Have you ever heard of Shimane Prefecture? Shimane Prefecture is located next to Hiroshima (where the atomic bomb was dropped during WWII) in the Sea of Japan (as shown in the picture below). Unfortunately, less attention is given to this Prefecture, compared with Hiroshima, even though it has many interesting spots to surely give visitors strong inspirations.
Some of its citizens have just recently launched a campaign to reverse its notorious image of being the least popular tourist destination among the 47 Prefectures in Japan. Along with Tottori Prefecture (northeast), the 46th least popular Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture has started the campaign to boost their publicity to attract tourists. Interesting!!, but not necessary in our opinion.
Once you visit Shimane, you will definitely find yourself inspired by the spiritual aura overcast the Prefecture! Even those who are not religious can feel that spirit. Local people say that Shimane Prefecture, which has a lot of shrines, is saved from natural disasters like typhoons because it is a sacred area protected by Shinto God. We kind of felt that despite being not Shintoists or religious.
Tune In Nagoya would like to introduce the spiritual aura and beauty of the Prefecture, by showing some pictures of those interesting MUST places to visit. Flying into 1) Izumo Airport, as the below map shows, start with 2) Matsue Castle, 3) Adachi Museum of Art (near the east border of the Prefecture) and explore 4) Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine (the MOST famous spiritual Shinto Shrine), and 5) Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine (the west border). 6) Hot Springs are legendary and famous, one of which is designated as one of the three best hot springs for beautiful skin in Japan.
1) Brief Introduction of Izumo Airport
Fantastic! Yes, Izumo (出雲), more specifically, Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine, is very famous for tying all kinds of knots (explained later), but we never imagined the airport (空港) itself literally welcomes and "tying knots (in three red letters of 縁結び)" with visitors by identifying their status in the airport name!!!
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| The baggage claim area |
This display shows one of the ancient myths of the battle between Susano Mikoto (Shinto Deity Susano, left) and Yamatano Orochi (the legendary dragon with 8 heads and 8 tails, right). Deity Susano is believed to have killed the Dragon, a pest to devour young women (under the Dragon), in Izumo.
2) Matsue Castle
Matsue Castle (presumably constructed from 1607 to 1611) is one of the original castles and National Treasures in Japan. Some survey found this black and white Castle ranked among the top 10 beautiful and historic castles which tourists MUST visit in Japan. As you can read below, there are several war preparations inside this castle, but no battles were actually fought.
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| Matsue Castle |
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| The path leading to the Castle |
Rocks used for the Castle's foundations and walls are tightly piled up!!
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| Ticket machines and booths (to the right) |
This is where you buy tickets. You can buy them from these vending machines or persons in the booths. You want to buy a single ticket valid only for this Castle, then use the left machine. The right machine gives you another option of the combination tickets for
Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and Samurai Houses along with Matsue Castle.
These big pillars support the Castle. Some of these 308 pillars (in total) are two-story long and accompany horizontal pillars, which gives structural strength to the Castle.
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| A display of samurai warrior armor |
These steps (four steps in total) are made of light wood so that they can be easily removed (to prevent enemies from coming up). It should work great for the battle, but it is too steep for visitors to climb up.
Inside, there are a lot of holes, windows, and slots as preparations for wars. This small window is used for shooting enemies down. Some slots are used for throwing stones down at the enemies. Interestingly, without looking very closely at them, you could not see these openings from the outside, which is a clever device.
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| the top of the Castle |
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| The view of Matsue City from the top of Matsue Castle |
You can see Shinjiko (English: Lake Shinji) and mountains, along with the City of Matsue.
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| Matsue Shinto Shrine |
Lords of the Matsudaira Clan are worshiped in the vicinity of Matsue Castle. Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder of Edo Shogunate, is also worshiped here.
Adachi Museum of Art has magnificent Japanese gardens, some of which feature tranquil Kare San Sui gardens (English: Dried Rock Gardens also seen in
Ryoan-ji Temple in Kyoto). The gardens, accompanied with natural surroundings, such as mountains and the blue sky, have been selected as the best Japanese garden by a US magazine,
The Journal of Japanese Gardening, for 15 consecutive years. The gardens show different "faces" over the seasonal changes.
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| The entry point from its parking lot into the Museum entrance. |
The sign "足立美術館" means Adachi Museum of Art.
Every spot, taken from different angles (shown below), captures the moment of the scenic beauty cut in your picture frame. A lot of Japanese painting (e.g., masterpieces by Yokoyama Taikan) and ceramic artworks (e.g., Kitaoji Rosanjin) are also exhibited (Unforunately, picture-taking is not allowed for these art exhibits). What attracts visitors are not just the beauty of the gardens and exhibits, but also the magnitude this Museum plays in introducing them to the world.
Can you see a waterfall running down the rock mountain in the middle of this picture?
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| Steps beautifully arranged lead into the depth. |
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| Mountains on the back add a character to this garden. |
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| Kakejiku Shot in Tokonoma |
Kakejiku (English: a hanging scroll) of Japanese landscape in Tokonoma (English: a sort of Alcove) is captured here. This picture was actually taken in a room which has a rectangular glass window and a square painting above. This room represents a typical Japanese Tokonoma, where items for artistic appreciation (e.g., Kakejuku and utensils for tea ceremony) are displayed. Great idea!! to take the garden in Kakejiku, right?
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| "Screen" Shot |
This is also taken from a room, viewing the outside garden. The frame suggests some kind of screen window with Japanese landscape, but you can tell this is NOT!! Yes, men are landscaping in this captured moment (of course, we wish we could have avoided them in the picture!!)
This would be a great picture-framed shot without the big tree trunk in the middle. Or is it artistic as it is??
Yes, these pictures depict the beauty of the gardens, but you should check it out with your own eyes!!!
The City of Izumo, in Shimane Prefecture, has a lot of shrines throughout the city. Locals say that the City is protected by Deities from natural disasters like typhoons. Their claims could be due to its geographical location, but visitors surely feel its spiritual aura overcast the City. This is a so-called spiritual place where all the Deities across the nation get together in October. Even Deity in Ise Grand Shrine may leave for Izumo to attend the gathering (which means you cannot get blessed at Ise Grand Shrine in October???).
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| Go Hon Den (Main Shrine Mall) |
Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine is the highest ranked shrine above all the shrines. When you visit this Grand Shrine, you can tie all kinds of knots ("縁結び" in the first picture of Izumo Airport), including relationships, business transactions and others. To get blessed, visitors, domestic and international, come to this Grand Shrine.
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| Hai Den (Prayer Hall) |
Two other shrines, which are believed to give you spiritual inspirations, are introduced:
Kumano Taisha Grand Shrine (
熊野大社), and
Hinomisaki Shrine(
日御碕神社).
Can you see the white gate in the distance? That gate is called "O-torii", the first gate standing tall near the ocean. You can see Benten Jima Island on Inazano Hama Beach (see the picture below).
As a side note (sorry to digress), one vending machine located near the red plastic stand in the above picture is the one you should use for drinks. They do not overcharge, actually undercharge, you despite the very location closest to the Grand Shrine. Sorry about such a secular comment!!
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| Approach with pine trees |
Before advancing to shrines, you are supposed to cleanse yourself here, following these four steps. 1) Cleanse your left hand, and 2) then right hand. 3) Then, wash your mouth, but don't put your mouth to the ladle. Pour water into your left hand and wash your mouth afterwards. 4) Fourth, wash your left hand and the ladle. Now, you are ready to pray to God.
One myth depicted in Kojiki, the oldest existing chronicle in Japan, reads that Deity Okuninushi saved a rabbit whose skin was stripped for some reason in Izumo. The rabbit predicted the Deity's love life. So, rabbits play an important role in match-making.
The white stuff are "Omikuji" (English: Fortune-telling paper strips) tied to the tree and the board (where the two people are standing). The small wooden plates called "Ema" are used to write your wishes and dedicated to God.
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| Hai Den (Prayer Hall) |
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| Main Hall (Shrine) |
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| Priests' procession for some rituals |
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| The west side of the Main Shrine Hall |
This is the actual front of the Main Shrine Hall (Go Hon Den) because the Main Hall faces west. If you would like to make an official wish, you should come and pray here.
HOW TO PRAY at Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine:
1) Put the money (i.e., offering) into the box located near the wooden wall (in this picture). 2) Bow Twice, clap four times and make a wish /wishes. 3) Finally, bow again.
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IMPORTANT, when you make a wish, you have to state your name and address!!! so that God can identify you!!! Superstitious, but you'd better try! :)
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| Benten Jima Island on Inazano Hama Beach |
A shrine is on the Island called Benten Jima Island. This place is believed to be what all the Deities all over Japan go through to visit Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine.
The small path (the above picture) in a parking lot leads you to the beach and the Island.
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| This is where you can buy local food and gifts, near the gate of Izumo Grand Shrine |
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| Tourist Information Center |
This information center is located on the street leading to the Grand Shrine gate from the first O-torii (shown in the third picture). If you happen to drive, you SHOULD use a FREE parking spot across from this information center. It does not take much time to reach the Shrine.
Kumano Taisha Grand Shrine (
熊野大社)a
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| A money (offering) box |
You see fortune-telling paper strips are sold for 100 yen (adults) and 50 yen (children).
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| Main Shrine Hall |
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| Performance Hall |
Interesting structure, isn't it? In order to open the Hall, hoist the wooden windows and hold them so that the wind goes through.
Hinomisaki Shrine(
日御碕神社)
Hinomisaki Shrine is not an easy access from Izumo Grand Shrine (about 8 kilometers away) and located near the sea of Japan. You have to either drive or patiently wait for a local bus. However, this vermillion-lacquered Shrine is famous for its strong power to tie all kinds of knots, presumably stronger than Izumo Grand Shrine. Deities worshiped here are Amaterasu (Female Deity Amaterasu) and Susano (Deity Susano), who are the parents of Okuninushi (Deity Okuninushi), who is believed to get Izumo Grand Shrine.
When you visit this Shrine despite some difficulty, you will probably get greatly blessed from these GREAT Deities Amaterasu and Susano!!
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| Where you cleanse yourself |
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| The entrance of the Shrine |
5) Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine AND
6) Hot Spring (Onsen) Resorts are to be reported in the next post.
Our blog post on another famous shrine in Shizuoka Prefecture might interest you. You will get empowered by Kiyomiya-jijya Shrine.
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