Hi everyone, I needed advice on specific travel arrangements for a trip of mine!
In November 2024, I will be visiting Izumo City, Izumo Taisha, and Matsue City, and then going to Okayama to continue with my trip.
I wanted to figure out what is the smartest way to travel since the various destinations are quite far apart.
I will write down my specific schedule here:
Early morning departure from HIROSHIMA to Izumo/Izumo Taisha (day 1)
Day tour of Izumo Taisha and Izumo town (day 1)
Late afternoon/evening transfer from Izumo to the town of Matsue (day 1)
Night at hotel booked in Matsue (day 1/2)
Day of sightseeing in Matsue (day 2)
Late afternoon/evening move to Okayama (day 2)
I have doubts about is this:
According to my travel order, it would be more logical to go from Hiroshima to Izumo, then from Izumo to Matsue (in the evening).
However, I have seen that the route between Hiroshima and Matsue is much better served than the route between Hiroshima and Izumo.
It might be convenient to go from Hiroshima to Matsue in the morning, then go straight to Izumo from Matsue (thus going back and forth from Matsue)?
The problem is that I want to leave early in the moring from Hiroshima, and I don't seem to have seen any trains or buses leaving early in the morning for Izumo.
Thank you really in advance for the advice!
by Pux26
3 comments
[Hiroshima-Izumoshi bus timetable](https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/?c=30&p=0&ft=0&date=05%2f28%2f2024&time=05%3a57&r=Hiroshima-Izumoshi&t=Hiroshima+Bus+Center%7bHighway+Express+Bus%7d&sub_lang=ja&dir=-1&from=Hiroshima+Sta.+Shinkansen+Entrance&este=Hiroshima+Sta.+Shinkansen+Entrance%7bHighway+Express+Bus%7d).
There are at least hourly JR express trains between Izumo and Matsue, if you aren’t worried about the cost. Catch the bus to Matsue then jump on a train. You might even find it better to catch the private line from Shinjiko Onsen, it will take you to walking distance of Izumo Taisha vs catching the bus.
You could swap your days around – don’t really recommend this because Matsue is much more interesting than Izumo and you should spend more time there. The Yakumo (presuming you’re catching the train if heading to Okayama) starts at Izumo and if you leave in the evening the 20min extra will be nothing.
Consider grabbing the JR Sanin pass, it will save you money going back to Okayama. Also if you aren’t aware you can grab a highway bus for 1000 yen between Shimane (including both Izumo and Matsue) <-> Hiroshima on a tourist visa [https://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/travel_information/13647](https://www.kankou-shimane.com/en/travel_information/13647)
You could drop off your stuff your at your Matsue hotel. Take the Ichibata Densha-Taisha Line Local  from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen to Izumo Taisha , That’s 820 jpy. You will go past the red torii gates. It’s a cute little one carriage train and has views of the lake.
Izumo Taisha, Inasa beach, Hinomisaki shrine would be the ones to see. Try the warigo sandai soba there. Izumo is good for soba like nagano and Tokyo.
Not sure if you know this but there’s a famous Onsen for all aches and pains and beauty in Tamatsukuri – it’s between Izumo and Matsue. Their specialty goods is the agate magatama.
Depends where you’re coming in. If you’re time constrained, there’s flights to Izumo and Yonago (a bit further away) airports.
More adventurous people attempt the hard to book Sunrise Izumo from Tokyo (I also considered that).
And there’s a special one – SL Yamaguchi (steam diesel train going straight to Tsuwano and from Tsuwano – train to Izumo)
I’m doing the little Inaka castle towns tour making my way in a slow crawl towards Izumo in December from Kyushu -Yamaguchi side.