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Forest Sights Around Izumo City

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Forest Sights Around Izumo City

Discover Izumo’s beautiful scenery, ancient temples, and shrines

Izumo City

There are several beautiful locations in the forests surrounding the city of Izumo on the northeast coast of Shimane. The prefectural natural park Tachikuekyo, around 12km south of Izumo, includes a 1km-long gorge with strangely shaped rocks and stones rising up alongside the clear waters of the Kando River. It’s a gorgeous park to visit in all seasons and includes a campground and onsen hot spring inns. Also here, on the approach to Reikoji Temple, you will not fail to notice Gohyakurakan, a collection of hundreds of small Buddhist statues.

In the Kita mountains north of the city, Gakuenji Temple, built in 594, is one of the region’s most famous spots for viewing autumn leaves. During this season the beautiful maple trees turn red, creating a tunnel of vividly colored leaves over the stone steps to the main hall.

A majestic atmosphere surrounds Susa Shrine, 21km south of the city. The shrine is known in Japan as a famous “power spot,” a location believed to bring good luck or improved health. Enshrined here is the soul of the storm deity Susanoo no Mikoto, who defeated the legendary eight-tailed serpent Yamata no Orochi. In the forest behind the shrine, look out for the towering cedar tree that is over 1,300 years old.

How to get there

Tachikuekyo: Fly from Haneda Airport to Izumo Enmusubi Airport (1 hour), take an Ichibata Bus bound for Izumo-shi station (20 minutes), then a bus to Tachikuekyo (40 minutes).

Gakuenji Temple: Fly from Haneda Airport to Izumo Enmusubi Airport (1 hour), take a taxi to Ichibata Electric Railway Unshū-Hirata Station (20 minutes), take a bus to Gakuenji Chushajo Parking (25 minutes), then walk 15 minutes.

Susa Shrine: 40 minutes by bus from JR Izumo-shi Station, then a 5-minute taxi ride.

Izumo-shi, Shimane-ken