The Adachi Museum of Art features approximately 2,000 pieces of modern Japanese art, including paintings by Yokoyama Taikan. You’ll also find lacquerware, wood carvings, contemporary paintings by other Japanese artists, and ceramics by Kitaoji Rosanjin.

Aside from its impressive collection, the museum is also famous for its gardens. The Adachi Gardens cover an area of approximately 165,000 square meters (roughly equivalent to 16.5 hectares or 35 American football fields). The gardens reflect the seasonal changes and aren’t just scenery to enjoy but are said to be a “living Japanese painting.”

The Adachi Museum Gardens have ranked at number one among Japan's approximately 1,000 gardens for over 20 consecutive years by Sukiya Living Magazine: The Journal of Japanese Gardens, an American magazine specializing in Japanese Gardens. They are also listed in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, a French Travel Guidebook, as the only garden in the San’in Region with the highest rating of three stars.

Among Japan’s many mythological monsters, the Yamata No Orochi is perhaps the most frightening. It was said to visit Izumo every year, demanding the sacrifice of the daughters of two elderly gods named Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi. When they were down to their eighth and last daughter, Kushinada-hime, Susano, a storm god, arrived and offered to slay the monster in exchange for Kushinada-hime’s hand in marriage. Susano lured Yamata No Orochi with sake, causing the beast to fall into a deep sleep before cutting him into tiny pieces.

After defeating the monster, Susano settled in Izumo with Kushinada-hime. Suga Shrine is dedicated to Susano and his wife. It is said to have been built in place of the palace where they settled after their marriage at Yaegaki Shrine.

Suga Shrine is also known as the birthplace of waka, a form of poetry that Susano created or first recited as he gazed up at the clouds while building the home for his bride. On the path leading to the shrine, you’ll find several stone monuments with waka poems on them. Suga Shrine is also believed to be the first shrine built in Japan.

Tatara is an ancient Japanese iron-making method used to produce high-quality iron and steel. Iron composites are smelted by burning iron sand and charcoal in a traditional forge called a tatara. The result is a fine steel called tamahagane. This process has been preserved in Shimane for over a thousand years.

Okuizumo Tatara Sword Museum is one of the places where you can see parts of the steel-making process and learn about the history of iron production. The museum also features a full-size replica of the underground iron-making process with giant bellows called Tenbin Fuigo, which you can climb and try operating. You can also see several Japanese swords forged by master sword-smiths in the museum.

In front of the Okuizumo Tatara Sword Museum is a modern sculpture of eight intertwined serpents representing the Yamata No Orochi. After slaying the monster, it is said that Susano discovered an iron sword in its tail, which he gave to his sister. This famed kusanagi sword is one of the three Imperial Regalia and led to the discovery of iron and sand in the Okuizumo region.

Aizome, or indigo dyeing, is a traditional dyeing technique handed down from generation to generation. It is the process of extracting indigo from the Japanese indigo plant to produce a natural dye. What makes aizome unique is its beautiful blue color - also called “Japan blue”.

Established in 1870, Amano Konya is a dyeing studio that has continued the indigo dyeing tradition. It has been around since the latter years of the Edo period after Sadako Nagaoka returned from Yonago and taught the dyeing and weaving techniques she learned to the people of Hirose. 

Through the indigo dyeing workshop at Amano Konya, you’ll experience the traditional way of dyeing under the guidance of skilled craftsmen. The workshop comes with a T-shirt that you will dye yourself and can take home on the same day.