Cape Hinomisaki [日御碕]

Hinomisaki is a cape facing the Sea of Japan.

It is located about 8 km northwest of Izumo-taisha shrine and is nearly at the western edge of Shimane peninsula.

The coast around the cape has many cliffs, caves, small rocky islands.
The columnar joint exists on most of the rocks around the coast.

There is a lighthouse built in 1903 on the cape.

The height is 43.65 meters, and it is the Japan's highest lighthouse made of stone.

Visitors can go up to the observatory room on the top.

There are some shops and restaurants around the lighthouse.
Especially, Donburi (rice bowl) dishes in the restaurants are popular, and they use various fresh fishes around the cape.

There is Hinomisaki Shrine (日御碕神社) about 0.5 km south of the lighthouse.

This shrine is regarded as the foundation in the 6th century B.C. in legend, but it is hard to believe.
However, there are the mentions about this shrine in some ancient books written around the 8th century.

Around the period, it is said that the emperor ordered that eastern Ise Shrine protected Japan in the daytime and western Hinomisaki Shrine protected Japan in the night.

There are two main shrines on the hillside, and they are "Upper Shrine" and "Lower Shrine".
Upper Shrine is set up on a higher place than Lower Shrine.

All of the buildings in the shrine were rebuilt around the middle of the 17th century, and are designated as national important cultural properties.

There is Fumishima island (経島) about 100 meters off the coast near Hinomisaki Shrine.

It is a small rocky island, but it is a sacred place of Hinomisaki Shrine and is prohibited to enter the island.

It is a breeding site of black-tailed gulls.
They come around November, and the breeding season is in spring, then they leave in July.

How to get here

By route bus, about 20 minutes from Izumo-taisha, about 45 minutes from JR Izumoshi station.

Other Tourist Attractions in Shimane Prefecture

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