Rainy Day in Shimane: Best Indoor Spots & Activities

Adachi Museum of Art

"The garden, too, is a single painting" — these words left by the museum's founder, Zenko Adachi, click into place the moment you visit here.

The Adachi Museum of Art holds over 130 works by Yokoyama Taikan and boasts the largest Taikan collection in the country. But what makes this museum's name resound throughout the world is not just the paintings. The Japanese garden, spreading over a total area of 50,000 tsubo including the dry landscape garden, the white-sand-and-green-pine garden, and the moss garden, has continued to shine at number one for over 20 consecutive years in the Japanese garden ranking conducted by the authoritative American specialist magazine "Journal of Japanese Gardening." A "living painting" recognized by the world spreads quietly in the mountain valleys of Shimane.

And this is a place that demonstrates its true worth precisely on rainy days. On a day when rain pours down gently, a mist like thin silk trails over the garden, and the green of the pines deepens even more. A breathtaking, fantastical sight spreads out, as if you yourself had wandered into the world of a Yokoyama Taikan ink-wash painting. The garden on a sunny day is of course beautiful, but once you experience "the Adachi Museum of Art on a rainy day," sunny days come to feel unsatisfying. Even the silent sound of raindrops falling on the white sand becomes one of the thoroughly calculated productions in this space. Showing a different expression each time you visit — perhaps it's natural to want to head to such a garden any number of times.

Highlight Tip: Throughout the museum there are windows of a design called "living framed pictures," where the window frames themselves are treated as picture frames to cut out the garden. The compositions, picturesque wherever you cut a frame, are an irresistible point for photo lovers too. On rainy days, the mist-shrouded garden reflects through the glass, and you can take a fantastical shot entirely different from sunny days. Especially right after opening in the morning, the light is soft and there are few people, so you can savor a luxurious time slowly searching for your very own "shot." Also, carefully touring one by one the viewing points set up throughout the museum lets you encounter entirely different expressions even in the same garden — a true joy unique to this museum.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day: May to June, when the fresh greenery is vivid, and October to November, when the foliage dyes the garden as if ablaze, are especially beautiful. In winter, the contrast of the snow-clad white sand and pines creates a mysterious beauty, and there's plenty to see in each of the four seasons. The 9 a.m. hour right after opening is relatively empty, and it tends to get more crowded toward the afternoon, so a visit in as early a time slot as possible is recommended. On rainy days, if it's a weekday, there are few people, and it often becomes a hidden-gem timing where you can almost monopolize the moist garden.

Access: A free shuttle bus of the museum operates from "Yasugi Station" on the JR San'in Main Line, with a travel time of about 20 minutes. Don't forget to check the timetable in advance on the official website. By private car, about 10 minutes from the San'in Road Yasugi IC, with a large free parking lot fully equipped. Access from the Matsue and Izumo directions is also good, and a welcome point is that it's easy to incorporate into your route as a base for Shimane sightseeing.

Tip for Travelers: The museum is large, and viewing everything carefully takes two to three hours. Building a schedule with time to spare is the iron rule for truly enjoying this museum. The dining at the in-museum cafe and Japanese restaurant is also high in quality, and a meal while gazing at the garden becomes an exceptional moment. Since lunchtime is often crowded, viewing the garden and exhibits right after opening and taking your meal in a slightly early time slot is smooth. The souvenir shop has a rich lineup of goods featuring Taikan's paintings and regional crafts, so do drop by leisurely on your way out.

---

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo

Passing through the torii of Izumo Taisha and walking the approach where the air of the sacred precinct seems to cling to your skin — beyond that, adjacent to the grand shrine, this museum stands quietly. The exterior of the building also takes on a somehow sacred atmosphere, and there's a sensation of being drawn into the world of "ancient Izumo" even before passing through the doors.

When you step into the museum, what first overwhelms you is the full-scale model of the Izumo Taisha main hall recreated in the central lobby. The legendary giant main hall of "48 meters in height," recorded in ancient documents of the Heian period, towers before your eyes. Standing before its overwhelming scale, the awe that ancient people held for this shrine seems to come through, transcending time. Its enormity, which astonishes even with modern architectural technology, quietly tells that Japanese myth was not mere "story" but existed as a definite reality.

One of the highlights of the exhibits is the simultaneous display of 358 bronze swords excavated from the Kojindani ruins. At the time of excavation, a quantity exceeding the total number unearthed throughout Japan up to then appeared all at once from the ground of Shimane — a shocking great discovery in the history of archaeology. The orderly rows of bronze swords thrust the overwhelming presence of ancient Izumo at the present, beyond mere exhibits. In addition, you can see up close the many sacred treasures handed down through generations at Izumo Taisha, and the experience of the world of myth that was in textbooks pressing before your eyes as real history is something hard to obtain elsewhere. If you visit on a rainy day, you can secure plenty of time to face the mystery of ancient Izumo in a serene space unrelated to the bustle outside.

Highlight Tip: A guided tour by a museum curator (partly paid, advance confirmation required) and the explanatory video on ancient Izumo at the video theater are powerful aids to understanding the exhibits more deeply. It's especially structured to be easy to understand for children and history beginners too, reassuring for families. The museum shop has a rich lineup of unique goods related to Izumo mythology, with many items you can encounter only here. If you take your time looking, you may come across an unexpected find.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day: Since it can be enjoyed indoors year-round, it's an ideal spot for a rainy-day visit. Especially in October (Kamiarizuki by the old calendar), the gods from all over the country are said to gather at Izumo Taisha, and visiting in line with this period beautifully links the museum's exhibit content with the solemn atmosphere of the Kamiari Festival, making the depth of your trip entirely different. If you tour the exhibits while feeling with your skin the special air unique to Izumo, felt only once a year, history will surely press upon you more closely and more dramatically. A route of visiting the museum in the morning and worshipping at Izumo Taisha from the afternoon is the standard and efficient, letting you fully enjoy the charm of this area in a day.

Access: Outstanding access too, about 5 minutes on foot from "Izumo-Taisha-mae Station" on the Ichibata Electric Railway. This station itself, with its retro wooden station building, is also a wonderful spot that heightens the travel mood. From JR "Izumoshi Station," about 30 minutes by Ichibata Bus, get off right at the "Seimon-mae" bus stop. By private car, about 15 minutes from the San'in Road Izumo IC, and the parking lot can be used for free.

Tip for Travelers: Most people visit as a set with worship at Izumo Taisha, and it gets very crowded during long holidays and Kamiarizuki. Securing a solid one to two hours for just the museum lets you be thoroughly satisfied. During periods when crowding is expected, a visit right after opening is recommended, and a plan of touring the museum in the morning, taking lunch in between, and heading to Izumo Taisha from the afternoon is ideal. There are also many famous Izumo soba shops in the vicinity, and a bowl after worship becomes a perfect experience to wrap up your trip.

---

Matsue Castle / Matsue History Museum

Amid pouring rain, walking moistly through the stone-paved castle town toward the keep — from that journey, the Matsue trip has already begun. The light of rain reflecting on the stone pavement, the scene where the green of the trees looks even more vivid, is picturesque scenery wherever you cut a frame.

Matsue Castle, one of the 12 surviving keeps and designated a national treasure in 2015. The interior of its keep retains, throughout, the structure of a practical, battle-ready castle of the Warring States period, such as the wooden framework, ishi-otoshi (stone-dropping openings), and musha-bashiri (warrior runs) from the time of construction, with a realism that goes beyond mere "viewing." From the moment you step inside, you seem to feel the breath of warlords transcending several hundred years of time. The view of Lake Shinji and the castle town gazed at from the top floor is exceptional on sunny days too, but on rainy days a fantastical ink-wash-painting-like scenery with mist trailing spreads out, and locals even say it's "a castle you should come to precisely on a rainy day." The view of Lake Shinji and the castle town hazy in the drizzle is a special spectacular sight you can never see on sunny days.

And at the Matsue History Museum adjacent to the castle, you can deeply dig into the culture and history of the Matsue domain. What deserves attention among it is the display of items associated with Matsudaira Harusato (Fumai-ko), the 7th lord of the Matsue domain, who was deeply devoted to tea-ceremony culture. At the "famous-confection experience," which recreates the Japanese sweets Fumai-ko loved, you can enjoy a gem that revives the flavor of the Edo period in the present, along with matcha. After walking the castle town, that one serving savored while taking a relaxed break at the history museum will surely become an unforgettable moment carved deeply into your travel memories.

Highlight Tip: At the main building of the Matsue History Museum, special exhibitions conveying the castle-town culture of Matsue are held regularly, and there are new discoveries each time you visit. The display of tea utensils related to Fumai-ko is a must-see even for non-tea-ceremony fans, and you'll surely stop in your tracks at their exquisite beauty. After touring the castle and history museum, the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum, samurai residences, and more dotted in the vicinity are all gathered within walking distance, so leisurely strolling the castle town over half a day is recommended.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day: Matsue Castle in the cherry-blossom season (late March to early April) is of exceptional beauty, and the contrast of the cherry blossoms blooming in profusion along the moat and the keep is spectacular in a word. In summer, the experience of gazing at the castle town from a viewpoint right at the water surface from a Horikawa pleasure boat is also popular. On rainy days, weekday mornings are relatively empty, and you can almost monopolize the moist castle-town atmosphere. The figure of the keep rising up in the drizzle has a taste entirely different from sunny days, becoming an irresistible subject for photo lovers.

Access: About 10 minutes by Lake Line Bus from JR "Matsue Station," get off right at "National Treasure Matsue Castle (Otemae)." Even walking leisurely from the station, it's about 20 to 25 minutes, and the castle-town stroll along the way also becomes one of the joys of the trip. If you walk while dropping by the long-established Japanese confectioneries and small variety shops lined along the Horikawa, you'll arrive at the keep in no time.

Tip for Travelers: Since the stairs to the keep are steep, we strongly recommend visiting in comfortable walking shoes such as sneakers. On rainy days, the stone pavement and stairs become slippery, so special care is needed. Using the combination ticket for the castle and history museum lets you enjoy it at a deal. Since sights such as the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum and samurai residences are gathered within walking distance in the vicinity, do thoroughly enjoy strolling the castle town over half a day to a full day. There are also many restaurants around the castle town offering dishes using Matsue's specialty "Lake Shinji shijimi," and dropping by between strolls is recommended.

---

Iwami Ginzan / Iwami Ginzan Museum

A city of silver dormant in the mountains of Shimane, said to have once produced one-third of the world's silver. Iwami Ginzan, registered as a World Heritage in 2007, is a serene, profound place that draws a line apart from flashy tourist destinations. Many who visit unanimously say "more quiet and deep than I imagined" — perhaps that is the greatest charm of this place.

At the Iwami Ginzan Museum, the mining technology of the silver mine, which boasted its peak from the 16th century to the Edo period, the lives of the mine laborers, and the actual conditions of the Edo shogunate's mine management that supported Japan's economy are explained in an easy-to-understand way with abundant historical materials and models. In particular, the exhibits conveying the smelting technology of the time are exquisite, and you're drawn in by the high level of wisdom and technique cultivated by the specialist group called "yamashi." By cultivating knowledge and imagination here before heading to the mine shafts, the depth of that experience changes entirely.

After gaining preliminary knowledge at the museum, do extend your steps to actually viewing the mine shafts (mabu). At the publicly open "Ryugenji Mabu," you can walk inside the shaft over about 273 meters, where chisel marks carved into the bedrock and traces of the mining of the time remain vividly. Walking inside the dim shaft and touching the rock surface, the fact that mine laborers of several hundred years ago stood in the same place soaks into your body as a real sensation. On rainy days, inside the shaft is more comfortable than above ground, and you can feel the weight of history with your skin in the chilly air.

Highlight Tip: Not just the museum and shafts, do also walk the townscape of the Omori district. The white-walled rows of houses that strongly retain the vestiges of the Edo period and the stone-paved alleys give a sensation as if you've time-slipped. Local cafes and craft shops are also dotted about, and encountering regional crafts and sweets related to the silver mine's history is one of the joys of the trip. On rainy days, there are few people, and a luxurious time awaits where you can monopolize this townscape in the silence.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day: May to June, when fresh greenery and stone pavement are beautiful, and October to November, when foliage envelops the silver-mine district, are recommended. The vivid foliage unique to the terrain surrounded by mountains, combined with the World Heritage townscape, is of exceptional beauty. An ideal plan is to visit the museum from the morning and combine the shaft viewing and the Omori district townscape stroll in the afternoon.

Access: About 30 minutes by Iwami Kotsu Bus from "Oda-shi Station" on the JR San'in Main Line, within walking distance after getting off at the "Omori Daikansho-ato" bus stop. By private car, park at the Omori parking lot (paid) and move from there on foot or by electric rental bicycle, which is recommended. The silver-mine area restricts vehicle entry for environmental protection, and this leads to protecting the serene atmosphere of this place.

Tip for Travelers: The Iwami Ginzan area is larger than you'd expect, and walking everything becomes a considerable distance. Making use of an electric-assist bicycle rental is the wise choice, letting you move comfortably while enjoying the scenery on the way to the shafts too. Inside the shafts, the temperature is low even in summer, and on rainy days it gets even chillier, so bringing one light jacket is comfortable. Also, on rainy days the stone pavement and the area around the shaft entrance become slippery, so comfortable walking shoes are essential. Secure half a day or more and do savor the air of World Heritage with a leisurely feeling.

---

Shimane Art Museum

Lake Shinji, spreading as if embracing the town of Matsue. The Shimane Art Museum, standing as if nestling against that lakeshore, is a one-of-a-kind museum where the building itself becomes one with Lake Shinji. The lake scenery spreading outside the windows changes its expression moment by moment, and each time you happen to glance during viewing, a new "painting" is being born.

The museum holds works in a wide range of genres including Japanese painting, prints, and photography, but what can't be left out in talking about this museum is the "sunset collection." The sunset sinking into Lake Shinji is a spectacular sight chosen among Japan's 100 best sunsets, and the museum has actively collected works themed on the beauty of that sunset. For that reason, the closing time is extended to 30 minutes after sunset, and a tasteful consideration has been made so you can leisurely view in line with the sunset time. There are not many places besides here where you can simultaneously enjoy art and a real sunset.

On rainy days, you can enjoy yet another expression. Lake Shinji in the rain, gazed at from the large glass windows, shows a mysterious appearance, with mist hanging and the opposite shore looking hazy. The time of quietly facing art while gazing from indoors at the ink-wash-painting-like lake scenery makes you forget the bustle of the everyday. A sunset on a sunny day, and daytime on a rainy day — a museum with two faces is a place you'll want to visit any number of times. It feels understandable why the people who live in Shimane proudly say "I'm glad it's here in my hometown."

Highlight Tip: On the lakeshore terrace in front of the museum, "swan" objects line up, gathering popularity as a photo spot with Lake Shinji as a backdrop. On a fine-weather evening, the sunset seen from here is spectacular, and it's a hidden-gem spot where locals also gather for the evening cool. After finishing viewing the museum, the moment of spending time on the terrace gazing at the sunset until right before closing is perfect as the finale of a Matsue trip. Also, the in-museum shop has a lineup of original goods featuring Lake Shinji and the sunset, and you'll surely find items perfect as a travel keepsake.

Best Season and Recommended Time of Day: Autumn (September to November), when the sunset is beautiful, is especially recommended, and the sight of Lake Shinji dyed madder red is truly a breathtaking spectacular sight. Visiting in line with the sunset time lets you luxuriously enjoy both art and spectacular scenery. On rainy days, morning to afternoon is the recommended time slot for a visit, and you can quietly view works with the moist lake scenery. Being able to face the works thoroughly with little crowding is also a charm unique to rainy days.

Access: About 10 minutes by Lake Line Bus from JR "Matsue Station," get off right at the "Kenritsu Bijutsukan-mae" bus stop. Since it can be accessed by the same bus route as Matsue Castle and the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum, you can tour it efficiently as a set with castle-town sightseeing. By private car, a paid parking lot is fully equipped in front of the museum.

Tip for Travelers: If you aim for the sunset time slot, look up the sunset time in advance and make your plan. Since the sunset time differs greatly by season, checking on the official website is recommended. Since you can view the museum with your shoes on, it's easy to drop by casually even on rainy days. It's also close to the Matsue castle-town area, and a course of dropping by to wrap up the castle-town stroll is ideal as the summary of the trip. The time of spending leisurely by the shore of Lake Shinji will surely make your Shimane trip deeper and richer.