Shimane
(2002 est. pop. 753,000). Shimane Prefecture is situated in the western region of Japan's island of Honshu, it occupies an area of 6,629 square kilometers. Shimane's primary geographical features are a mountainous terrain, coastal plains, and the offshore Oki Islands. Shimane is bordered by the Sea of Japan, and by Tottori, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi prefectures. Once divided into Izumo, Iwami, and Oki provinces, it assumed its present name and borders in 1881.
According to legend, Izumo Province once was an ancient religious and political center rivaling Nara. In feudal times the region was ruled successively by the Sasaki, Yamana, Kyogoku, and Amako warrior families, and later by the Matsudaira. The Oki Islands once were a refuge for elite political exiles such as Emperor Godaigo (1288–1339), who opposed the Kamakura shogunate.
The prefecture's capital city is Matsue, situated along Lake Shinji. In the Edo period (1600/1603–1868), Matsue was a castle town ruled by the Matsudaira family. In the early 2000s, it is part of Nakaumi New Industrial City, with factories producing machinery and textiles. The prefecture's other important cities are Hamada, Izumo, and Masuda.
The main economic activities are rice agriculture, fishing, and molybdenum mining, as well as woodworking and the production of farm tools. On the Oki Islands livestock and horses are raised. Pilgrims are drawn in great numbers to the venerable Izumo shrine, a focus of the Shinto creation story. The shrine rituals include the performance of the Izumo Kagura, a series of dances depicting Shinto myths. Other popular destinations are the Oki Islands and Daisen-Oki National Park on the Shimane Peninsula around Mount Sambe (Sambesan).
Further Reading
"Shimane Prefecture." (1993) Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Tokyo: Kodansha.
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