Local Guide
Sea bream rice bowl, seafood rice bowl, and shijimi rice bowl. Six excellent lunches to enjoy Izumo and Matsue's specialties.

Encountering local gourmet foods is one of the great pleasures of sightseeing. In Matsue and Izumo cities in Shimane Prefecture, which face the Sea of Japan and Lake Shinji, visitors can enjoy kaisendon (bowls of rice topped with seafood) and dishes made with large shijimi (freshwater clam) caught in the brackish lake. We therefore introduce a selection of lunches where you can enjoy the specialties of both cities. Enjoy Shimane's rich nature and traditions.

A hearty meal! Kaisen-don with turban shells near the Sea of Japan

Kojiki rice bowl
Kojiki rice bowl" for 1,500 yen. The turban shell, which was said to have been eaten 1,300 years ago when the Kojiki was compiled, plays the main role in this dish.

This Dining Area is located near the Izumo Hinomisaki Lighthouse, which rises on a cliff at the westernmost tip of the Shimane Peninsula, about 15 minutes by car from Izumo Taisha Shrine. You can enjoy rice bowls and set menus using fresh seafood caught at Taisha Fish Port and other ports.

Named after Japan's oldest historical book, Kojiki, this bowl of rice topped with five kinds of seasonal ingredients such as turban shell, sea bream, and bonito is a specialty of the restaurant. The fish is thick and the turban shells have a crunchy texture that accentuates the flavor of the dish. The "Kojiki Uni-iridon" (bowl of rice topped with sea urchin) is also popular.

An at-home Dining Area where you can enjoy the delicacies of the Sea of Japan

In addition to table seating, the restaurant also has a spacious two-table tatami room at the back of the restaurant, which is recommended for families.
In addition to table seating, the restaurant also has a spacious two-table tatami room at the back of the restaurant, which is recommended for families.

It is an at-home restaurant run mainly by local female Staff/staff members. The interior of the restaurant, with its hanging banner that reads "Ramune," pasted signs with the names of dishes, and faded posters, is a cozy space filled with a nostalgic atmosphere. In one corner, there is a souvenir corner, which still retains the atmosphere of its former days as a souvenir shop.

In addition to bowls of rice topped with seafood, the restaurant also offers grilled squid and sashimi set menus, and you can order turban shells and grilled squid separately. You can enjoy all kinds of locally produced seafood gourmet dishes at high cost performance.

Local Guide Comment
Himizaki is a sightseeing area to stop by before or after visiting Izumo Taisha Shrine. In addition to the Higoizaki Lighthouse, the tallest white lighthouse in Japan, visitors can enjoy the magnificent coastal beauty while walking along the promenade along the shore.
Hanabusa
  • Address 1481-1 Himizaki-Himizo, Taisha-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 32 minutes from JR Izumo City Station by car
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Izumo City Station, get off at "Himozaki Lighthouse" and walk about 5 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 10:00-16:00 (L.O. 15:30)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0853-54-5126
  • Parking Free of charge

A variety of local ingredients such as nodoguro (Pacific bluefin tuna), shijimi (white croaker), and iwanori (seaweed).

Five Kinds of Sashimi Assortment
Five Kinds of Sashimi Assortment" 1,280 yen, "Nodoguro (Sea Urchin) Stewed in Sake" 1,980 yen, "Shijimi Steamed with Sake" 780 yen, "Jurokujima Iwanori Tempura" 680 yen

This casual izakaya is located in a shopping district within walking distance of Izumo Station. You can enjoy all kinds of local foods and local sake from Shimane Prefecture, and since the restaurant is open from 3:00 p.m., it is the perfect place for a late lunch after missing lunch time.

Local ingredients such as nodoguro (northern bluefin tuna) caught at the Taisha fishing port, Jurokushima nori (seaweed), a specialty of Hirata Town, and large shijimi (white croaker) from Lake Jinsei are served in a wide variety of preparations. Local brands of junmai sake, such as "Jyugokuhi" and "Tenju," are also available, as well as dishes using local brand meat, such as "Shimane Wagyu" and "Ginzan Aka-dori" chicken.

Izakaya in front of the station where you can enjoy Shimane's food from 3:00 p.m.

The restaurant has large and small tables, as well as counter seating.
The restaurant has large and small tables, as well as counter seating.

The restaurant is located in a corner of the "Sun Road Nakamachi" shopping street in front of the station. It is not just a izakaya for tourists, but also attracts a lot of support from the locals for its many dishes that show off the chef's taste and ingenuity. Many customers stop by for a quick drink at the counter before dinner.

The menu changes daily and offers more than 30 different dishes. The main dishes, such as grilled nodoguro (bluefin tuna), are simple dishes that bring out the best flavors of the ingredients. There are also more than 10 kinds of appetizers available every day, which are prepared using local ingredients and are not only tasty but also visually appealing.

Local Guide Comment
The steaks of Shimane Wagyu, a brand of beef produced by Katsube Ranch in Izumo City, are a gem of tender lean meat and fatty flavor. It is served with a homemade sauce made from local soy sauce.
Tsubameya
  • Address 651 Imaichi-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approx. 6 min. walk from JR Izumo City Station
  • Hours of Operation 15:00-22:00 (L.O.21:30)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0853-20-1230
  • Parking None

Bobe-meshi," a delicious shellfish dish with the aroma of the seashore

Shellfish rice set meal
Shellfish rice set meal" 1,980 yen, which includes a wide variety of dishes such as "bobemeshi" (a local dish) and fried fish.

This stylish cafe is located on the way to the lighthouse from the bus stop "Himizaki Lighthouse. A must-try dish here is "bobemeshi," which is made from "bobe clams" caught on the coast of Himizaki. This is a dish of rice cooked with rice, which has been popular among the locals since ancient times. The flavor of the shellfish fills the mouth with the aroma of the sea.

The set meal includes a soup with seaweed "kajime" from Himigozaki, sashimi and fried seafood caught in the area, and other dishes that make full use of local ingredients.

Cafe with a terrace overlooking a chalk lighthouse

Counter seating allows you to enjoy a leisurely meal with a view of the Hinomizaki Lighthouse.
Counter seating allows you to enjoy a leisurely meal with a view of the Hinomizaki Lighthouse.

As you enter the restaurant through the sea breezeway, you will find yourself in a casual space with plenty of light streaming in through the large windows. Outside, there is a wooden deck with terrace seating. On a fine day, we recommend enjoying an open-air lunch while feeling the sea breeze.

You can enjoy set menus featuring seafood dishes, seafood bowls such as kajime-don and turban shell bowls, Izumo soba noodles, and a lineup of special pancakes and zenzai. Takeout of grilled squid and turban shells is also available.

Local Guide Comment
The local dish "Bobe-meshi" used to be served at many nearby restaurants, but now there are only a few places where you can eat it in Himisaki. This café offers a variety of menus that make the best use of ingredients from Himizaki.
tatsuzawa misaki cafe
  • Address 1089-30, Himozaki-cho, Taisha-cho, Izumo City, Shimane MAP
  • Direction Approx. 30 min. by car from JR Izumo City Station
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Izumo City Station, get off at "Himozaki-Tozaki-Todai" and walk about 3 minutes.
  • Business Hours 10:00-17:00 (L.O. 16:30)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0853-54-5005
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Open by reservation in the evening

Large and thick. A specialty rice bowl filled with shijimi clam extract

Shijimi-don (bowl of rice topped with a bowl of shijimi clam soup): 820 yen
Shijimi-don (bowl of rice topped with a bowl of shijimi clam soup): 820 yen

Shijimi, a specialty of Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. The Yamato Shijimi caught in Lake Shinji are characterized by their large size and thick meat. At this Dining Area along Lake Shinji, you can enjoy a luxurious bowl of rice topped with a selection of larger sized Shijimi.

The bowl of rice covered with large pieces of meat and topped with a broth rich in extract is both satisfying and full of the flavor of the shijimi. The set also includes shijimi clam soup, allowing you to enjoy Matsue's local delicacies at a very reasonable price. It is a little far from the sightseeing area, but that is why it is a recommended spot.

Great location overlooking Lake Shinji

In addition to table seating, there is also counter seating by the window. The atmosphere is bright and open, so feel free to stop by even if you are alone.
In addition to table seating, there is also counter seating by the window. The atmosphere is bright and open, so feel free to stop by even if you are alone.

This Dining Area is located along Lake Shinji on the way from Izumo Taisha Shrine to Matsue City. The shijimi dishes, such as gozen, udon, and zosui (rice porridge), are all extravagant and lavishly use Lake Shinji products. The restaurant also offers set menus featuring sashimi and Japanese hamburgers, as well as a daily lunch, and is crowded with regular customers on weekday lunch breaks.

The restaurant also offers a relaxing dining experience with a view of the vast lake. We recommend that you come after dusk to view the sunset over Lake Shinji, which is selected as one of the "100 Sunsets of Japan.

Local Guide Comment
The best time to enjoy shijimi clam soup is during the winter. The shijimi dive deep into the soil to store nutrients for wintering, which makes the meat more filling and tastier. Depending on the timing, you may be able to taste the white, cloudy shijimi clam soup, which is full of extract.
Sanriba
  • Address 517-1 Mino-cho, Izumo City, Shimane MAP
  • Direction Approx. 1 min. walk from Inonada Stn. on the Ichibata Line
  • Hours of Operation 11:00-15:00 (L.O. 14:00), 17:00-21:00 (L.O. 20:30)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0853-67-0855
  • Parking Free of charge

Traditional "tai-meshi" at a long-established lakeside ryokan

Tai-meshi
Tai-meshi" is a family heirloom dish invented by the first chef. The weekday lunch set meal (1,870 yen) includes the tai-meshi and three side dishes.

Minamikan, a ryokan established in the Meiji era, is said to have been visited by many great writers. At the restaurant "Teien Saryo Minami," overlooking Lake Shinji and the lakeside garden, you can taste "tai-meshi," the ryokan's family specialty, which is well known as a Matsue specialty.

The dish is made by placing the meat of a sea bream, chopped white meat of a boiled egg, and the yolk of the egg on a bed of rice, and pouring the secret bonito broth made from Matsue soy sauce over the rice. The dish has a light and gentle flavor, and the elegant aroma of sea bream spreads over the rice. The weekday-only set menu includes handmade sesame tofu, grilled flounder in white soy sauce, and more.

A relaxing modern Japanese space with a view of the Japanese garden

In addition to table seating and bench seating in a modern Japanese style, private rooms with chairs and private rooms with tatami mats are also available.
In addition to table seating and bench seating in a modern Japanese style, private rooms with chairs and private rooms with tatami mats are also available.

The interior of the restaurant is a calm Japanese space with soft lighting. While gazing at the beautiful Japanese garden with Lake Shinji as a backdrop, diners can enjoy seasonal dishes that make the most of ingredients from the Sea of Japan and the Chugoku Mountains.

In addition to taimeshi, the restaurant offers "eel mabushi gozen," a set meal of broiled domestic eel on rice, and seasonal "kamameshi gozen," which can be enjoyed with a variety of small bowls of cooked food for lunch. The "Hanneri gozen" (limited to 20 servings on weekdays) with a wide selection of dishes, the "Hana-ikada" two-tier bento, the "Anago mabushi gozen" and the "Sashimi tempura gozen" are also popular. KAI Local Flavors, featuring seasonal delicacies, are also available with advanced reservations.

Local Guide Comment
The Kyoten shopping street where the ryokan is located is a charming cobblestone street lined with long-established dumpling shops and coffee shops. Why not enjoy a leisurely stroll after dinner?
Garden Saryo Minami
  • Address 14 Suetsugu Honmachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 16 min. walk from JR Matsue Sta.
  • Hours of Operation 11:30-15:00 (L.O. 14:00 on weekdays, 14:30 on weekends and holidays), 17:30-21:00 (L.O. 20:00)
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0852-21-5131
  • Parking Free of charge

Unquestionably high cost performance. A great seafood bowl at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

Premium Kaisendon (premium seafood rice bowl) with 11 kinds of ingredients including tuna (2,200 yen).
Premium Kaisendon (premium seafood rice bowl) with 11 kinds of ingredients including tuna (2,200 yen).

This popular sushi restaurant is located down a small street off the main street in Tamatsukuri's hot spring district. The restaurant offers creative sushi and sashimi made from fresh fish purchased every morning from nearby ports at reasonable prices. As a place where you can enjoy a quick lunch, it is a popular lunch spot for both guests and locals.

One of the most well-known specialties is the kaisen-don, a bowl of rice topped with a hearty portion of Sakaiminato's large, fresh fish. The thick, fresh fish is hearty, and the smell of the fluffy, vinegared rice made from Shimane Prefecture's Koshihikari rice whets the appetite even more.

Sushi restaurant where you can casually enjoy Shimane's fish and local sake

The restaurant has a simple layout with counter and table seating.
The restaurant has a simple layout with counter and table seating.

Founded in 1955, the restaurant has been passed down from father to son for three generations, and on weekends, you can find many tourists waiting in line for a bowl of kaisendon. In addition to kaisendon, the restaurant's appeal lies in the variety of Matsue's local ingredients, such as boiled nodoguro (fatty bluefin tuna), sashimi of flying fish, fresh Matsuba crab, and turban shells grilled in a jar, all of which are representative of Shimane Prefecture and can be enjoyed at reasonable prices.

In addition, there is a wide selection of Shimane's local sake, such as "Gassan" and "Toyo no Aki," and it is a chic way to enjoy a light drink at the counter after taking a hot spring bath.

Local Guide Comment
After dinner, take a leisurely stroll through Tamatsukuri hot spring town. A few minutes' walk away is the Tamatsukuri Art Box, a Property with many attractions, including souvenir stores, general merchandise stores, and a café.
wakatake sushi
  • Address 83-6 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approx. 15 min. by car from JR Matsue Station
  • Direction Take a bus from JR Matsue Station, get off at "Onsen Shita" and walk about 3 minutes.
  • Hours of Operation 11:30-14:00 (L.O.13:30), 17:30-20:00 (L.O.19:30)
  • Closed Thursdays, Year-end and New Year holidays
  • TEL 0852-62-0831
  • Parking Free of charge
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.