Rita Izumo Hirata

The baths are lovely, and it’s a very nice place to stay. Highly recommend it.

We had plenty of room to unwind as a family, even with the children, since we rented the whole traditional house. At night we shared some quiet time over local sake my husband had picked up nearby. He’s a sake fan, so finding a brewery close by was a real treat for him. The next morning’s breakfast was delicious and full of local flavors. We could take in Shimane’s history and culture at our own pace, without anyone disturbing us. The picturesque Cotton Highway in Hirata is a short drive from Izumo Taisha Shrine, and we’d love to come back.

After visiting Matsue Castle, we took the Ichibata Railway to Unshu Hirata Station. My mother had come from Kyoto to see me in Shimane and had wanted to visit the Cotton Road, so staying right on it worked out well. The following day, we rode the Ichibata Railway to Izumo Taisha Shrine, and she seemed very happy with the train trip. The inn is a lovely renovated old sake brewery. My mother was impressed by the sake bath, and I felt the splurge was worthwhile. We also ate at the nearby soba restaurant Kitaen, which was delicious and left her very satisfied. Umi Shrine was grander than I expected, and its quiet helped ease the aches and worries I’d been carrying and left me feeling calm.

We rented the whole former sake brewery, a charming old house on Momen Kaido, for our family of three. It really felt like we were living there for a while. After visiting Izumo Taisha Shrine, we spent a peaceful evening sipping Hirata sake, which felt like a real luxury. Breakfast, with freshly cooked rice and Shimane’s local bounty, was tasty too. Our walk through the historic streets became a lovely family memory. We’d definitely come back.