This mystical land, that is synonymous with Japan's creation mythology

is home to a number of revered shrines and temples

as well as an abundance of stunning natural scenery.

Unconnected to the rest of the country by shinkansen

the San'in region retains an atmosphere that contrasts greatly

with that of Japan's bustling big cities

and is the perfect place for those wishing to get a taste of traditional Japan.

And this is exactly where we're going.

I'm Sam Evans, staff writer for japan-guide.com, and over the next few days

I'll be traversing this extraordinary area to experience a different side of Japan.

Here's the plan:

We'll fly from Tokyo to the San'in region.

The main attraction for Day 1 will be the famous Izumo Grand Shrine

and beautiful nearby coastline.

On Day 2 we head east to Adachi Art Museum and its celebrated garden before ending in

Matsue City where we'll explore the castle.

On our third and final day, we continue east to Mount Daisen, which is that tallest mountain

in the region is the home to the important hillside temple Daisenji.

So follow along as we experience traditional Japan in the San'in region.

Day 1

Upon landing at Izumo Airport, we'll pick up our rental car and head over to the exalted

Izumo Grand Shrine in Izumo City.

Following this we'll take a scenic drive along the coastline to Cape Hinomisaki

and take in the stunning views from the top of Hinomisaki Lighthouse.

On our drive back we'll make a stop at Inasa Beach

before continuing to Tamatsukuri Onsen town

where we'll end the day with a meal and a bath in a traditional ryokan.

This is Izumo Taisha often considered to be the oldest shrine in Japan and certainly one

of the country's most important.

Now this beautiful shrine has deep ties with Japan's creation mythology.

So we've just left Izumo Taisha and now we're on our way to Cape Hinomisaki.

So this is Cape Hinomisaki, known for it's beautiful views of the ocean

and it's really tall lighthouse.

We're going to check out this area and then we're going to go checkout Inasa Beach before

staying the night Tamatsukuri Onsen, a traditional hot spring town.

So we've arrived at our ryokan in Tamatsukuri Onsen

and now we're going to enjoy a nice dinner and a hot bath.

What a perfect end to an amazing day of traveling.

Day 2

Today we'll start bright and early with a visit to Yaegaki Shrine

before heading on to Adachi Art Museum and its beautiful landscape garden.

Come afternoon, we'll make our way up to the city of Matsue where we'll explore the

historic Matsue Castle and finish with a delicious seafood feast at a nearby popular restaurant.

So we've arrived this morning at Yaegaki Shrine.

And out back they have this special Mirror Pond.

Now at this Mirror Pond they have an interesting custom where people put a coin on top of this

special piece of paper and then lay it on the pond's surface

and the amount of time it takes for the coin and the paper to sink

signifies how much time it will take for that person to find their soulmate.

So this is the Adachi Museum of Art which which was established in 1980 as a fusion

between the founder's passion for Japanese garden design and art.

The complex is best known for its award winning garden which can be enjoyed all year round.

So let's go and check it out.

Now we're on route to Matsue Castle, one of only twelve castles in the country whose

main keep has survived since the feudal era.

One of the best ways to explore the castle is through a boat tour in the castle's moat.

Day 3

Our final day will see us drive to Yasugi Kiyomizu Temple for some traditional Buddhist

experiences lead by a monk

before continuing on to snow-capped Mount Daisen

After making our way around Daisenji Temple, the mountain's main temple

it's back to the airport where our trip will come to an end.

So we're on our way to Yasugi Kiyomizu Temple, a hillside Buddhist temple that offers visitors

the chance to participate in such experiences

as sutra copying and meditation guided by a Buddhist monk.

Daisenji Temple where we are now is located on Mount Daisen

the tallest mountain in the entire Chugoku Region.

Now from this temple visitors can join the trail-head to hike to the summit of the mountain.

And that concludes our exploration of the Sanin region.

Thanks for joining me.

I hope this video has been enjoyable and perhaps even inspires some ideas

should you decide to plan a trip in the area.

For more information about the Sanin region or to watch another video

click the links on the screen now

or head over to Japan-Guide.com

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first-hand from Japan.

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Happy travels.