Izumo is a city located in central eastern Shimane Prefecture. Centred on the Izumo Plain, the northern part of the city borders the Shimane Peninsula and the Sea of Japan, and the southern part borders the Chugoku Mountains. The Hii River flows through the eastern part of the city and empties into Lake Shinji. The city has a varied topography, including sea coast, mountains, rivers, lakes, plains, canyons, and hot springs. 

Izumo was part of the ancient Izumo Province which has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and the oldest stone tools in Japan were found here dating back 120,000 years. From the Yayoi period, a powerful kingdom developed in the fertile Izumo Plain, and the area has a rich mythology and many ancient tombs including the large, key-hole shaped Imaichi Dainenji Kofun. 

The attractions of Izumo include Izumo Taisha, the oldest Shintō shrine in Japan. The nearby Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo has artifacts from the site. North of the city is Izumo Dome, Japan’s largest wooden building and a venue for baseball, football, and sumo. Hinomisaki Lighthouse offers views of the Oki Islands. The Izumo Handicraft Museum featuring many traditional crafts is set in a traditional Japanese workshop complex. Shimane Winery is known for its intensely sweet wines.