Photo: MaedaAkihiko / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Shimane Prefecture
Chugoku region · Prefecture
Official website
Shimane Prefecture is a "land of the gods" centered on Izumo, the setting of myths. The gods of all Japan are said to gather in Izumo in the 10th month of the old calendar, so Izumo alone calls it "Kamiarizuki" (month with gods). The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine supported the world's silver trade from the Warring States period to the Edo period.
- Izumo Taisha
- Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine (World Cultural Heritage Site)
- Shijimi clams from Lake Shinji
- Oki Islands
Key facts
- Municipalities
- 19 (8 cities, 10 towns, 1 village)
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2025 Population Census (population, area and density); area from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI), Area Statistics of Prefectures and Municipalities (2025). National ranks are among the 47 prefectures, ordered by this site from these values.
Places to know
- Izumo City Izumo Taisha, a shrine for matchmaking, and Izumo soba noodles.
- Matsue City Matsue Castle, a National Treasure with its original keep, and sunsets over Lake Shinji.
- Oda City The mine ruins and old townscape of the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine.
Current warnings, advisories and earthquakes
Places to visit in Shimane Prefecture
Browse by category
Shrines, temples, castles and historic sites
Chosen automatically, most popular first, from landmarks and cultural properties registered in Wikidata (we have not checked whether each is open). Names and descriptions: Wikidata (CC0); photos: Wikimedia Commons (photographer and license under each photo).
National parks in Shimane Prefecture
Chosen by overlaying the park boundaries (Ministry of the Environment, Biodiversity Center of Japan, "National Park Areas" GIS data, updated April 28, 2025, combined and simplified by NIPPON ATLAS) with municipal boundaries (National Land Numerical Information, January 2021), keeping overlaps of about 0.5 km² or more (approximate). Areas are the land areas from the Ministry of the Environment, "Overview of National Parks" (April 10, 2026). All national parks
Municipalities in Shimane Prefecture (19)
| Municipality | Population | 5-year change | Area | Temperature nownearest AMeDAS |
|---|
| Matsue City | 193,397 | −5.0% | 573 km² | |
| Hamada City | 48,819 | −10.6% | 691 km² | |
| Izumo City | 169,401 | −2.0% | 624 km² | |
| Masuda City | 41,457 | −7.9% | 733 km² | |
| Oda City | 29,752 | −9.4% | 435 km² | |
| Yasugi City | 33,523 | −9.5% | 421 km² | |
| Gotsu City | 20,412 | −11.1% | 268 km² | |
| Unnan City | 32,700 | −9.2% | 553 km² | |
| Okuizumo Town | 10,376 | −12.4% | 368 km² | |
| Iinan Town | 4,125 | −9.9% | 243 km² | |
| Kawamoto Town | 2,946 | −9.3% | 106 km² | |
| Misato Town | 3,768 | −13.5% | 283 km² | |
| Onan Town | 9,119 | −10.3% | 419 km² | |
| Tsuwano Town | 6,093 | −11.4% | 307 km² | |
| Yoshika Town | 5,299 | −12.8% | 337 km² | |
| Ama Town | 2,347 | +3.5% | 33.44 km² | |
| Nishinoshima Town | 2,400 | −13.9% | 55.97 km² | |
| Chibu Village | 574 | −9.5% | 13.70 km² | |
| Okinoshima Town | 12,379 | −7.8% | 243 km² | |
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2025 Population Census (population in 2025; change compared with 2020). Area: GSI (2025). Designated cities are shown as one city (wards combined). "Temperature now" is the latest JMA AMeDAS observation (preliminary) at the nearest station in the same prefecture, loaded and shown unchanged when you open the page.