Shimane Prefecture
Encyclopedia
is a prefecture
of Japan located in the Chūgoku region
on Honshū
island. The capital is Matsue
. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori
. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to the Sea of Japan
on the north side. It is divided into the Izumo Region in the East, the Iwami Region in the West and the Oki Region, a small group of islands off the northern coast. Most of the cities are near the shoreline of the Sea of Japan. Izumo Taisha
in Izumo City
is one of the oldest Shinto shrines in Japan.
The Oki Islands
in the Sea of Japan are also part of Shimane Prefecture, which also claims to have jurisdiction over the South Korea
-controlled island of Liancourt Rocks
(Takeshima).
, an old province in Shimane. Izumo Shrine, which is in the city of Izumo
, honors the god. At that time, the current Shimane prefecture was divided in to three parts: Iwami
, Izumo
, and Oki
. That lasted until the abolition of the han system
took place in 1871. During the Nara period
, Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
read a poem on Shimane's nature when he was sent as the Royal governor.
Later on in the Kamakura period
, Kamakura Shogunate
forces emperors Gotoba
and Emperor Godaigo to exile to Oki. Emperor Godaigo later gets away from Oki and begins rallying against the shogunate, which later succeeds.
, Izumo and Oki were controlled by the Kyogoku clan. However, after the Ōnin War
, the Amago clan
expanded power based in Gassantoda Castle
and Masuda clan
dominated Iwami province
. Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
was located between Amago clan territory and Masuda clan territory, so there were many battles between these lords for the silver of vast quantity. However, in 1566 Mori Motonari
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
which Mori lost. Following the change, Horio Yoshiharu decides to move to build Matsue Castle
instead of Gassan-Toda, and soon after Yoshiharu's death the castle is completed. Later in 1638, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu
, 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 World Heritage Site
produced silver 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
, 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.
Shimane prefecture is situated on the Sea of Japan
side of the Chugoku region
. 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
and Nakaumi
. The island of Daikon is located in Nakaumi. Off from the island of Honshū
, 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
, which they are in dispute with South Korea
.
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.
The number of Towns and villages greatly decreased during the mergers. However, they hold about one-third of the prefecture's population.
Three airports serve Shimane. The Izumo Airport located in Izumo
is the largest airport in the prefecture in terms of passengers, which has regular flights to Haneda Airport, Osaka Airport
, Fukuoka Airport
, and Oki Airport
. 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.
serves the prefecture in terms of rail transportation. The Sanin Main Line goes through the prefecture on the Sea of Japan
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
on the Sanin Line, connects with the Geibi Line
in Hiroshima Prefecture
, cutting into the Chūgoku Mountains
. 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 Oki
, and Yakumo
.
Twenty-nine percent of the total industry income is from the service industry, including retailers. Another 13% is from the manufacturing industry.
-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. The capital, Matsue, has the smallest population out of all the 47 prefectural capitals. Shimane has also the largest percentage of the elderly. The province had an estimated 743 centenarians per million inhabitants in September 2010, the highest ratio in Japan, overtaking Okinawa Prefecture
(667 centenarians per million).
. On the island of Daikonjima, they were grown from at least the 18th century.
Prefectures of Japan
The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...
of Japan located in the Chūgoku region
Chugoku region
The , also known as the , is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. It has a population of about 7.8 million.- History :...
on Honshū
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. The capital is Matsue
Matsue, Shimane
is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.As of August, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 207,000, following its most recent merging with Higashi-Izumo...
. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku 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, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
on the north side. It is divided into the Izumo Region in the East, the Iwami Region in the West and the Oki Region, a small group of islands off the northern coast. Most of the cities are near the shoreline of the Sea of Japan. Izumo Taisha
Izumo Taisha
is one of the most ancient and important Shinto shrines in Japan. No record gives the date of establishment. Located in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, it is home to two major festivals. It is dedicated to the god Ōkuninushi , famous as the Shinto deity of marriage.A style of architecture,...
in Izumo City
Izumo, Shimane
is a city located in Shimane, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine.-Demographics:The modern city was founded on November 3, 1941....
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.-Geography:The Oki Islands are situated between 40 to 80 kilometers north of the coast of Honshū.The islands are of volcanic origin and have a total area of 346,1 km2...
in the Sea of Japan are also part of Shimane Prefecture, which also claims to have jurisdiction over the South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
-controlled island of Liancourt Rocks
Liancourt Rocks
The Liancourt Rocks, also known as Dokdo or Tokto in Korean or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
(Takeshima).
Early history
The history of Shimane starts with the Japanese mythology. Shinto god Ōkuninushi was believed to be living in IzumoIzumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
, an old province in Shimane. Izumo Shrine, which is in the city of Izumo
Izumo, Shimane
is a city located in Shimane, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine.-Demographics:The modern city was founded on November 3, 1941....
, honors the god. At that time, the current Shimane prefecture was divided in to three parts: Iwami
Iwami Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces.In the Heian era the capital was at modern-day Hamada....
, Izumo
Izumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
, and Oki
Oki Province
was an old province of Japan which is now Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Oki province consisted of the Oki Islands in the Sea of Japan, located off the coast of the provinces of Izumo and Hōki....
. 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 . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their 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 Heijō-kyō . 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-kyō, in 784...
, 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'yōshū, and was particularly represented in volumes 1 and 2. In Japan, he is considered one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals...
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 Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
, Kamakura Shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
forces emperors Gotoba
Emperor Go-Toba
was the 82nd emperor 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 periodMuromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
, Izumo and Oki were controlled by the Kyogoku clan. However, after the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen 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 Gassantoda Castle
Gassantoda Castle
Gassantoda Castle is a mountain castle, or yamashiro, located in Yasugi, Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Today, only its ruins still stand.-Significance:...
and Masuda clan
Masuda clan
Masuda clan was one of Kunishū in Iwami Province , Japan, from the 13th century until 1600. In the Middle Ages, Kunishū was the title given to a local lord or a leader of warriors .- History :...
dominated Iwami province
Iwami Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces.In the Heian era the capital was at modern-day Hamada....
. Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine
The was a silver mine in the city of Ōda, Shimane Prefecture, on the main island of Honshū, Japan. It was added to the World Heritage List in 2007.-Mine history:...
was located between Amago clan territory and Masuda clan territory, so there were many battles between these lords for the silver of vast quantity. However, in 1566 Mori Motonari
Mori Motonari
was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
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...
which Mori lost. Following the change, Horio Yoshiharu decides to move to build Matsue Castle
Matsue Castle
is a feudal castle in Matsue 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.The construction of...
instead of Gassan-Toda, and soon after Yoshiharu's death the castle is completed. Later in 1638, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
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. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, 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 World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
produced silver 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, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, 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
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
side of the Chugoku region
Chugoku region
The , also known as the , is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. It has a population of about 7.8 million.- History :...
. 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 and Shimane 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 Honshū
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 or in Japanese, are a group of small islets in the Sea of Japan . Sovereignty over the islets is disputed between Japan and South Korea...
, which they are in dispute with South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
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.
Cities
Eight cities are located in Shimane Prefecture, the largest being Matsue, the capital, and the smallest being Gōtsu. The cities Masuda, Unnan, Yasugi, and Gōtsu had a slight population increase due to the mergers in the early 2000s.- GōtsuGotsu, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It is the smallest and least populous city in Shimane Prefecture.The city was founded on April 1, 1954. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 26,034 with a density of approximately 97 persons per km². The total area is 158.41 km²...
- HamadaHamada, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane, Japan. It is the third largest city in the prefecture and is located at the south-western end of the prefecture. It is a coastal city on the Sea of Japan and possesses beautiful white-sand beaches, which make the city a popular destination for local tourists in the...
- IzumoIzumo, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine.-Demographics:The modern city was founded on November 3, 1941....
- MasudaMasuda, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane, Japan.As of September 2010 the city has a population of 51,118 and the density of 69.7 person persons per square km². The total area is 733.16 km²...
- MatsueMatsue, Shimaneis the capital city of Shimane Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan.As of August, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 207,000, following its most recent merging with Higashi-Izumo...
(capital) - ŌdaOda, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane, Japan.As of April 1, 2008, the city has an estimated population of 40,614 and the density of 90.2 persons per km². The total area is 436.11 km²...
- UnnanUnnan, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.Unnan was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of the towns of Daitō, Kamo and Kisuki, all from Ōhara District, the towns of Mitoya and Kakeya, and the village of Yoshida, all from Iishi District....
- YasugiYasugi, Shimaneis a city located in Shimane, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 42,324, with the number of households at 13,996, and a density of 100.54 persons per km². The total area is 420.97 km².Yasugi gained city status on April 4, 1954....
Towns and villages
|
Kawamoto, Shimane is a town located in Ōchi District, Shimane, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 4,513 and a density of 42.42 persons per km². The total area is 106.39 km².-external links:*... Misato, Shimane is a town located in the Ōchi District in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on October 1, 2004 from the merger of the village of Daiwa and the town of Ōchi.... Onan, Shimane is a town located in the Ōchi District in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on October 1, 2004 from the merger of the towns of Iwami, Mizuho, and the village of Hasumi....
Ama, Shimane is a town located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 2,543 and a density of 75.91 persons per km². The total area is 33.50 km².-External links:*... Chibu, Shimane is a village located on in the Douzen group of islands in the Oki District, Shimane, Japan. Chibu is the only village remaining in Shimane Prefecture as of October 1, 2005.... Nishinoshima, Shimane is a town located in Oki District, Shimane, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 3,590 and a density of 64.13 persons per km². The total area is 55.98 km².Nishinoshima is located on one of the Oki Islands.-External links:*... Okinoshima, Shimane is a town located on Dōgo, one of the Oki Islands, in Shimane, Japan.Japan considers the disputed Liancourt Rocks to be a part of Okinoshima.As of January 2008, the town has an estimated population of 16,214. The total area is 242.97 km².... |
Climate
The prefecture has a sub-tropical climate. Winter is cloudy with a little snow, and summer is humid. The average annual temperature is 14.6 degrees Celsius. It rains almost every day in the rainy season, from June to mid-July. The highest average monthly temperature occurs in August with 26.3 degrees Celsius. The average annual precipitation is 1799 millimeters, higher than Tokyo's 1467 mm and Obihiro with 920 mm.| Average Year （Month） |
Oki | Izumo (Coastal) | Izumo (Inland) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okinoshima Okinoshima Okinoshima may refer to:* Okinoshima, Shimane, a town on the Dogo Island.* Okinoshima, Munakata, an Island part of the Munakata city.* A subsequent name of the Russian Baltic Fleet coastal battleship General Admiral Graf Apraksin surrendered to Imperial Japanese Navy after the Battle of Tsushima*... Saigo | Okinoshima Okinoshima Okinoshima may refer to:* Okinoshima, Shimane, a town on the Dogo Island.* Okinoshima, Munakata, an Island part of the Munakata city.* A subsequent name of the Russian Baltic Fleet coastal battleship General Admiral Graf Apraksin surrendered to Imperial Japanese Navy after the Battle of Tsushima*... Saigo Cape | Ama Ama -Ama:Ama may refer to:*Ama , an outrigger used on sailing boats*Ama , traditional Japanese divers*Ama , a product of digestion... | Matsue Kashima | Matsue | Hikawa Hikawa -Places:*Hikawa, Kumamoto - a town in Kumamoto, Japan*Hikawa, Shimane - a former town in Shimane, Japan*Hikawa District, Shimane - a former district in Shimane, Japan*Hikawa Shrine, one of two Japanese shrines-People:... | Izumo | Okuizumo Yokota Yokota - Place names :* Yokota Air Base, an US Air Force Base located in Tokyo, Japan* Harima-Yokota Station* Iyo-Yokota Station* Yokota, Shimane** Izumo Yokota Station* Iwami-Yokota Station- Family names :* Yokota family* Jaguar Yokota... | Unnan Kakeya Kakeya Kakeya may refer to a few things such as:*Kakeya, Shimane town*S. Kakeya, mathematician*Kakeya set in mathematics... | Iinan Akana |
||
| Average Temperature (℃ Celsius Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death... ) |
Warmest Month | 25.6 (Aug) |
25.8 (Aug) |
25.6 (Aug) |
26.3 (Aug) |
25.8 (Aug) |
24.0 (Aug) |
24.5 (Aug) |
23.4 (Aug) |
||
| Coldest Month | 3.9 (Feb) |
4.5 (Feb) |
4.4 (Feb) |
4.2 (Jan) |
4.5 (Feb) |
0.7 (Feb) |
2.3 (Feb) |
0.4 (Jan, Feb) |
|||
| Rainfall (mm) |
Heaviest Month | 211.6 (Sept) |
227.0 (July) |
218.0 (Sept) |
240.5 (July) |
236.2 (July) |
234.2 (July) |
257.1 (July) |
282.2 (July) |
||
| Driest Month | 110.4 (Oct) |
96.4 (Feb) |
104.7 (April) |
114.5 (April) |
96.3 (Feb) |
103.4 (April) |
120.7 (April) |
116.5 (Oct) |
|||
| Average Year （Month） |
Iwami (Coastal) | Iwami (Inland) | |||||||||
| Ōda | Hamada | Masuda | Masuda City Takatsu Iwami Airport is an airport located Masuda, 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 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Contrary to what the name may make one think, it is not near the old town of Iwami, being about a 2 or 3 hour drive... | Kawamoto Kawamoto -People:* Gensiro Kawamoto, Japanese billionaire* Kihachirō Kawamoto , Japanese animator* Kohei Kawamoto , Japanese butterfly swimmer* Kunihiro Kawamoto , Japanese seiyuu* Makoto Kawamoto , Japanese singer-songwriter... | Ōnan Onan Onan is a minor biblical person in the Book of Genesis , who was the second son of Judah. Just like his older brother, Er, Onan died prematurely by YHWH's will for being wicked.... | Hamada City Yasaka | Tsuwano | Yoshika Yoshika is a Japanese singer, who sings mainly with R&B influences. Her major label debut album, Timeless, was released in January 2006.-Biography:Yoshika spent much of her youth in Canada and the United States, studying at a high school in Modesto, California and influenced by American R&B.Influenced by... | Yoshika Yoshika is a Japanese singer, who sings mainly with R&B influences. Her major label debut album, Timeless, was released in January 2006.-Biography:Yoshika spent much of her youth in Canada and the United States, studying at a high school in Modesto, California and influenced by American R&B.Influenced by... Muikaichi |
||
| Average Temperature (℃ Celsius Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death... ) |
Warmest Month | 26.5 (Aug) |
26.2 (Aug) |
26.8 (Aug) |
24.2 (Aug) |
23.9 (Aug) |
23.6 (Aug) |
25.7 (Aug) |
24.5 (Aug) |
||
| Coldest Month | 4.9 (Jan, Feb) |
5.8 (Feb) |
5.4 (Jan, Feb) |
2.7 (Jan) |
0.8 (Jan) |
1.5 (Jan) |
3.0 (Jan) |
1.9 (Jan) |
|||
| Rainfall (mm) |
Heaviest Month | 246.3 (July) |
257.7 (July) |
223.9 (June) |
260.2 (July) |
260.6 (July) |
340.0 (July) |
285.6 (July) |
337.4 (June) |
||
| Driest Month | 98.3 (Feb) |
90.9 (Feb) |
87.9 (Feb) |
112.5 (Feb) |
109.2 (Nov) |
130.4 (April) |
99.7 (Dec) |
76.8 (Dec) |
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Airports
Izumo, Shimane
is a city located in Shimane, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine.-Demographics:The modern city was founded on November 3, 1941....
is the largest airport in the prefecture in terms of passengers, which has regular flights to Haneda Airport, Osaka Airport
Osaka International Airport
or Osaka-Itami International Airport is the primary domestic airport for the Kansai region of Japan, including the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. It is classified as a first class airport....
, Fukuoka Airport
Fukuoka Airport
, formerly known as Itazuke Air Base, is an international and domestic airport located east of Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Japan. It is officially designated a second class airport. It is operating at full capacity, and cannot be further expanded. Flights stop at 10 p.m...
, and Oki Airport
Oki Airport
is an airport on Dōgo, one of the Oki Islands in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is located in Okinoshima, 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 AirportIzumo Airportis an airport in the Hikawa area of Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan, about 20–30 minutes by car from central Izumo or Matsue city centre.This airport is also known as Izumo En-Musubi Airport「出雲縁結び空港」; meaning Izumo Airport of Romantic Fate....
- Iwami AirportIwami Airportis an airport located Masuda, 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 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Contrary to what the name may make one think, it is not near the old town of Iwami, being about a 2 or 3 hour drive...
- Oki AirportOki Airportis an airport on Dōgo, one of the Oki Islands in the Shimane Prefecture of Japan. It is located in Okinoshima, the most populous town on these islands....
Rail
JR West and Ichibata Electric RailwayIchibata Electric Railway
Ichibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudō 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...
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, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
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 railway station in Matsue, Shimane, Japan. It is located on the San'in Main Line and Kisuki Line.-Layout:*1 side platform and 1 island platform-Adjacent stations:West Japan Railway Company -External links:...
on the Sanin Line, connects with the Geibi Line
Geibi Line
The is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company in the mountainous area of the Chūgoku region. It begins at Bitchū Kōjiro Station on the west side of Niimi, Okayama Prefecture, connecting through Miyoshi Station in Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture, and terminating at Hiroshima Station...
in Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, cutting into the Chūgoku Mountains
Chugoku Mountains
is a mountain range in the Chūgoku region of western Japan. It runs in an east-west direction and stretches approximately from Hyōgo Prefecture in the east to the coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture. It also reaches under the Pacific Ocean....
. 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 to Yonago and Masuda.-References:* JTB Timetable, March 2009 issue...
, Super Oki
Super Oki
The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by JR West which runs from Tottori and Yonago to Shin-Yamaguchi.- Stations where trains stop : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *: limited stop...
, and Yakumo
Yakumo (train)
The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by JR West which runs from Okayama to Matsue and Izumoshi....
.
- West Japan Railway CompanyWest Japan Railway Company, also referred to as , is one of the Japan Railways Group companies and operates in western Honshū. It has its headquarters in Kita-ku, Osaka.-History:...
- Sanin Main Line
- Sankō LineSanko Lineis a railway line of West Japan Railway Company between Gōtsu Shimane Prefecture and Miyoshi Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.-Stations:...
- Kisuki LineKisuki Lineis a railway line of West Japan Railway Company between Matsue Shimane Prefecture and Shōbara Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.-Stations:...
- Yamaguchi LineYamaguchi LineThe is a railway line operated by West Japan Railway Company in western Japan connecting Shin-Yamaguchi Station in Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi Prefecture and Masuda Station in Masuda, Shimane Prefecture.-Basic data:*Operator:*Gauge: 1,067 mm...
- Ichibata Electric RailwayIchibata Electric RailwayIchibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudō 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...
- Kita-Matsue Line
- Taisha Line
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 ExpresswaySanin ExpresswaySan'in Expressway is a proposed expressway extending from Tottori, Tottori prefecture to Mine, Yamaguchi prefecture...
- Matsue Expressway
- Hamada Expressway
- Chūgoku ExpresswayChugoku ExpresswayThe is an expressway in Japan from Suita, Osaka to Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi. It connects Kansai and Chūgoku regions in the western Honshū, Japan's largest island. Other major cities on the expressway are Tsuyama, Kobe and Hiroshima...
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.
Manufacturing
- Izumo Murata Manufacturing
- Shimane Fujitsu
- Mitsubishi Agricultural MachineryMitsubishi Agricultural Machinery, headquartered in Higashiizumo, Shimane, Japan, a part of the Mitsubishi Group, was established in February 1980 from the merger of the Mitsubishi Machinery Co., Ltd. and Satoh Agricultural Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. Satoh was founded in June 1914....
Others
- Network Applied Communication LaboratoryNetwork Applied Communication LaboratoryNetwork Applied Communication Laboratory Ltd. is an open source systems integrator located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It specializes in systems consulting and the development of web sites and open source software. It is an employer of Yukihiro Matsumoto, who is the creator of the Ruby...
- Mishimaya
- Juntendo
- Ichibata Electric RailwayIchibata Electric RailwayIchibata Electric Railway Co., Ltd. is the name of two related, yet different companies in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Ichibata Denki Tetsudō 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...
Demography
One-third of the prefecture's population is concentrated in the IzumoIzumo
Izumo can refer to:* Izumo Province, one of the old provinces of Japan* Izumo, Shimane, a city in former Izumo province* Izumo-taisha, a famous Shinto shrine in Izumo city...
-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. The capital, Matsue, has the smallest population out of all the 47 prefectural capitals. Shimane has also the largest percentage of the elderly. The province had an estimated 743 centenarians per million inhabitants in September 2010, the highest ratio in Japan, overtaking Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
(667 centenarians per million).
Population by age
Universities in Shimane Prefecture
- Shimane UniversityShimane Universityis a 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 ShimaneUniversity of ShimaneThe is a public university in Hamada, Shimane, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1993, and it was chartered as a university in 2000.-External links:*...
(Prefectural university)
Tourism
- Shimane Vogel ParkShimane Vogel ParkShimane Vogel Park, or Matsue 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. The park is also...
Prefectural symbols
The prefectural flower is the mountain peonyPeony
Peony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America...
. On the island of Daikonjima, they were grown from at least the 18th century.