The Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine’s architecture is imposing yet delicate, featuring a 24-metre-tall main hall or honden, sweeping roofs, intricately carved wooden detailing, and the kagura-den features the largest shimenawa sacred straw rope weighing five tons.
On the north coast of southern Honshu, between the Sea of Japan and the Chūgoku mountain range, Shimane and Tottori are two of Japan’s least populous prefectures. Firmly off the main tourist routes, this is an area filled with natural and cultural wonders that richly rewards travellers who make the journey to get to know it. Mountains and sand dunes, seascapes and historical shrines, flower-filled gardens and friendly people are just some of the reasons that make a journey to this lesser-known region steeped in Japanese mythology a joy. Here are some of the highlights, where a warm, friendly welcome is guaranteed.
Discovering Japan’s origin story and creation myths at Izumo Grand Shrine
Shimane’s important role in Japanese history cannot be overstated. The prefecture’s Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine is one of the most prominent religious and cultural sites in the country, and is also considered to be one of the oldest. No one can say with certainty when it was first established, but the shrine’s roots go back far into antiquity, and Japan’s cultural origin story starts in this area once known as the Land of the Gods. This is where the first cycle of Japanese creation myths are set, a place visited by the ancient deities who are said to have created what we know today as Japan.
The Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine’s architecture is imposing yet delicate, featuring a 24-metre-tall main hall or honden, sweeping roofs, intricately carved wooden detailing, and the kagura-den features the largest shimenawa sacred straw rope weighing five tons. The shrine hosts a number of cultural festivals throughout the year, the most important of which is the kamiarizuki festival in the tenth month of the lunar calendar. Although dates change every year, it usually falls in October or November. The festival celebrates the gathering of the Shinto gods who are said to assemble at the shrine each year to decide the fates of their subjects. Timing your visit with the festival is an intriguing way to see the cultural rituals, traditions and costumes at the heart of Shinto beliefs, and is an unforgettable – and completely unique – spectacle.
With its location on Daikon Island, conveniently situated between Matsue City and Yonago Airport and connected to the land by bridges, Yuushien Garden makes for a calming and colourful day out. Sprawling over 40,000 square metres, the painstakingly landscaped site takes on different moods at different times of year, reminiscent of a scene from traditional Japanese ukiyoe art with its ponds, pines and bright red wooden bridge. Visitors pour onto the island in spring for billowing blooms of peonies, rhododendrons and irises, and in summer for vibrant displays of hydrangea and water lilies. Autumn and winter have fewer flowers, but camelia and winter peonies are not to be missed. The garden’s foliage bursts into fiery colours in fall, and in winter, delicate plants are given straw coverings that look like little hats that protect them from the snow.
The island is also famous for its production of Korean ginseng, a medicinal herb that is believed to boost energy and have many health benefits. You can try it at the onsite restaurants and cafes in the form of tea, ice cream, and even tempura. Come at lunchtime and you’ll also have the opportunity to dive into the flavours of the region, like Izumo soba made with locally grown buckwheat flour, eel cooked on lava rocks, and seasonal fish, seafood and vegetables.
As its name suggests, Iwami Ginzan, meaning “Silver Mountain of Iwami”, was once one of the world’s greatest silver mines, producing up to a third of the global supply during the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, mining no longer takes place, but the area still makes for an intriguing stop on any journey through this part of the country. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Iwami Ginzan spreads through lush green mountains and two coastal towns that once served as shipment points for the silver industry.
Those curious to know more about Iwami Ginzan’s silver fortunes should head to the World Heritage Centre where displays tell stories of the history, science and engineering feats that went into extracting the precious metal from the ground, as well as the lives of the people who were behind the region’s fortunes. This is also the place to orient yourself before heading out and exploring the area. Shuttles buses take visitors to Omori, a photogenic small town that was once the administrative centre of the area, lined with historical wooden houses and shops, some of which have been turned into museums that give insights into life here in the past. From Omori, picturesque footpaths lead through woodland and up mountainsides home to numerous small temples, like Gohyaku Rakan where small caves house 500 stone statues of Buddha’s disciples, each with a different face and expression.
