Yasugi

Yasugi is a town in Shimane. It borders the Nakaumi, a small inland sea on the Japan Sea coast. It’s associated with events in Japan’s creation myth and the goddess Izanami is said to be buried here. The extensive ruins of Gassantoda Castle stand above the town on Mt. Gassan’s ridges and valleys.

The area was the centre of ancient Izumo, a powerful kingdom during the stone age Yayoi and Kofun period, and the port on the Nakaumi was a node for trade with the Korean Peninsula from ancient times. Plentiful supplies of iron sand and timber enabled production of steel using the ancient tatara method, and the Yasugi Steel brand established by Hitachi Metals bears the name of the city.

The Adachi Museum of Art and its gardens are a major attraction. The town is known for its comical dance depicting fishing for loaches with a bamboo sieve (dojō-sukui) accompanied by a folk song called Yasugibushi.

Information

Name in Japanese: 安来
Pronunciation: ya-su-gi
Address: Yasugi, Shimane