preserved royal order for five sheets of the prized confection. Today, the candy is still one of the area’s most beloved souvenirs — sweet, delicately spicy, and sparkling with sugar crystals.
Mochida Sake Brewery
We couldn’t leave without sampling some local sake. Shimane is, after all, the birthplace of the elixir — Saka Shrine in the Izumo region enshrines the deity of sake brewing.
Founded in 1877, Mochida Sake Brewery is well-known within the prefecture and beyond. It is still family-run and operates from five Meiji-era wooden buildings designated as National Cultural Properties, which you’ll see when you wander around Momen Kaidō. Sake Mochida uses local Shimane rice, so you’re getting a true taste of local terroir here. A tasting set of three costs ¥1,000 per person.
Tours and experiences
From ¥2,000 per personAround 2 hours
Beyond the picturesque facades, however, there’s a deeper story. Joining a tour or interactive experience is helpful; for us, it brought the layered history of the area into focus, and our ever-enthusiastic guide Atsuko Hirai drew our attention to details we may have missed otherwise.
Originally from Okuizumo but with deep connections to the area — evident in the way she effortlessly chatted up every shopkeeper we paid a visit to — Hirai-san shared how the neighborhood had fallen into despair. Locals banded together to restore its charm.
“There were many old buildings here in poor condition. We decided it was important to restore the Momen Kaidō,” she said, “Now, I feel like it’s my child.”
What began as an effort to preserve history gradually became a labor of love for the entire community. You’ll feel the care that’s gone into the project just listening to Hirai-san’s evocative descriptions.
Pro tip: While tours and activities are generally held in Japanese, if you book with enough advance notice, you can request an interpreter (for an extra charge).
Check in and dinner
Unshū-Hirata Station to Izumo Taisha-mae Station¥570 one-way per person
30 minutes by train
Return to Izumo Taisha in the late afternoon and check in to your hotel.
Restaurants around here close early, so we played it safe and pre-booked dinner at the inn. As with most ryokan stays, dinner was a lavish spread of local, seasonal specialties, including Shimane wagyu, nodoguro and sashimi served with the region’s twice-brewed, slightly syrupy saishikomi soy sauce.
Day 2
By now, you’ve already walked through Izumo Taisha a few times. However, today’s the day to actually take your time with it. Wander down the narrow pathway that leads to a pond of purple irises. Count each white rabbit. Let yourself be awed.
Beach of the gods, Inasa-no-Hama
15 minutes on foot from Izumo Taisha
If you’re not an early riser, this one may make you cringe — but trust us, it’s worth it.
Begin the day, if possible, right at sunrise, with a walk to Inasa-no-Hama, a broad stretch of windswept sand where legend says the gods of Japan first set foot upon the earth.
Each year during the 10th lunar month — according to the Kojiki, Japan’s oldest chronicle — every kami in the country gathers here, making their way to nearby Izumo Taisha for an annual divine summit. The rocky islet of Bentenjima is crowned with a miniature shrine.
Izumo Taisha
15 minutes on foot from Inasa-no-Hama
From the beach, head to Izumo Taisha, Japan’s oldest and one of the most revered Shinto shrines.
Unlike the vivid vermillion of famous shrines like Fushimi Inari or Nikkō Tōshō-gū, Izumo Taisha is all earth tones: white zigzag streamers, burnished straw, and dark Japanese cypress.
The original structures likely date back as far as the early 8th century, though some legends place its founding much earlier. According to ancient records, Izumo Taisha had already become sacred ground by the 3rd century.
Put differently, it stood as the Maya carved cities, Rome edged toward collapse, and long before Kyoto’s first temples rose.
Archaeological evidence suggests the main hall once towered over 45 meters high, making it the tallest wooden structure of its time. Since then, it’s been rebuilt many times over.
The shrine is dedicated to Ōkuninushi no Ōkami, the god of nation-building, agriculture, and most famously, en-musubi — the binding of fates and relationships. It’s said that Ōkuninushi ceded control of the earthly realm to the heavenly deities in a peaceful transfer of power, and as thanks, was granted Izumo as his domain. In Shinto belief, this is where the mechanics of destiny — who meets whom, who loves whom — are decided.
The colossal shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) that hang from the kagura halls — some weighing over five tonnes — are the largest in Japan. They’re not merely decorative; rather, they are meant to serve as spiritual barriers, demarcating the realm of the divine from that of humans.
Take time to explore the surrounding sub-shrines, dedicated to everything from matchmaking to harvest, and the Shinmon-dōri approach. The adjacent museum houses exhibits on the shrine’s architectural history, regional mythology, and the impressive 2000-year paper trail that places Izumo at the heart of Japan’s earliest sacred geography (set to reopen in late 2025).
Pro tip: Arrive right when the shrine opens at 6 a.m. Consider exploring the grounds by moonlight, too. While you won’t be able to enter the main areas, you can gaze at the stars and may, as we did, spot wild deer that dwell in the surrounding satoyama.
Arriving in Matsue
Izumo Taisha-mae Station to Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station¥900 one-way per person
1 hour by train
After breakfast and checkout, ride the Ichibata Railway to Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station. Store your luggage in the station’s coin lockers and head out to explore. Here are a few things you can do in the area, before heading to Tamatsukuri Onsen to rest for the night:
- See the view from Matsue Castle: Matsue Castle is one of only a handful of original wooden castles still standing in Japan. The grounds are lovely year-round, and the castle tower offers sweeping views over the rooftops and Lake Shinji.
- Take a break at Karakoro Plaza: So named for the sound of geta clogs clacking down the streets, according to Lafcadio Hearn, Karakoro Plaza is a multi-use complex housed in the former Bank of Japan building with souvenir shops, a tourist information counter, various restaurants and even an event space. This is the perfect place to take a breather and get some shopping in: Shijimi rice, Shimane melon soda, or, our personal favorite, palm-sized English editions of Lafcadio Hearn’s ghost stories. You can also find information on Matsue locals running tours and activities here.
- Drink and purchase locally grown and processed tea at Kashima Tea Stall: Matsue is known as the town of tea and wagashi. So, if you’re looking for excellent tea made using locally grown leaves, this is the shop for you. There’s the standard sencha, but also inventive blends like hōjicha enriched with local ginger or perfumed with French lavender.
Break for lunch in the area. Naniwa Sushi specializes in mushi zushi or steamed sushi, featuring local fish. There are plenty of other options if you’re craving soba, clam ramen, set meals, or coffee and sweets.
Heading to Tamatsukuri Onsen
Matsue Castle to Tamatsukuri Onsen¥570 one-way per person
45 minutes by bus
Take a local bus to Tamatsukuri Onsen, Shimane’s most famous hot-spring town. The journey takes about 40 minutes, and buses leave from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station or the castle area.
Once you arrive, check into your accommodation.
We stayed at Aobata no Su, a simple guesthouse with rates starting at around ¥7,000 per night per person (including breakfast), depending on when you book.
For a town with over a thousand years of history, it’s hard to beat in terms of value. One thing to note: the onsen here does not allow guests with tattoos, but there are numerous free public footbaths along the river.
Staff members Ms. Aryal, originally from Lumbini, Nepal, and Ms. Inoue, a Shimane local, welcomed us warmly. Aryal speaks fluent English and is happy to assist international guests.
“Tamatsukuri Onsen is beautiful in every season,” she told us.
“Autumn is especially popular,” added Inoue. “Many visitors come to see the festival at Izumo Taisha as well, and the atmosphere is lively.”
Enjoying the onsen town
Set along the Tamayu River, this small hot-spring town has been soothing weary bodies — of mere mortals and gods alike — for over a thousand years. The name literally means “jewel-making hot spring”, and legend has it the water was once used to purify sacred magatama beads, comma-shaped beads with spiritual significance dating back over 2,000 years. Today, it’s prized for its high silica content, said to leave skin subtly radiant and soft.
There’s not much to “do” here, and that’s part of the charm. You might make your own magatama at a local studio or pay a visit to Tamatsukuriyu Shrine, long tied to the onsen’s history. But really, the best thing to do is nothing at all. Soak. Stroll. Eat well and sip tea. Repeat.
In spring, cherry blossoms line the banks, while summer turns the surrounding foliage green and greener. We arrived on an overcast day with scattered drizzles, shrouding the mountains in mist.
Day 3
If you’ve ever been a student of Japanese history or literature, you’ve likely encountered Lafcadio Hearn. While the writer only spent about a year or so in Matsue, there’s great reverence for him in the city. His presence lingers: the names of bridges and pathways, shop shutters painted with his image, in the museum dedicated to his life, and the preserved residence next door.
In the footsteps of Lafcadio Hearn
Tamatsukuri Onsen to Matsue Castle area¥570 one-way per person
45 minutes by bus
After breakfast and a final soak, check out and take the bus from Tamatsukuri back into central Matsue.
Head to the Otemae Horikawa Sightseeing Boat Pier, just beyond Matsue Castle, and purchase a one-day ticket for the Horikawa Cruise (¥1,600 per person). The ticket functions as a pass, allowing you to hop on and off for the day. So, to get the most value, we’d recommend starting early and hitting all the stops.
Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and Former Residence
¥800 per person (combined ticket)
Alight at the first stop, where after a short walk you’ll find the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.
The museum is arguably the most comprehensive archive of the life and legacy of Lafcadio Hearn. Photos are not allowed, but with a library on the top floor filled with his books, you’ll want to budget a few hours to see all the exhibits, and peruse the collection.
About Lafcadio Hearn
Before arriving in Japan, Lafcadio Hearn had lived in New Orleans, another city thick with shadow and superstition, and now a sister city to Matsue. After first passing through Yokohama, he made his way to Matsue, where he met his wife, Setsu Koizumi, a woman born into a local samurai family. It was Setsu who became his guide to the region’s folklore, passing down tales that would become the backbone of his most enduring work, including the ghostly collection Kwaidan.
In Matsue, Hearn took the Japanese name Yakumo Koizumi — with Yakumo being poetic shorthand for Shimane itself — and immersed himself in local stories. Faceless spirits, shape-shifting creatures, and voices that echo from the other side — these were among the themes that captured his imagination.
As night falls, you can follow his spectral footsteps on a ghost storytelling tour led by his great-grandson, Bon Koizumi.
“The pine is a symbolic tree in this land of symbolism,” Hearn once wrote. “Ever green, it is at once the emblem of unflinching purpose and vigorous old age; and its needle-shaped leaves are credited with the power of driving demons away.”
Wandering the backstreets of Matsue — which, by the way, means “inlet of pines” — the connection clicks into place. (He also wrote that cats are magicians that can make corpses dance — but perhaps that’s a tale for another time.)
Go to Matsue Station and depart
Matsue Castle area to Matsue StationFrom ¥170 one-way per person
15 minutes by bus
If you’re flying out of Izumo Airport, buses run from Matsue Station throughout the day. The ride takes about 40 minutes and costs ¥1,400 per person.
The shift from castle town to departure lounge may feel sudden. Chances are, you will find yourself, as we did, already plotting your return.
Ideas for extending your trip
If you’ve made it all the way to Shimane, it’s worth lingering in the San’in region a little longer.
To the east, Tottori Prefecture offers otherworldly sand dunes that stretch along the coast. Visit the Sand Museum’s intricate sculptures, or hike up to Mitokusan Sanbutsuji, a temple dramatically perched on a cliffside.
For something a little offbeat, the retro hot-spring town of Misasa has radioactive waters (the good, healing kind) long believed to have restorative powers.
Or consider heading to the Oki Islands. Here, you’ll find basalt cliffs and caves, sacred sites, and fishing villages that feel worlds away from Japan’s megacities. Ferries depart from the mainland ports of Shichirui or Sakaiminato, making it an adventurous — but manageable — side trip.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the best way to travel to Shimane?
The fastest route is by air, with frequent flights from Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka to Izumo and Iwami airports. Overnight buses and trains (like the Sunrise Izumo) also connect from major cities. These are longer but offer solid budget options.
Is Shimane well-known for onsen?
Definitely. While we only had time to visit Tamatsukuri Onsen on this trip, Shimane boasts over 60 hot-spring areas. Many inns have private baths or family onsen (kashikiri onsen) you can reserve as well.
