Okuizumo is a town located in the southeast of Shimane Prefecture, with steep mountains near the prefectural border and the border with Unnan. In winter, the entire town experiences heavy snowfall. The area is the headwaters of the Hii River, and the main mountains include Mt. Sarumasa, the highest peak in the Izumo region at 1267 m. Parts of the town are within the borders of the Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park. Okuizumo was the centre of ancient Izumo Province, and from the Kofun period, Tatara steel has been made here for the production of high-quality swords. The economy of Okuizumo is based on agriculture and forestry, and the Komaki mine produced tungsten from 1911 to 1984.