To the Best Gardens of Tottori and Shimane
Immersing in the Serene Nature of San’in’s Gardens
The San'in region is an area rich in nature where you can forget the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a very relaxing trip. This time, we've compiled San'in's tourist attractions that make the most of its abundant nature under the theme of “Garden Tours.” When you travel here, please take your time and enjoy the sights!
When traveling in this area, we recommend using the “Discover Another Japan Pass.” It allows you to efficiently visit major tourist attractions for a flat fee. Download it to your smartphone beforehand for a convenient and cost-effective travel experience. Many of the spots introduced below were visited using the “Discover Another Japan Pass.” We hope you find this information useful for your travels.
Izumo Cultural Heritage Center
Izumo Cultural Heritage Center, dedicated to preserving and passing on the culture and traditions of Izumo, features a beautiful and elegant Izumo-style garden. This strolling garden is a typical Izumo-style flat-landed dry landscape garden. The garden is planted with Tsukiji pine, unique to the Izumo region, and features skillfully arranged stepping stones and rectangular stones. Here, amidst the garden's seasonal beauty, we savored matcha and Japanese sweets, enjoying a quiet and elegant moment during our journey.
Jinfukaku
At the foot of Mount Hisamatsu, a symbol of Tottori City, stands an elegant white Western-style mansion. Named “Jinfukaku,” this building is not only the villa of the Marquis Ikeda Nakahiro, feudal lord of the Tottori domain, but also designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It stands as the pinnacle of Meiji-era architectural technology, blending Western architectural design with the aesthetic sensibilities of Japanese gardens. The building will be closed for approximately six years starting December 29, 2023, for renovation work, with reopening scheduled for the second half of 2029. However, the garden remains freely accessible at no charge! Please come and see the garden as it transforms with the changing seasons!
Yan Zhao Garden
Located in Yurihama Town, Tottori Prefecture, facing Lake Togo, this Chinese garden was built to commemorate the friendship and exchange between Tottori Prefecture and China's Hebei Province. It is one of Japan's largest authentic Chinese gardens. I was amazed to learn that all the structures were first pre-assembled in China, then disassembled and shipped to Japan, where they were reconstructed under the guidance of Chinese technicians.You can also rent traditional Chinese Hanfu attire here, enjoy daily acrobatic performances, and shop at souvenir stores. Walking through Yan Zhao Garden, you might forget you're in Japan—it offers a fascinating experience, like stepping into a different culture and time!
Tottori Flower Corridor
Tottori Flower Corridor is one of Japan's largest flower theme parks. The grounds integrate the Flower Dome with greenhouses, outdoor gardens, and various exhibition halls. Stepping inside reveals a surprisingly spacious area with clear pathways that make it very easy to walk around. Even on rainy days, the 1km-long covered observation walkway around the Flower Corridor means no worries. The types of flowers you can see change with the seasons, making it a spot you'll want to visit again and again! The view from the mini train is also highly recommended!
Adachi Museum of Art
Located in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture, the Adachi Museum of Art specializes in Japanese paintings and ceramics. It has been consecutively selected as Japan's top Japanese garden every year. Its garden, designed to be as beautiful as a painting, offers scenery that changes with the seasons. The most memorable part of my visit was the Karesansui Garden. The landscape painted by the vast nature spread before my eyes instantly captivated my heart. Please visit to experience this garden, which utilizes a space that photos simply cannot convey!
Meimeian
Located in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, Meimeian is a tea house built near Matsue Castle by Matsudaira Harukata (Fumai), the seventh lord of the Matsue domain. The tea room felt open and airy, with no pillars or unnecessary partition walls. We enjoyed matcha and Japanese sweets, and sipping the matcha while taking in the tea room space and the Japanese garden was truly special. You can also walk through the garden, and from the elevated area, you can see Matsue Castle, making you feel as if you're stepping back in time. Here, you can fully enjoy Japanese culture—the garden,
Matsue Vogel Park
Matsue Vogel Park in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture welcomes visitors with approximately 90 diverse bird species and about 1,500 varieties of flowers from around the world. Being indoors means you can enjoy vibrant flowers year-round, and you can also see the famous “Hornbill,” known for its immobility. You‘ll find yourself stopping repeatedly, captivated by the various expressions of the flowers and birds. Another distinctive feature is the many shows; you’ll naturally catch them while strolling around. It's the premier healing spot in the San'in region!
Yushien
Yushien is an authentic Japanese garden located on Daikon Island, floating in the Nakaumi Sea, famous for its peonies and ginseng. The strolling pond garden features various flowers, including peonies, blooming magnificently throughout the seasons, with the scenery changing with each season. The garden is picturesque from every angle, inviting visitors to pause and admire its beauty. Furthermore, the café space within the garden, enhanced by mist effects, makes the trees, stones, and flowing water outside the windows stand out sharply. It feels like enjoying a painting while relaxing. It's one of those spots you'll want to visit in every season!
