Shimane Prefecture Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Shimane Prefecture



Japanese:	島根県
	Shimane-ken

Capital

Matsue

Region

Chūgoku

Island

Honshū

Governor

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Area (rank)

6,707.95 km² (18th)

- % water

2.7%

Population (October 11, 2011)

- Population

712,336 (46th)

- Density

106 /km²

Districts

Municipalities

ISO 3166-2

JP-32

Website

www1.pref.shimane.lg.jp/contents/
kokusai/kokusai-e

Prefectural Symbols

- Flower

Moutan peony (Paeonia suffruticosa)

- Tree

Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii)

- Bird

Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)

- Fish

Flying Fish

Symbol of Shimane Prefecture

Emblem of Shimane Prefecture

Shimane Prefecture (島根県 (Shimane-ken)) is a Japanese prefecture. It is located in the Chūgoku region on the island of Honshū. The capital city is Matsue. Shimane has the second smallest population of all prefectures in Japan.

Shimane Prefecture is part of an area called San'in. This name means "the shady side of the mountains." A mountain range separates Shimane and its neighbor Tottori from Hiroshima and Okayama. This means Shimane often has wetter weather than areas further south.

History of Shimane
Geography
- Cities in Shimane
- National Parks
Shrines and Temples
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

History of Shimane

The area that is now Shimane Prefecture used to be three old provinces: Iwami Province, Izumo Province, and Oki Province.

Early Stories and Emperors

The history of Shimane starts with ancient Japanese myths. These stories say that the Shinto god Ōkuninushi lived in Izumo. The famous Izumo Shrine honors this god.

Much later, during the Kamakura period, two emperors were sent away to Oki Island. These were Emperor Gotoba and Emperor Godaigo. Emperor Godaigo managed to escape from Oki. He then fought successfully against the government at the time, called the shogunate.

Battles and Silver Mines

During the Muromachi period, many powerful families fought over this area. This was because there was a lot of silver, especially from the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. The Kyogoku family first controlled Izumo and Oki.

After a big war called the Ōnin War, the Amago family grew stronger. They controlled the Gassan-Toda castle. The Masuda family controlled Iwami. The Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine was right between their lands. This led to many battles as both families wanted the silver.

In 1566, a powerful leader named Mouri Motonari took control of Izumo, Iwami, and Oki. His family ruled for over 30 years. Then, in 1600, after a major battle, Horio Yoshiharu took over Izumo and Oki. He decided to build a new castle in Matsue instead of using Gassan-Toda. Matsue Castle was finished soon after he died.

Later, in 1638, a grandson of the famous Tokugawa Ieyasu, Matsudaira Naomasa, became the new ruler of the castle. His family ruled Shimane until the old system of local lords ended.

The Iwami area was divided. The silver mining district was directly controlled by the main government (the Shogunate). The Hamada family and the Tsuwano family each ruled their own areas. The Iwami Ginzan mine produced a lot of silver. It was one of Japan's biggest silver mines in the early 1600s.

During the Meiji Restoration, a big change in Japan's government, the Hamada family supported the old shogunate. Their castle was burned down. The Tsuwano family, even though they were related to the shogun, supported the emperor.

Famous Historic Places

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine (石見銀山) is a very important place. It is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Yunotsu is an old onsen (hot spring) town. Its buildings from the 1920s are still well-preserved.

Geography

Shimane Prefecture is located on the coast. It faces the Sea of Japan to the north. Its southeastern border touches Tottori Prefecture, Hiroshima Prefecture, and Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Cities in Shimane

Matsue Castle, a historic landmark in Shimane.

Here are some of the main cities in Shimane:

Matsue (松江) - This is the capital city of Shimane. It has an original castle, which is rare in Japan as most castles have been rebuilt. A famous writer named Lafcadio Hearn lived and wrote here.
Izumo (出雲) - This city is home to Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's most famous and important shrines.
Hamada (浜田) - This is a fishing port and a popular place for recreation.
Tsuwano (津和野) - This town is sometimes called "Little Kyoto" because of its traditional feel. A famous Japanese writer, Mori Ogai, was born here.
Masuda (益田) - This is the westernmost city in Shimane. A very important artist in Japanese history, Sesshu, lived here for a long time.
Gotsu (江津) - A smaller industrial city located between Hamada and Oda.
Ōda (大田) - This city is close to the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and Mount Sanbe.
Yasugi - This city is known for the Adachi Art Museum, which has beautiful gardens.

National Parks

About 6% of Shimane Prefecture's land area is protected as National Parks. These parks help preserve nature and wildlife.

Shrines and Temples

Shimane Prefecture is home to several important Shinto shrines. Izumo taisha, Mononobe jinja, Mizuwakasu jinja, and Yurahime jinja are considered the chief Shinto shrines (called ichinomiya) in the prefecture.