the Oki Islands the Izumo Taisha

Shimane Prefecture is located in the northern central part of the Chugoku region with the Oki Islands to the north of the Shimane Peninsula. Although the Sea of Japan type climate allows seasonal winds to blow in a northwestern direction with the Chugoku Mountains in the background, the eastern part of the prefecture where it rains a lot during the winter has a climate similar to the Hokuriku region.

The climate of Oki is of the uniquely Sea of Japan marine type. A number of old shrines such as the Izumo Taisha can be found in Izumo, an area which provided the stage for mythology. This prefecture is said to have developed the most during ancient times in Japan; the Kojindani Ruins and burial sites where large amounts of bronze ware were excavated prove the progressive culture of the people who had lived here.

The Iwami Silver Mine in Ota City, the largest silver mine in the country, influenced the cultural exchange between the East and West and was designated as a World Heritage site in 2007 for being an extremely valuable mine with cultural aspects that blend well with nature even today. During the age of geographical discovery in the 16th Century, about one-third of the silver circulated throughout the world was Japanese and most of it is said to have come from the Iwami Silver Mine.