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is a prefecture
Prefectures of Japan

The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "Circuit #Japan" , Hokkaido; two urban prefectures , Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture; and 43 other prefectures ....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 located in the Chugoku region
Chugoku region

The or is the westernmost region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Okayama Prefecture....
 on Honshu
Honshu

or Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait....
 island
Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
. The capital is Matsue
Matsue, Shimane

is the capital cities of Japan of Shimane Prefecture in the Chugoku region of Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 196,093 and the population density of 369.84 persons per km?....
. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, next to the Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Tottori, Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan....
 that is a neighboring prefecture on the east side. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chugoku Mountain Range on the south side and to the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea....
 on the north side. Most of the cities are near the shoreline of the Sea of Japan. There is Izumo Taisha
Izumo Taisha

is one of the most ancient and important of the Jinja in Japan. Its name means "The Grand Shrine of Izumo Province." No record gives the date of establishment....
 in Izumo City
Izumo, Shimane

is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine....
, which is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.

The Oki Islands
Oki Islands

are a group of islands in the southwestern part of the Sea of Japan and belong to Japan....
 in the Sea of Japan are also part of Shimane Prefecture, which also claims to have jurisdiction over the South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
-controlled island of Liancourt Rocks
Liancourt Rocks

The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean language or in Japanese language, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan ....
 (Takeshima).
Early History The history of Shimane starts with the Japanese mythology.






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is a prefecture
Prefectures of Japan

The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 sub-national jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "Circuit #Japan" , Hokkaido; two urban prefectures , Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture; and 43 other prefectures ....
 of Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 located in the Chugoku region
Chugoku region

The or is the westernmost region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Okayama Prefecture....
 on Honshu
Honshu

or Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait....
 island
Island

An island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets....
. The capital is Matsue
Matsue, Shimane

is the capital cities of Japan of Shimane Prefecture in the Chugoku region of Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 196,093 and the population density of 369.84 persons per km?....
. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, next to the Tottori Prefecture
Tottori Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Tottori, Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan....
 that is a neighboring prefecture on the east side. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chugoku Mountain Range on the south side and to the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea....
 on the north side. Most of the cities are near the shoreline of the Sea of Japan. There is Izumo Taisha
Izumo Taisha

is one of the most ancient and important of the Jinja in Japan. Its name means "The Grand Shrine of Izumo Province." No record gives the date of establishment....
 in Izumo City
Izumo, Shimane

is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine....
, which is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.

The Oki Islands
Oki Islands

are a group of islands in the southwestern part of the Sea of Japan and belong to Japan....
 in the Sea of Japan are also part of Shimane Prefecture, which also claims to have jurisdiction over the South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
-controlled island of Liancourt Rocks
Liancourt Rocks

The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean language or in Japanese language, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan ....
 (Takeshima).

History


Early History

The history of Shimane starts with the Japanese mythology. Shinto god Okuninushi was believed to be living in Izumo
Izumo Province

Izumo was an Old provinces of Japan of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture in the Chugoku region.It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose....
, an old province in Shimane. The Izumo Shrine, which is in the city of Izumo
Izumo, Shimane

is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine....
, honors the god. At that time, the current Shimane prefecture was divided in to 3 parts, Iwami
Iwami Province

Iwami was an Old provinces of Japan of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. Iwami bordered on Aki province, Bingo province, Izumo province, Nagato province, and Suo provinces....
, Izumo
Izumo Province

Izumo was an Old provinces of Japan of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture in the Chugoku region.It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose....
, and Oki
Oki Province

was an Old provinces of Japan of Japan, which consisted of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan, located off the coast of the provinces of Izumo province and Hoki province....
. That lasted until the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system

The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority ....
 took place in 1871. During the Nara period
Nara period

The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijo-kyo . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyo, in 784 before moving to Heian-kyo , or Kyoto, a decade lat...
, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro

Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a Japanese poet and aristocrat of the late Asuka period. He was the most prominent of the poets included in the Man'yoshu, and was particularly represented in volumes 1 and 2....
 read a poem on Shimane's nature when he was sent as the Royal governor. Later on in the Kamakura period
Kamakura period

The is a period of History of Japan that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
, Kamakura Shogunate
Kamakura shogunate

The Kamakura shogunate was a feudal military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura, Kanagawa....
 forces emperors Gotoba
Emperor Go-Toba

was the 82nd Emperor of Japan of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198....
 and Emperor Godaigo to exile to Oki. Emperor Godaigo later gets away from Oki and begins rallying against the shogunate, which later succeeds.

Middle Ages

During the Muromachi period
Muromachi period

The was a division of History of Japan running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1336 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji....
, Izumo and Oki were controlled by the Kyogoku clan. However, after the Onin War
Onin War

The was a civil war from 1467 to 1477 during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sozen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
, the Amago clan
Amago clan

The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun ....
 expanded power based in Gassan-Toda castle. However, in 1566 Mori Motonari
Mori Motonari

was a prominent daimyo in the west Chugoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century....
 conquered Izumo, Iwami, and Oki. After over 30 years of Mori control, in 1600 Horio Yoshiharu enters Izumo and Oki as the result of Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara

The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu. Though it would take three more years for Ieyasu to consolidate his position of power over the Toyotomi clan and the daimyo, Sekigahara is widely considered to be the unofficial beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate,...
 which Mori lost. Following the change, Horio Yoshiharu decides to move to build Matsue Castle
Matsue Castle

is a feudal castle in Matsue, Shimane in Shimane prefecture, Japan. Nicknamed the "black castle" or "plover castle", it is one of the few remaining medieval castles in Japan – at least of the few remaining in their original wooden form, and not a modern reconstruction in concrete....
 instead of Gassan-Toda, and soon after Yoshiharu's death the castle is completed. Later in 1638, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu

Japanese name|Tokugawa}} was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara  in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868....
, Matsudaira Naomasa enters the castle since the Horio clan had no heir, and his family ruled until the abolition of the han system. The Iwami area was split in to 3 clans: The mining district (direct control of the Shogunate), the Hamada clan and the Tsuwano clan. The Iwami Ginzan, now a UNESCO
UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945....
 World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 Sovereign state which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term....
 produced silver
Silver

Silver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal....
 and was one of the nation's largest silver mine by the early 17th century. Hamada clan was on the shogunate's side in the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration

The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure....
, and the castle was burned down. The Tsuwano clan, despite the Matsudaira (relative of the shogun) rule was on the emperor's side in the restoration.

Modern times


In 1871, abolition of the han system places the old Shimane and Hamada provinces in the current area of Shimane Prefecture. Later that year, Oki becomes part of Tottori. In 1876, Hamada Prefecture merges with Shimane and is named Shimane Prefecture. Also, Tottori Prefecture merges in the same year. However, five years later, in 1881, the current portion of Tottori Prefecture separates and the current border is formed.

Geography


Shimane prefecture is situated on the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea....
 side of the Chugoku region
Chugoku region

The or is the westernmost region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima Prefecture, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Tottori Prefecture, and Okayama Prefecture....
. Because of its mountainous landscape, rice farming is done mostly in the Izumo plain where the city of Izumo is located. Another major landform is the Shimane peninsula. The peninsula is located across on the Sea of Japan from Izumo to Sakaiminato, which apparently is located in Tottori prefecture. Also, the peninsula created two sea water lakes Lake Shinji
Lake Shinji

is a lake in the northeast area of the Shimane Prefecture in Japan. The lake is the seventh largest in Japan, with a circumference of 48 km. It is enclosed by the Shimane peninsula to the north, and the Izumo and Matsue plains to the west and east respectively....
 and Nakaumi
Nakaumi

is a brackish lake located between Tottori Prefecture and Shimane Prefecture prefectures in Japan. The lake is enclosed by the Shimane peninsula to the north and Yumigahama peninsula to the east....
. The island of Daikon is located in Nakaumi. Off from the island of Honshu
Honshu

or Honshu is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait....
, the island of Oki is in Shimane prefecture as well. The island itself is in the Daisen-Oki National Park. Shimane also claims the use of Liancourt Rocks
Liancourt Rocks

The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean language or in Japanese language, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan ....
, which they are in dispute with South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
.

Most major cities are located either on the seaside, or along a river. Between 2004 and 2005, municipalities across Japan merged, and Shimane prefecture was not an exception. For the list of mergers, see List of mergers in Shimane Prefecture
List of mergers in Shimane Prefecture

Here is a list of mergers in Shimane Prefecture, Japan since the Heisei era....
.

Cities


Eight cities are located in Shimane Prefecture, the largest being Matsue, the capital, and the smallest being Gotsu. The cities Masuda, Unnan, Yasugi, and Gotsu had a slight population increase due to the mergers in the early 2000s.
  • Gotsu
    Gotsu, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1954. As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 25,064 and the population density of 158.22 persons per km?....
  • Hamada
    Hamada, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It is the third largest city in the prefecture and is located at the south-western end of the prefecture....
  • Izumo
    Izumo, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine....
  • Masuda
    Masuda, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of September 2008, the city has an population of 52,022 and the population density of 71.0 persons per square km?....
  • Matsue
    Matsue, Shimane

    is the capital cities of Japan of Shimane Prefecture in the Chugoku region of Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 196,093 and the population density of 369.84 persons per km?....
     (capital)
  • Oda
    Oda, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of April 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 40,614 and the population density of 90.2 persons per km?....
  • Unnan
    Unnan, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. The city was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of the towns of Daito, Shimane, Kamo, Shimane, Kisuki, Shimane , the towns of Mitoya, Shimane, Kakeya, Shimane, and the village of Yoshida, Shimane ....
  • Yasugi
    Yasugi, Shimane

    is a cities of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 43,903 and a population density of 363.50 persons per square kilometer....


Towns and villages

The number of Towns and villages greatly decreased during the mergers. However, they hold about one-third of the prefecture's population.

  • Hikawa District
    Hikawa District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 57,333 and a population density of 185.14 persons per km?....
Hikawa
Hikawa, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in Hikawa District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 27,246 and a population density of 337.87 persons per km?....
  • Iishi District
    Iishi District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 20,864 and a population density of 38.00 persons per km?....
Iinan
Iinan, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in the Iishi District, Shimane in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on January 1, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Tonbara, Shimane and Akagi, Shimane....
  • Kanoashi District
    Kanoashi District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 17,879 and a population density of 27.79 persons per km?....
Tsuwano
Tsuwano, Shimane

is a towns of Japan in Kanoashi District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture Prefectures of Japan, Japan. As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 8,878 and a population density of 28.9 persons per square kilometer....
Yoshika
Yoshika, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in the Kanoashi District, Shimane in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.It was formed on October 1, 2005 from the merger of the town of Muikaichi, Shimane and the village of Kakinoki, Shimane....
  • Nita District
    Nita District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 16,253 and a population density of 44.16 persons per km?....
Okuizumo
Okuizumo, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in the Nita District, Shimane in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on March 31, 2005 from the merger of the towns of Nita, Shimane and Yokota, Shimane....
  • Ochi District
    Ochi District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 27,648 and a population density of 30.10 persons per km?....
Kawamoto
Kawamoto, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in Ochi District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 4,513 and a population density of 42.42 persons per km?. The total area is 106.39 km?....
Misato
Misato, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in the Ochi District, Shimane in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on October 1, 2004 from the merger of the village of Daiwa, Shimane and the town of Ochi, Shimane....
Onan
Onan, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in the Ochi District, Shimane in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on October 1, 2004 from the merger of the towns of Iwami, Shimane, Mizuho, Shimane, and the village of Hasumi, Shimane....
  • Oki District
    Oki District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 24,500 and a population density of 70.79 persons per km?....
Ama
Ama, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in Oki District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 2,543 and a population density of 75.91 persons per km?. The total area is 33.50 km?....
Chibu
Chibu, Shimane

is a villages of Japan located in the Douzen group of islands in the Oki District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the village has an estimated population of 737 and a population density of 53.83 persons per km?....
Nishinoshima
Nishinoshima, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in Oki District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 3,590 and a population density of 64.13 persons per km?....
Okinoshima
Okinoshima, Shimane

is a Towns of Japan located on Dogo, Shimane, one of the Oki Islands, in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.Japan considers the disputed Liancourt Rocks to be a part of Okinoshima....
  • Yatsuka District
    Yatsuka District, Shimane

    is a districts of Japan located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the district has an estimated population of 59,733 and a population density of 169.95 persons per square kilometer....
Higashiizumo
Higashiizumo, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in Yatsuka District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,817 and a population density of 324.04 persons per km?....


Mergers


Climate


The prefecture has a sub-tropical climate. Winter is cloudy with a little snow and summer is a little humid. The year average for temperature is 14.6 degrees Celsius
Celsius

Celsius is a temperature scale that is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death....
. During the rainy season, June to around Mid July, it rains every day. The hottest average temperature is in August with 26.3 degrees Celsius. The average year preciparation is 1799 millimeters, compared to Tokyo
Tokyo

, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people....
's 1467 mm and Obihiro with 920 mm.

Transportation


Airports

Three airports serve Shimane. The Izumo Airport located in Hikawa
Hikawa, Shimane

is a towns of Japan located in Hikawa District, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 27,246 and a population density of 337.87 persons per km?....
 is the largest airport in the prefecture in terms of passengers, which has regular flights to Haneda Airport, Osaka Airport, Fukuoka Airport
Fukuoka Airport

, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan. It is officially designated a First class airport#Second class airports....
, and Oki Airport
Oki Airport

is an airport on Dogo, Shimane, one of the Oki Islands in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is located in Okinoshima, Shimane, the most populous town on these islands....
. The Iwami Airport has two flights each day to Haneda and Osaka and 2 arrivals. Oki Airport has scheduled flights to Osaka and Izumo Airports.

  • Izumo Airport
    Izumo Airport

    is an List of airports in Japan in Izumo, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, about 20-30 minutes by car from central Izumo or the Matsue, Shimane city center....
  • Iwami Airport
    Iwami Airport

    is an airport in Masuda, Shimane, a city in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is also known as Hagi-Iwami Airport due to its location near the city of Hagi, Yamaguchi in Yamaguchi Prefecture....
  • Oki Airport
    Oki Airport

    is an airport on Dogo, Shimane, one of the Oki Islands in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is located in Okinoshima, Shimane, the most populous town on these islands....


Rail


JR West and Ichibata Electric Railway
Ichibata Electric Railway

Ichibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudo Kabushiki-gaisha was a railway operator until 2006, when it became a holding company of the Ichibata Group, spinning off its railway division to the newly founded Ichibata Densha Kabushiki-gaisha ....
 serves the prefecture in terms of rail transportation. The Sanin Main Line goes through the prefecture on the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan

The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, bordered by Japan, South Korea, North Korea and Russia. It is referred to in North Korea as the Korea East Sea and in South Korea as the East Sea....
 side going into major cities such as Matsue and Izumo. and stations are the major stops in the prefecture. The Kisuki line, which forks from Shinji Station
Shinji Station

is a JR West Train station in Matsue, Shimane, Japan. It is located on the San'in Main Line and Kisuki Line....
 on the Sanin Line, connects with the Geibi Line
Geibi Line

The is a rail line operated by West Japan Railway Company in the mountainous area of the Chugoku region. It begins at Bitchu Kojiro Station on the west side of Niimi, Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, connecting through Miyoshi Station in Miyoshi, Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, and terminating at Hiroshima Station in Hiroshima, Japan....
 in Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture

is a Prefectures of Japan of Japan located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima....
, cutting into the Chugoku Mountains
Chugoku Mountains

is a mountain range in the Chugoku region of western Japan. It runs in an east-west direction and stretches approximately from Hyogo Prefecture in the east to the coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture....
. Ichibata Electric Railway serve the Shimane peninsula from Dentetsu-Izumoshi Station and Izumo Taisha-Mae Station to Matsue Shinjiko-Onsen Station.

JR West has 3 Limited Express trains to Shimane, which are Super Matsukaze
Super Matsukaze

The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by JR West which runs from Tottori Station to Yonago Station and Masuda Station....
, Super Oki
Super Oki

The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by JR West which runs from Tottori Station and Yonago Station to Shin-Yamaguchi Station....
, and Yakumo
Yakumo (train)

The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by JR West which runs from Okayama Station to Matsue Station and Izumoshi Station....
.

  • West Japan Railway Company
    West Japan Railway Company

    , also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshu....
    • Sanin Main Line
    • Sanko Line
      Sanko Line

      is a railway line of West Japan Railway Company between Gotsu, Shimane Shimane Prefecture and Miyoshi, Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan....
    • Kisuki Line
      Kisuki Line

      is a railway line of West Japan Railway Company between Matsue, Shimane Shimane Prefecture and Shobara, Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan....
    • Yamaguchi Line
      Yamaguchi Line

      The is a rail transport line operated by West Japan Railway Company in western Japan connecting Shin-Yamaguchi Station in Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi Prefecture and Masuda Station in Masuda, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture....
  • Ichibata Electric Railway
    Ichibata Electric Railway

    Ichibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudo Kabushiki-gaisha was a railway operator until 2006, when it became a holding company of the Ichibata Group, spinning off its railway division to the newly founded Ichibata Densha Kabushiki-gaisha ....
    • Kita-Matsue Line
    • Taisha Line


Roads


Highways

The four expressways in the prefecture connect major cities with other prefectures. The Matsue expressway connects Matsue with Unnan and Yonago in Tottori prefecture. Hamada Expressway forks from the Chugoku Expressway at Kita-Hiroshima and stretches to Hamada.

  • Sanin Expressway
    Sanin Expressway

    San'in Expressway is a proposed Japanese Expressways extending from Tottori,_Tottori, Tottori_Prefecture to Mine,_Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi_Prefecture....
  • Matsue Expressway
  • Hamada Expressway
  • Chugoku Expressway
    Chugoku Expressway

    The is an Expressways of Japan from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai region and Chugoku regions in the western Honshu, Japan's largest island....


Economy

In Shimane, the largest employer is the retailing industry, employing over 60,000 workers. Mishimaya and Juntendo are examples of companies. The manufacturing industry has the second number of employees with 49,000 workers. In the number of business locations, the retailing industry is first with over 12,000.

Twenty-nine percent of the total industry income is from the service industry, including retailers. Another 13% is from the manufacturing industry.

Companies based in Shimane


Manufacturing

  • Izumo Murata Manufacturing
  • Shimane Fujitsu
  • Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery
    Mitsubishi Agricultural Machinery

    , headquartered in Higashiizumo, Shimane, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, a part of the Mitsubishi, was established in February 1980 from the merger of the Mitsubishi Machinery Co., Ltd....


Financial

  • The Shimane Bank
  • The San-in Godo Bank


Others
  • Network Applied Communication Laboratory
    Network Applied Communication Laboratory

    Network Applied Communication Laboratory is a Japanese company for systems consulting, and development of web sites and open source software. Best known as a company that employs Yukihiro Matsumoto, who is an original creator of the Ruby ....
  • Mishimaya
  • Juntendo
  • Ichibata Electric Railway
    Ichibata Electric Railway

    Ichibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudo Kabushiki-gaisha was a railway operator until 2006, when it became a holding company of the Ichibata Group, spinning off its railway division to the newly founded Ichibata Densha Kabushiki-gaisha ....


Major factories


  • Hitachi Metals


Demographics

One-third of the prefecture's population
Population

File:Population density.pngIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings....
 is concentrated in the Izumo-Matsue area. Otherwise, over two-thirds of the population is on the coastline. The reason is that the Chugoku mountains make the land inland harder to inhabit. Also, Shimane has the largest percentage of the elderly, and the capital Matsue has the smallest population out of all the 47 prefectural capitals.

Population by age


Culture


Universities in Shimane Prefecture

  • Shimane University
    Shimane University

    is a Japanese national university in Matsue, Shimane, Japan. The predecessor of the school, Shimane High School, was founded in 1920, and was eventually chartered as a university in 1949....
     (National university)
  • The University of Shimane (Prefectural university)


Tourism


  • Shimane Vogel Park
    Shimane Vogel Park

    Shimane Vogel Park is an aviary park in Shimane Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan.Amid pleasant green hills on the North shore of Lake Shinji, it has paved walkways between four aviaries holding tropical birds - mostly toucans, turacos, hornbills and ibises....


Prefectural symbols


The prefectural flower is the Mooutan Peony. On the island of Daikonjima, they were grown from at least the 18th century.

See also

  • Lafcadio Hearn
    Lafcadio Hearn

    Patrick Lafcadio Hearn , also known as after gaining Japanese citizenship, was an author, best known for his books about Japan. He is especially well-known for his collections of Japanese legends and kwaidan, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things....


External links

  • National Archives of Japan