Shimane and Sake's Mythological Origins

The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, Japan's oldest chronicles, both include a story set in the Izumo region of Shimane in which the god Susanoo defeats a serpent by getting it drunk on a potent eightfold-brewed sake. Because of this, Izumo is often cited, alongside a few other regions, as one of the mythological birthplaces of Japanese sake, and Shimane's tourism and brewing industries reference the story frequently.

Historical claims aside, Shimane is a genuine, if modest-sized, sake-producing prefecture, with breweries clustered around Matsue, Izumo, and the Oki Islands drawing on local rice and clean groundwater. Styles range from crisp, dry table sake to more aromatic ginjo-grade bottles, and several breweries offer tours or tastings, though hours and availability vary by season and by brewery, so checking ahead before visiting a specific one is worth doing.