Local Guide
Ideal for a side trip on your fortune trip. 6 unique cafes in Izumo and Matsue

Shimane Prefecture is also known as the "holy land of marriage. Izumo Taisha Shrine in Izumo City and Yaegaki Shrine in Matsue City are two of the most popular power spots in the San-in region that you should visit at least once. There are also many unique cafes scattered around the area, and here and there you will find some charming little gems that are difficult to find in tourist guides. We will introduce you to some of the cafes loved by the locals, which you should definitely stop by during your "Kaiun" (good luck) trip.

A hideaway cafe where homemade French toast is popular

French toast with salad and drink (1,100 yen)
French toast with salad and drink (1,100 yen)

Located just off the street in front of Izumo Station, this hideaway café is based on the theme of "vegetables as the star of the show. The signature menu item is homemade French toast. It is characterized by its soft and moist texture with a moderate sweetness.

A morning menu is also available from 9:00 to 11:00, offering an abundance of fresh vegetables from contracted farmers. The owner is proud of his homemade Japanese sesame dressing, which has earned him a reputation among the locals. During café hours, French toast with juicy fresh fruits can be enjoyed, and medicinal curries and hamburgers are also popular during lunch hours.

Calm space in renovated warehouse

Indirect lighting softly illuminates the Japanese-style space, allowing you to relax and forget about the time.
Indirect lighting softly illuminates the Japanese-style space, allowing you to relax and forget about the time.

The building was renovated from a 100-year-old rice warehouse. The ceiling panels and beams have been left in place, and furnishings such as a wood-burning stove have been placed in the space, creating a relaxed atmosphere with a deep sense of history. The lamps on the counter and the bookshelves lined with interior decorations are all carefully selected by the owner to blend in with the Japanese space. You can relax and forget about time at the counter or on the sofas.

Since it is within walking distance from Izumo Station, we recommend making a reservation at a hotel in front of the station and using it for morning breakfast.

Local Guide Comment
The reputable homemade dressing that can be enjoyed on the morning menu is available for purchase in the restaurant. If you like it, you can enjoy it at home.
Cafe naka kura
  • Address 689 Nakamachi, Imaichi-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 8 minutes walk from JR Izumo City Station
  • Business Hours 9:00-18:00 (L.O. 17:30)
  • Closed Wednesday
  • TEL 0853-31-5880
  • Parking Free (1 hour free ticket will be given when using the Sun Road Nakamachi Parking lot)

An old house café specializing in chocolate near Izumo Taisha Shrine

Hot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate" 745 yen, "Baked White Chocolate" 302 yen

A café specializing in chocolate located near Izumo Taisha Shrine. The entire process from importing cacao beans to turning them into chocolate boards is done in an integrated "bean to bar" style. In addition to six types of black chocolate and five types of white chocolate, the store offers "cacao milk," which is cacao tea made from cacao peels and mixed with milk.

The chocolate boards, made only from cacao beans and sugar, are full of the aroma and richness of cacao, and visitors can enjoy comparing different types of chocolate from different regions.

Take a breather in a Japanese-style space renovated from an old private house

The interior of the store, with its well-worn shelves and tables, is a space with a deep sense of flavor that retains the atmosphere of a private home in many places.
The interior of the store, with its well-worn shelves and tables, is a space with a deep sense of flavor that retains the atmosphere of a private home in many places.

The shop is located in a tastefully renovated old private house on a street just off the main street of Izumo Taisha Shrine, marked by blue parasols on the open terrace. The calm and relaxing interior of the store, with its somewhat warm atmosphere, offers tables and sofa seats where you can relax and enjoy your café time.

Near the entrance, packaged chocolate bars are lined up in a fashionable, feminine design. There are a total of 11 types of chocolate bars. Drinks can also be taken out, making it a perfect place to take a stroll in the town or buy souvenirs.

Local Guide Comment
Local delicacies such as Izumo matcha chocolate, a Japanese-style product made with Izumo matcha, are also available for purchase. The tea leaves are ground before grinding on a millstone, so you can enjoy the crunchy texture of the tea leaves.
Okinoue Blue Cacao
  • Address 765-1 Kinezuki-Minami, Taisha-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane MAP
  • Direction 3 minute walk from Izumo Taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Railway.
  • Business Hours 10:00-17:30
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission fee 0853-53-5310
  • Parking Free of charge

A bakery café with a kiln attached, loved by men and women of all ages

BLT Sandwich with Salad (800 yen) and Izushi Blend Coffee (390 yen) from the café menu. The tasteful tableware is also noteworthy.
BLT Sandwich with Salad (800 yen) and Izushi Blend Coffee (390 yen) from the café menu. The tasteful tableware is also noteworthy.

Approximately 25 minutes by car from Izumo Taisha Shrine. On the western edge of Hikawa-cho, Izumo City, there is a bakery-cafe attached to the nationally popular pottery "Shusai Kiln. The bakery uses only safe and secure ingredients, including locally produced ingredients, in its baking, with the hope that "everyone who eats it will be happy" regardless of age.

One of the café's menu items, the BLT Sandwich, uses the bakery's most popular mountain-shaped bread, "Yutane no Cochon d'Or Yamashoku," which offers the aroma of wheat and the unique fluffy texture of the dough. All menu items are served in dishes from the Izushi Kiln.

A bright café space filled with sunlight

Breads purchased at the bakery can be eaten in, except during lunch hours.
Breads purchased at the bakery can be eaten in, except during lunch hours.

The café space is located next to the bakery, and in addition to first- and second-floor seating, loft seating is also available. With high ceilings and large windows, customers can relax in a bright, open space.

In addition to BLT sandwiches, the "Curry plate with two kinds of curry" is also popular. A wide variety of drinks are also available for take-out, including "Dezai Blend Coffee," "Dezai Iced Tea" with a subtle aroma of yuzu (Japanese citron), and the original "Dezai Cola.

Local Guide Comment
On the premises of "Izushi Kurashi no Village," where the café is located, there is a kiln workshop where visitors can tour the kiln, an exhibition and sales area, and a select store selling clothing and sundries. If you visit, be sure to stop by.
Le Cochon d'Or Izonishi
  • Address 3368 Izumo-cho, Izumo-shi, Shimane MAP
  • Direction Approx. 10 minutes by car from JR Izumo City Station
  • Business Hours Cafe 9:30-17:00 (Food L.O. 16:30, Drink L.O. 16:00), Bakery 9:30-17:00
  • Regular holidays Tuesdays, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays
  • TEL 0853-27-9123
  • Parking Parking is available at the Dezai Kurashi no village parking lot (free of charge).

A teahouse where you can taste creative seasonal sweets made by a master craftsman

Matcha and Japanese sweets set
Matcha and Japanese sweets set" 820 yen with your choice of fresh sweets.

This teahouse is located in the Matsue History Museum, a Cultural Property near Matsue Castle. In a Japanese-style room with an expansive view of the Japanese garden, you can enjoy a variety of Japanese sweets such as seasonal Kamigashi sweets, Matcha green tea, Zenzai, parfait, and Matcha cream soda.

The sweets are made by a modern master craftsman who received the prestigious "Medal with Yellow Ribbon". The "Honwarabi Mochi" and "Enmochi" are well-known specialties of the museum, and there are about 10 varieties, including seasonal specials, all of which are unique confections that can only be enjoyed here and show the delicate work of the master craftsmen.

A space where you can enjoy a luxurious dry landscape garden with a borrowed view of a national treasure.

On fine days, an open-air café is set up on the wet veranda in front of the café.
On fine days, an open-air café is set up on the wet veranda in front of the café.

The "Great Hall of Living," with its glass walls on all sides, overlooks a "karesansui" (dry landscape garden), in which a landscape is created with stones and sand without using water. Lanterns made of Raitai stone, a specialty of Matsue City, and other features unique to Izumo are incorporated into the garden.

The tea ceremony room also has a view of the castle tower of Matsue Castle at the back of the garden, which is one of the two most luxurious views in Matsue City. The 30-tatami-mat hall has ample space between seats, making it a place where you can relax and forget about time. Stop by for a break after visiting the castle.

Local Guide Comment
Demonstrations by master craftsmen can be enjoyed at the store from time to time. The highly skilled craftsmanship that goes into making these wagashi are called "works of art.
Cafe Kiharu
  • Address 279 Tonomachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture (in Matsue History Museum) MAP
  • Direction 5 minutes drive from JR Matsue Station
  • Direction From JR Matsue Station, take the "Gurutto Matsue Lake Line Bus" and get off at "Otemae Horikawa Pleasure Boat Stop, in front of the History Museum" (approx. 3 min. walk).
  • Business Hours 9:30-17:00 (L.O. 16:30)
  • Regular holiday Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday)
  • TEL 0852-32-1607
  • Parking Use the parking lot of Matsue History Museum

Specialty coffee shop with an unending spirit of pursuit

Coffee
Coffee" 517 yen, "Today's sweets" (price changes daily)

This specialty coffee shop stands in Isemiya-cho, an entertainment district near Matsue Station. The owner is an unparalleled coffee lover who has been exploring the path of specialty coffee since he first encountered coffee from South India in 2019.

He only offers single coffees, not blends, so that customers can enjoy the true flavor of the beans. His fresh cup of coffee, which brings out the true flavor of the beans, has many local fans, and his homemade sweets are also popular. The homemade sweets are also very popular. The unique ceramics selected from kilns in Shimane Prefecture, such as Sodeshika Kiln, are also noteworthy.

Morning breakfast on weekends and holidays

Coffee beans are sold in the store, and a free cup of coffee with the purchase of 200 grams is a nice bonus.
Coffee beans are sold in the store, and a free cup of coffee with the purchase of 200 grams is a nice bonus.

The first floor has counter and table seating, and the second floor has tatami room seating where you can take off your shoes and relax. The unassuming space is cozy and inviting, allowing you to spend your time without hesitation.

A morning menu is available on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and the lineup includes toast, hot sandwiches with basil tomato cheese, and a special salad made with fresh vegetables from Shimane Prefecture with homemade dressing. On the day after staying overnight in the Matsue Station area, it would be a good idea to take a morning stroll to Isemiya-cho.

Local Guide Comment
The shop offers a total of five types of specialty coffee, including Ethiopian beans with a jasmine-like aroma and Indian beans with a hint of fruity flavor. You can refill your coffee for 297 yen, so we recommend that you try several different coffees to compare.
IMAGINE.COFFEE
  • Address 503-1 Isemiya-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 6 min. walk from JR Matsue Station
  • Business Hours 10:00-23:30 (L.O.23:00) *Morning menu is available only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 10:00-14:00.
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0852-25-9277
  • Parking None

A local oasis where you can taste a special blend using charcoal purified water

Honey toast
Honey toast" 660 yen. Hazelnut toast topped with rum raisin ice cream (subject to change depending on the season).

This popular local oasis spot has multiple locations in Matsue City and both San-in and San'in prefectures. You can choose from several coffee blends, including one that emphasizes aroma and one that emphasizes acidity, all of which use charcoal-purified water. You can enjoy the high-quality taste and aroma of the coffee.

In addition to the morning and lunch menus, the restaurant also focuses on light meals and sweets, making it a great place to visit for its extensive menu. The "honey toast," available only at the Kuroda store, changes depending on the season, but all are a perfect match with coffee.

A unique space that makes the most of natural materials

A great spot to spend time alone
A great spot to spend time alone

Each Hattori Coffee store offers a different atmosphere and menu. The Kuroda store uses black as its base color, with bamboo walls and beams creating a creative atrium space. The dark lighting and natural materials create a cozy atmosphere, and the counter seating on the second floor, which is like a hideout, is a perfect spot to spend time alone. On sunny days, we also recommend using the terrace seating next to the entrance.

Hot coffee comes in a stainless steel pot for 1.5 cups.

Local Guide Comment
For breakfast, you can enjoy sandwiches and toast with vegetables, and for lunch, you can enjoy "Seishun no Neapolitan," a dish that recreates the taste of the old days.
Hattori Coffee Workshop Kuroda
  • Address 433 Kuroda-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 14 min. walk from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station on the Ichibata Line
  • Business Hours 8:30 - 20:00, Friday, Saturday, and the day before national holidays 8:30 - 23:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • TEL 0852-26-4444
  • 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.