Izumo Province facts for kids

Map of old Japanese provinces in 1868, with Izumo Province shown in color.

Izumo Province (出雲国, Izumo-no-kuni) was an important old region in Japan. It was located in the area that is now Shimane Prefecture, on the large island of Honshū. People sometimes called it Unshū (雲州).

Izumo Province shared its borders with other old provinces. These included Iwami, Bingo, and Hōki provinces. Around the 8th century, the city of Matsue became the main capital of Izumo.

A Look Back: Izumo's History

A woodblock print from 1853 showing a view of Izumo Province, created by the artist Hiroshige.

Japan went through many changes during the Meiji period (1868-1912). One big change was how the country was organized. The old provinces, like Izumo, were changed into new areas called prefectures. This happened in the 1870s. During this time, the maps of Japan were redrawn. This new system helped to modernize the country.

Important Shrines and Temples

Izumo Province was home to a very special place called Izumo taisha. This was the most important Shinto shrine (known as an ichinomiya) in the entire province. Shinto is a traditional Japanese religion. Shrines like Izumo Taisha are places where people worship spirits called kami.

Related Pages

• Provinces of Japan
• Prefectures of Japan
• List of regions of Japan
• List of islands of Japan