Spots in Shimane

Each spot shows when its facts were last checked against official sources.

By prefecture:

HokkaidoHokkaido (60)

TohokuAomori (30)Iwate (30)Miyagi (40)Akita (30)Yamagata (30)Fukushima (30)

KantoIbaraki (30)Tochigi (30)Gunma (30)Saitama (30)Chiba (30)Tokyo (30)Kanagawa (30)

ChubuNiigata (30)Toyama (30)Ishikawa (30)Fukui (30)Yamanashi (30)Nagano (30)Gifu (30)Shizuoka (30)Aichi (30)

KansaiMie (30)Shiga (30)Kyoto (30)Osaka (30)Hyogo (30)Nara (30)Wakayama (30)

ChugokuTottori (30)Shimane (30)Okayama (30)Hiroshima (30)Yamaguchi (30)

ShikokuTokushima (30)Kagawa (30)Ehime (30)Kochi (30)

Kyushu & OkinawaFukuoka (30)Saga (30)Nagasaki (30)Kumamoto (30)Oita (30)Miyazaki (30)Kagoshima (30)Okinawa (30)

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Not on the map (location not confirmed on an official source yet): Adachi Museum of Art

No photo yetYasugi, ShimaneAdachi Museum of ArtA museum founded in 1970 by Adachi Zenko, whose basic policy since opening has been "a fine garden and the Yokoyama Taikan collection": the harmony of Japanese gardens and Japanese painting. The idea is that visitors feel the beauty of the seasons through the Japanese garden, then meet the works of Yokoyama Taikan with that emotion. One admission covers the Japanese garden and the exhibitions in the main building, the Rosanjin building and the new building.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneAoishidatami-dori StreetMihonoseki prospered in the Edo period as a port of call on the western route of the Kitamaebune trading ships. The stone-paved street from Miho Shrine to Butsukokuji Temple is the remains of an Edo-period pilgrimage road, and its old townscape keeps a calm atmosphere. The stones turn bluer when wet with rain, which gave the street its name.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneBetabumi-zaka (Eshima Ohashi Bridge)The Eshima Ohashi Bridge, 1,446 m long over Nakaumi, links Eshima in Matsue with Sakaiminato in Tottori; completed in 2004 with "wind" as its design theme. The 250 m span between its two central piers is the longest in the East for a PC rigid-frame bridge and third in the world, and it stands 44.7 m above the water. It became famous as "Betabumi-zaka" (floor-it slope) after appearing in a car TV commercial in December 2013; the steep grade can be seen from the Matsue side.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneGogin Karakoro Art MuseumOpened in September 2012 east of Karakoro Kobo, in the former San'in Godo Bank north branch of 1926, renovated to keep its original look while blending in modern architecture. The 1st floor shows Western-style paintings by Japanese artists, centred on "Twin Dragons Soaring with Sun and Moon" painted for the museum by Koji Kinutani; the 2nd floor shows works such as prints by Matsue-born Unichi Hiratsuka.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneGohonmatsu ParkA park on a hill about 100 to 130 m high, famous as the place of the pines that gave rise to the folk song "Seki no Gohonmatsu". About 5,000 azaleas make it one of the prefecture's best azalea spots, at their best from late April to early May. The summit observation deck looks south over Miho Bay, Yumigahama, Nakaumi and Mt. Daisen.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneGurutto Matsue Horikawa Sightseeing BoatBoats that slowly tour the moats dug around Matsue Castle when it was built, in about 50 minutes. A full loop passes under 17 bridges; at four of them the roof is lowered to fit the bridge height. In winter the kotatsu boats, with a foot warmer heated by charcoal briquettes, are a seasonal feature, and in summer there are "wind-chime boats".Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetOda, ShimaneIwami Ginzan Silver Mine: Ryugenji Mabu TunnelAt present the only mabu (mine tunnel) of Iwami Ginzan open all year, and you can walk through it. Developed in the mid-Edo period as a tunnel run directly by the magistrate's office, it is about 600 m long, of which 157 m is open (273 m with the new tunnel); chisel marks from the time remain on the walls, and you can see a vertical shaft dug 100 m for drainage. Iwami Ginzan has nearly 1,000 mabu, and seven, including Ryugenji Mabu, are national historic sites.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneIzumo Kokubunji Temple RuinsThe site of the provincial temple built in the Nara period by order of Emperor Shomu. Foundation stones are laid out so the layout of the main hall, lecture hall and monks' quarters can be seen at a glance. Tiles, Sue ware and other finds are shown at the Yakumotatsu Fudoki-no-Oka museum.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetIzumo, ShimaneIzumo Taisha (Izumo Oyashiro)An ancient shrine whose founding is recorded in the Kojiki, said to be Japan's oldest history book; until the early Meiji period it was called Kizuki Taisha. Its main deity is Okuninushi-no-Okami, familiar as "Daikoku-sama". The present main hall (National Treasure), built in 1744, is about 24 m high and is in the Taisha-zukuri style, the oldest style of shrine architecture in Japan; according to shrine tradition it was once about 96 m high. At Izumo Taisha, worshippers bow twice, clap four times and bow once more.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneKanden-an Tea HouseA representative tea house and garden of Japan, built in 1792 at the direction of Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai), 7th lord of the Matsue domain, together with Kogetsu-tei and a bath house. Protected by the Arisawa family of chief retainers after the Meiji Restoration, it keeps almost its original form and is the most symbolic remaining example of Fumai's tea philosophy. Fundamental restoration, the first in about 70 years, was carried out from 2015.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneKarakoro KoboThe former Bank of Japan Matsue branch, long loved as a symbol of Matsue, renovated into a complex for food, culture and art. It has San'in's first food hall with nine restaurants using local ingredients, the shop "Shimashima Shimane" with pottery from local kilns and regional goods, hands-on programmes of Matsue culture on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and a basement gallery for local craft artists.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneKounkakuA Meiji-era Western-style building in the Ninomaru of Matsue Castle, completed in 1903, one of the few Meiji buildings left in the prefecture. In 1907 it served as lodgings for Crown Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taisho). It has a carriage porch at the front and elegantly decorated columns. After the war it served as an exhibition hall and as the Matsue Local History Museum; it was restored to its 1912 form in conservation work from 2013 to 2015. A cafe is on the 1st floor.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneLafcadio Hearn Memorial MuseumA museum at the west end of Shiomi Nawate, the street that keeps the most castle-town look in Matsue, next to Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence. It was built to honour the achievements of Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn), and shows the manuscripts, first editions and other cherished belongings of Hearn, who introduced Matsue to the world in works such as "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan". His desk and chair were made to order because of his poor eyesight.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneLafcadio Hearn's Former ResidenceKoizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn) spent 14 years in Japan until he died in Tokyo in 1904, living in Matsue, Kumamoto, Kobe and Tokyo. He lived in Matsue for just under 1 year and 3 months, about 5 months of it in this house. It is the only one of his homes still preserved as it was when he lived there.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneLake ShinjiThe 7th biggest lake in Japan, a brackish lake where fresh and sea water mix, and a Ramsar-listed site. Its ever-changing sunset views are the symbol of the water city Matsue; the lakeshore from Shirakata Park to Route 9 is recommended for watching the sunset. The lake is also known for the "seven delicacies of Lake Shinji", and the early-morning shijimi clam fishing from small boats is a morning feature.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneLake Shinji Sightseeing Boat HakuchoA sightseeing boat that leaves the No. 1 pier, calls at the No. 2 pier and tours Lake Shinji, Yomegashima island and the area near Matsue Onsen. The sunset cruise lets you enjoy the lake glowing in the setting sun from the boat. The ride takes about 1 hour.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMatsue Castle (National Treasure)One of the 12 castle keeps surviving in Japan, also called "Chidori Castle", designated a National Treasure in July 2015. From the top-floor lookout you see the city of Matsue and Lake Shinji. Inside, you climb the paulownia-wood stairs that date from the castle's construction; there are no elevators. The wooden shachihoko (about 2 m) is the largest in Japan. The castle is lit up every night.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMatsue History MuseumA museum built in the style of a samurai residence just east of Matsue Castle, introducing the history and culture of Matsue and how the castle town worked through materials, videos and models. It also has a Japanese garden that borrows the castle keep as its backdrop, a tea room said to be Rikyu's and a chief retainer's house, and the cafe "Kiharu" serves Japanese sweets and tea.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMatsue Horan Enya DenshokanHoran Enya is the common name of the Matsue Shiroyama Inari Shrine's Shikinen Shinkosai, with a history of 375 years, held once every 10 years and one of Japan's three great boat rituals; the name is said to come from the call-and-response chant. Here you can experience it through films and graphics in the theatre room, and by boarding a half-size kaidenma boat in costume. The most recent festival was held in May 2019, and the next is planned for 2029.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMatsue Ohashi BridgeThe bridge with the oldest history over the Ohashi River, which flows from Lake Shinji to Nakaumi. A sad legend of Gensuke, said to have been made a human pillar when the first bridge was built in 1608, has been handed down, and a memorial stands at the foot of the bridge; the story is also why people in Matsue drink tea twice. The bridge appears in Lafcadio Hearn's "Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan".Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMatsue Vogel ParkA "paradise of flowers and birds" on the hills by Lake Shinji, where begonias and fuchsias bloom everywhere. You can meet many birds, watch owl flight shows and the popular penguin walk, and see Lake Shinji from the observation deck. The park is all-weather and barrier-free, with three bird greenhouses, a flower greenhouse and covered walkways, so it can be enjoyed even in bad weather.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMeimei-an Tea HouseA tea house said to have been built to the taste of Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai), on a hill overlooking Matsue Castle. The tea room and Izumo-style garden reflect Fumai's wish that visitors truly relax, and the plaque "Meimei-an" on the thatched roof is in his own hand. In the tea room facing the garden you can have matcha with sweets linked to Fumai.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMiho ShrineThe head shrine of Ebisu, son of Okuninushi, the deity of Izumo Taisha. Its main hall, in the "Miho-zukuri" style that places two Taisha-style buildings side by side, is a national Important Cultural Property. Because Ebisu likes music, many musical instruments have been offered here. Every day at the morning and evening offering rites, shrine maidens dance to kagura music.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneMihonoseki LighthouseA dignified stone lighthouse built in 1898 at Jizozaki, the eastern tip of the Shimane Peninsula, chosen as one of the "100 Most Important Historic Lighthouses of the World" and Japan's 50 lighthouses. It was the first lighthouse in Japan to be a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, and became a national Important Cultural Property in 2022. The former lighthouse keepers' quarters next to it are now the "Kanko Buffet", where you can rest looking over the Sea of Japan and, in good weather, the Oki Islands.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneSamurai Residence (Buke Yashiki)A residence where upper-ranking samurai lived in turn, including Shiomi Kohei, from whom Shiomi Nawate is said to take its name. With its main house, nagaya gate and walls, it conveys the look of the mid-Edo period. The formal guest side and the private side differ in construction and materials, showing the strict line between public and private in samurai life. It was restored from Meiji-era plans found during three years of conservation work from 2016.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneShimane Art MuseumA museum on the theme of "harmony with water". Its collection galleries include the "Waterside Gallery" for paintings on the theme of water and the "Hokusai Gallery" for its Hokusai collection, one of the finest in the world; about 30 Hokusai works are always on view. The open lobby is a spot for sunsets over Lake Shinji, and closing time is set at 30 minutes after sunset.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneShiomi NawateA street where samurai-style houses, starting with Lafcadio Hearn's Former Residence, line the moat, keeping the most castle-town look in Matsue. It is a Matsue traditional townscape preservation area and one of "Japan's 100 Best Roads". Old pines along the moat and the flowing water give it the feel of the Edo period.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneTanabe Art MuseumA museum showing tea ceremony art linked to Lord Matsudaira Fumai and fine Rakuzan and Fujina ware from the Izumo region. Designed by architect Kiyonori Kikutake, its bright interior takes in plenty of natural light with a calm Japanese feel. Exhibits change seven times a year with tea utensils for each season, and in the tea room you can choose a bowl by a contemporary artist to drink matcha from.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneYakumotatsu Fudoki-no-Oka MuseumA museum for learning about Ou, the centre of ancient Izumo's nation-building, in the heart of the district linked to the "Kunibiki" myth of the Nara-period Izumo-no-Kuni Fudoki. It shows haniwa, mirrors and swords that are national Important Cultural Properties and finds from the area; nearby are the Fudoki botanical garden and reconstructed ancient dwellings.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMatsue, ShimaneYuushien Japanese GardenOne of the largest pond-strolling Japanese gardens in the San'in region, coloured by peonies, irises, autumn leaves and winter peonies through the seasons. In spring the "30,000 pond peonies" fill the pond, and in the indoor garden "Botan no Yakata" you can see peonies all year. Restaurants in the garden serve soba made 100% from Daikonshima and local dishes, and at the gate you can try Korean ginseng tea for free.Official check: 26 Sept 2026