5 Photogenic Scenic Spots in Shimane

Shimane Prefecture is a little-known "treasure trove of photogenic" where a mystical world of myth and breathtaking spectacular scenery coexist. Many spectacular spots not yet known to many people lie dormant in this land. This article covers Lake Shinji, Inasa no Hama, Oni no Shitaburui, Hinomisaki and Mt. Sanbe.

01 | Lake Shinji - A Breathtaking Sunset Reflection

Speaking of the king of Shimane's proud sunset spots, it's of course Lake Shinji. The "reflection," where the water surface mirrors the color of the sky, is truly a spectacular sight that seems to exist for Instagram.

Why Is It Photogenic? At dusk, the gradient sky, changing from orange to pink to purple, is perfectly reflected on the lake surface. The silhouette of Yomegashima Island creates a painting-like composition.

Best Time of Day and Season 30 minutes before to right after sunset. Autumn to winter, the air is clear, giving especially beautiful colors.

Photography Angle Shooting from a low angle right at the water surface makes the reflection of the sky and lake left-right symmetrical, for a spectacular shot.

Access About 15 minutes on foot from Matsue Station. The area around Sodeshi Jizo is a popular photography point.

02 | Inasa no Hama - A Golden Sandy Beach Where Myth Dwells

Inasa no Hama, spreading right beside Izumo Taisha, is a sacred coast that became the stage of myth. The contrast of the vermilion torii of Benten-jima Island and the sunset creates an overwhelming photogenic look.

Why Is It Photogenic? The moment when Benten-jima floating in the sea becomes a silhouette against the bright-red sunset is somehow mystical and full of an otherworldly feel.

Best Time of Day and Season At dusk. Especially around October's Kamiarizuki, there are few people, and shooting in the silence is possible.

Photography Angle A balance composition placing Benten-jima on the left of the frame and seeing the sunset on the right is great. Including a person for a silhouette photo is also recommended.

Access About 15 minutes on foot from Izumo Taisha.

03 | Oni no Shitaburui - A Deep-Green World of the Valley

A nationally designated Natural Monument in Okuizumo Town, Nita District. The fantastical valley woven by giant strangely shaped rocks and a clear stream is just like wandering into the world of Ghibli.

Why Is It Photogenic? The contrast of green moss and a clear, transparent stream, and the sight of sunlight filtering through the trees sparkling on the water surface, create a mystical atmosphere.

Best Time of Day and Season The time of day when the soft morning light streams in. The fresh greenery of May to June and the foliage of late October are especially recommended.

Photography Angle A low angle taking in the green of the trees reflected on the water surface guarantees a photogenic look. Expressing the water flow smoothly with a slow shutter is also fantastical.

Access About 20 minutes by car from Izumo-Minari Station on the Kisuki Line.

04 | Hinomisaki - Sheer Cliffs and a White Lighthouse

Hinomisaki in Izumo City is a spectacular point woven by a white lighthouse and rugged cliffs. The white lighthouse, which boasts Japan's tallest height, is sure to look great against the blue sky and sea!

Why Is It Photogenic? The contrast of the pure-white lighthouse and the deep-blue sea is a refined beauty somehow reminiscent of Europe.

Best Time of Day and Season Morning to before noon when the blue sky spreads out. In summer especially, the blueness of the sea looks vividly great.

Photography Angle Express the vastness of the sky with a low angle looking up from the base of the lighthouse. Or a pulled-back composition capturing the lighthouse and sea together from the cliff is also great.

Access About 30 minutes by route bus from Izumo Taisha.

05 | Mt. Sanbe - A Fantastical Morning Scene Floating in a Sea of Clouds

Mt. Sanbe, towering in Oda City, has a spectacular sea of clouds that occurs from autumn to winter. Looking down from the summit, you're enveloped in a sensation as if standing in the heavens.

Why Is It Photogenic? The moment when the sea of clouds and the morning sun at the summit overlap is truly a spectacular sight you want to see once in a lifetime. A fantastical gradient of light spreads out.

Best Time of Day and Season Early morning right after sunrise. Clear mornings after October to December have a higher occurrence rate for the sea of clouds.

Photography Angle A wide-angle composition putting the mountains poking their heads above the sea of clouds in the foreground is recommended. Capturing the sky, sea of clouds, and mountains all in a vertical composition conveys the grandeur.

Access About 30 minutes by bus from JR Oda-shi Station, then to near the summit by lift.

It's precisely because the charm of Shimane's spectacular scenery hasn't fully been conveyed nationwide yet that there's a chance to take a special shot all your own! Do add it to your candidates for your next destination.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: The sunset over Lake Shinji is at its finest from 30 minutes before sunset until just after it. The Sanbe Sightseeing Lift operates from April to the end of November, 8:30-16:30, so if you plan to use the lift you cannot aim for the early-morning sea of clouds.
• Opening hours / operating period: Tours of the Izumo Hinomisaki Lighthouse are held [morning] 9:00-12:00 year-round and [afternoon] 13:00-17:00 on weekends and similar days from March to September, or 13:00-16:30 on weekdays and from October to February (last entry 20 minutes before each closing time; closed for a midday break from noon to 13:00). The Sanbe Sightseeing Lift runs from April to the end of November, 8:30-16:30 (last acceptance for a round trip at 16:15), closed every Tuesday and closed for the winter from December to March.
• Fees: The tour donation for the Izumo Hinomisaki Lighthouse is 300 yen for junior high school students and older; free of charge for elementary school students and younger, and for holders of a disability certificate plus one accompanying person. The Sanbe Sightseeing Lift costs 900 yen round trip / 500 yen one way for adults and 700 yen round trip / 400 yen one way for children.
• Access: The Lake Shinji sunset viewpoint (Torupa) is right by the bus stop for Yuhi Park (Yomegashima) on the Gurutto Matsue Lake Line bus. Oni no Shitaburui is about 15 minutes by taxi from Izumo-Minari Station on the JR Kisuki Line. For Hinomisaki, take the Ichibata Bus Hinomisaki Line from Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine (services are infrequent).
• Parking: The Lake Shinji sunset viewpoint (Torupa) has space for 21 ordinary cars, 2 large vehicles and 1 accessible space. From the car park on the opposite side of the road you can cross safely through an underpass fitted with an elevator. Oni no Shitaburui has three car parks.
• Photography rules: Visiting the Izumo Hinomisaki Lighthouse (climbing the tower) is possible only during tour hours. Inasa-no-Hama beach is a sacred place where Izumo Taisha's Kamimukae Shinji, the rite of welcoming the gods, takes place, and during the rite you must follow the instructions of the staff and Shinto priests. The shore of Lake Shinji faces a national highway, so make sure your tripod does not stick out onto the pavement or the roadway, and use the car parks rather than parking on the street.
• Safety notes: Hinomisaki is lined with sheer cliffs, so never go beyond the fences along the walking paths or out to the cliff edge. Oni no Shitaburui is a V-shaped gorge of huge boulders and fast-flowing water, and footing becomes extremely dangerous when the water is high or the ground is frozen. The summit area of Mt. Sanbe involves genuine mountain climbing, so beyond the top of the lift you should carry hiking boots, rain gear and warm clothing, and plan your descent by working backwards from the time the lift stops running.

Note: "Kamiarizuki" refers to the tenth month of the old lunar calendar, which in the modern calendar usually falls around November. The dates of the Kamiari-sai festival and the Kamimukae Shinji rite at Izumo Taisha change from year to year, so please check the announcements from Izumo Taisha and the Izumo Tourism Association.

(Sources: Matsue Tourism Association "Lake Shinji Sunset Information"; Izumo Tourism Guide (Izumo Tourism Association) "Kamiarizuki" and "About the Kamiari-sai of Izumo Taisha"; Okuizumo Town Official Tourism Guide "Oni no Shitaburui"; Shimane Prefecture "Oni no Shitaburui Prefectural Natural Park"; Tokokai (Japan Lighthouse Association) "Izumo Hinomisaki Lighthouse"; Ota City tourism site (Iwami Ginzan WM) "Sanbe Sightseeing Lift")