Journey through San-in: Daisen and around, Matsue, and Izumo

Day 1

Daisen Makiba Milk-no Sato

Mount Daisen seen from Daisen Makiba Milk-no Sato

Daisen Makiba Milk-no Sato is located at the foot of Mount Daisen, which is the highest mountain in the Chugoku area. There are many experience activities such as pumping milk of cows and confectionery making, but the most recommendable is the special soft cream. The taste is rich, and you can feel the milk itself.

In addition, there are restaurants and cabins where you can select and barbecue Tottori beef, which is also recommendable.

Daisenji Temple

The main temple is magnificent.

Daisenji Temple was founded about 1,300 years ago. It’s a training place for the conversion in the sangaku shinkō faith (mountain worship), which flourished up until around 150 years ago.

Even nowadays, it features many precious items including the Amidadō temple, which is an important cultural property. It’s a famous temple, revered in the Chugoku area.

From the parking space to Daisenji Temple, there’s a slope of about 500 meters and there are stairs before the main temple. The bathroom on the entrance path to Daisenji temple is spacious.

Ida Farm

View of fruit harvesting at Ida Farm

At Ida Farm, you can have experience of harvesting fruit, such as pears. Besides pears, they also produce buckwheat and blueberries. Along with children, it’s possible to make buckwheat noodles or charcoal.

It’s a farm where everyone can enjoy fruit production. Wheelchair users can also enjoy the harvesting.

 

Itinerary
Day 1
JR Yonago Station
Taxi: Welfare taxi etc.
Daisen Makiba Milk-no Sato (Well-known soft cream, shopping, restaurants.)
Taxi: Welfare taxi etc.
Daisenji Temple (strolling around, footbath.)
Taxi: Welfare taxi etc.
Ida Farm (Fruit harvesting experience)
Taxi: Welfare taxi etc.
Stay at Kaike Spa

Day 2

Mizuki Shigeru Road and Mizuki Shigeru Museum

Touching the bronze statue of a yōkai goblin at the Mizuki Shigeru Road

Mizuki Shigeru is a cartoonist native of Sakaiminato, Tottori prefecture. He has many works focused on yōkai goblins. The way from JR Sakaiminato Station to Mizuki Shigeru Museum is about 800 meters and is called Mizuki Shigeru Road. Along the street there are more than 130 bronze statutes of yōkai goblins, and many tourists visit the place every day.

Mizuki Shigeru Museum is located at the end of Mizuki Shigeru Road, the arcade of shopping street. It is a remodeled traditional Japanese style restaurant that has a history of more than 100 years. In the museum, you can enjoy lots of yōkai goblin objects, introduction of Mizuki Shigeru’s life, as well as original illustrations and books. Accessible lifts and bathrooms are also available.

The Matsue Horikawa Sightseeing Boat Tour

Viewing the scenery from the boat

It’s a boat cruising along the moat around Matsue Castle for 50 minutes. Among the tourist activities in Matsue, it’s the first or second most popular. Many wheelchair users join the tour, so the staff is familiar with helping people with disabilities. It’s about 5 minutes on foot, on a well-made sidewalk, from Karakoro Art Studio to the boarding point.

There are stairs at some parts before the boarding point, but wheelchair users can get help from the staff. The boats pass under more than 10 bridges. Among these, the bottom part of the bridge is low in 4 cases, so the roof of the boat has to be lowered down. Before departure, the operator will demonstrate to which extent the roof has to be lowered.

There’s a ramp up to the boarding point.

 

Itinerary
Day 2
Kaike Spa
Bus stop: Departure from Kaike Onsen (Nikkō Bus, Kaike Line inbound)
Bus stop: Arrival at Yonago Eki
JR Yonago Station
Departure from Yonago Station Sakai Line on Yōkai Goblins Train
Arrival at Sakaiminato Station
Sakaiminato (strolling at Mizuki Shigeru Road, visiting Mizuki Shigeru Museum)
Departure from Sakaiminato Station Sakai Line on Yōkai Goblins Train
Arrival at Yonago Station (transfer)
Departure from Yonago Station
Arrival at Matsue Station
Bus stop: Departure from Matsue Eki (Lake Line)
Bus stop: Horikawa Yūransen Noriba
Matsue Castle Ōte Mae Horikawa Yūransen boarding point: Matsue Horikawa Sightseeing Boat Tour (touring time: 50 minutes)
Bus stop: Horikawa Yūransen Noriba
Bus stop: Matsue Shinjiko Onsen / Chidori-chō
Stay at Matsue Shinjiko Spa

Day 3

Izumo Shrine

Entrance path for wheelchairs

It’s a shrine for Ōkuninushino Ōkami, known as the spirit of matchmaking. The ordinary shrine greeting is two bows, two handclaps, and one bow. But for Izumo Shrine, it’s two bows, four handclaps, and one bow. In October, known as Kamiarizuki, there’s a gathering festival for spirits said to come from all over Japan (October 11 – 17).

The entrance path is graveled but there are pavements on both sides, and accessible bathrooms and ramps are installed, out of concern for wheelchair users.

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo

Listening to the explanation in the exhibition hall

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo is located to the East of Izumo Shrine. It’s focused on Izumo Shrine and has displays about ancient Izumo and bronze swords and spearheads discovered at the Kōjindani ruins and bronze vessels called dōtaku discovered in the Kamoiwakura ruins.

Volunteer staff trained in accessibility assistance is available. Audio guide system lending is also available, making it enjoyable for visually impaired people.

 

Itinerary
Day 3
Matsue Shinkiko Spa
Ichibata Trains: Matsue Shinjiko Onsen
Ichibata Trains: Kawato Station (transfer)
Ichibata Trains: Arrival at Izumo Taisha Mae Station
Strolling at Izumo Shrine
Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo
Ichibata Trains: Arrival at Izumo Taisha Mae Station
Ichibata Trains: Kawato Station (transfer)
Ichibata Trains: Arrival at Dentetsu Izumo-shi Station
JR Izumo-shi Station