How to Get There

Daisen-Oki National Park is known for its majestic mountains, remote islands and Izumo Oyashiro (Izumo Grand Shrine)—build in the oldest architectural style of Japanese shrines. Spanning Okayama, Shimane and Tottori prefectures, the large park contains four areas: the Oki Islands, Shimane Peninsula, Daisen-Hiruzen and Mount Sanbe regions. Renting a car is convenient for exploring the park, but there are some public transportation options.

From Tokyo

For Mount Daisen, take a flight from Haneda Airport to Yonago Kitaro Airport (90 min), transfer to a Hinomaru Bus to Yonago Station, then take a Nihon Kotsu bus to Daisenji Temple (50 min). 

For the Oki Islands, fly from Haneda Airport to Yonago Kitaro Airport (90 min), and take the airport shuttle bus to Sakaiminato Port or Shichirui Port (15-30 min), then take an Oki Kisen boat to the port on the island you’d like to visit (1-4.5 hr). See "Getting Around the Oki Islands" for more information. Another option is to fly to either Izumo Enmusubi Airport or Osaka's Itami Airport and transfer to a flight Oki Airport (3 hr). 

To access Izumo Oyashiro (Izumo Grand Shrine) on the Shimane Peninsula, fly from Haneda Airport to Izumo Enmusubi Airport (90 min). There are direct buses to the shrine operated by Izumo Ichibata Kotsu (75 min). 

Due to minimal public transportation around the Mount Sanbe area, consider renting a car to make life easier. Alternatively, you can reach the area from Tokyo by taking a flight from Haneda Airport to Izumo Enmusubi Airport (90 min), a bus from Ichibata Kotsu to Izumoshi Station (30 min), the JR San’in Line to Odashi Station (45 min), then a 60-minute bus journey from Iwami Kotsu to the Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe (Sahimel).

From Osaka

For Mount Daisen, take the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station (45 min), transfer to the JR Yakumo limited express train to Yonago Station (120 min), then take a bus from Nihon Kotsu to Daisenji Temple (50 min). There are also highway buses from Umeda and Namba in Osaka to Yonago (4 hr 10 min).

For the Oki Islands, JAL offers direct flights from Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport) to Oki Airport on Dogo Island (60 min). From Yonago's Sakaiminato Port or Shichirui Ports, take an Oki Kisen boat to the port on the island you’d like to visit (1-4.5 hr). 

For Izumo Oyashiro (Izumo Grand Shrine) on the Shimane Peninsula, take the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station (45 min), transfer to the JR Yakumo limited express train to Izumoshi Station (3 hr), then take a bus from Izumo Ichibata Kotsu to Izumo Oyashiro (30-40 min).

Renting a car is the best option to access the Mount Sanbe area, but you can also take the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station (45 min), transfer to the JR Yakumo limited express train to Izumoshi Station (3 hr), ride the JR San’in Line to Odashi Station (45 min), then make the 60-minute bus journey from Iwami Kotsu to the Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe (Sahimel).

Getting Around the Oki Islands

The Oki Islands, accessible by plane or ship, comprise Dogo Island, the three Dozen islands (Nakanoshima, Nishinoshima and Chiburijima), and about 180 uninhabited islands. Oki Airport is located on Dogo Island and offers flights to Itami Airport in Osaka and Izumo Airport in Shimane Prefecture. 

Ships are also available, connecting the four main Oki Islands with each other, and Japan’s main island of Honshu. From Honshu, boats from the Oki Kisen company depart from Shichirui Port in Shimane Prefecture and Sakaiminato Port in Tottori Prefecture. You'll find English-language timetables for the intra-island ships, as well as the ships between the Oki Islands and Honshu, on the Oki Kisen website. 

A rental car is the best option for navigating the islands. You can rent a car on Honshu or on Dogo and Nishinoshima islands (bicycles can also be hired). Oki Kisen’s slower-paced ships transport cars for an extra fee. Some islands also have a limited bus service.

Getting Around the Shimane Peninsula Area, Daisen-Hiruzen Area and Mount Sanbe Area

There are buses to the main trailheads of Mount Daisen and Mount Sanbe, but a car the best choice for getting around Daisen-Oki National Park freely. The park has several scenic byways noted for their beauty, including the Hiruzen-Daisen Skyline and the Daisen Parkway. 

If you prefer to use public transportation, Nihon Kotsu provides bus service around Mount Daisen, Izumo Ichibata Kotsu provides bus service around Izumo City, and Iwami Kotsu provides bus service around the Mount Sanbe area. (None of these bus companies have English-language websites.) The Daisen Loop Bus provides seasonal bus access to sightseeing areas around Mount Daisen, leaving Yonago Station from late April to late November.