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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Gotsu
江津市
Skip Gotsu unless you have a car and a specific interest in Sesshu's garden or a quiet coastal hike: half a day is enough, and the town has no bike rental.
Gotsu is a small coastal city in western Shimane, best known for the Ogawa Residence garden designed by painter-poet Sesshu and the star-topped Mt. Hoshitaka. It sits on the Sanin Railway line between Hamada and Matsue, but without a car you are limited to walking from the station. Most travellers pass through en route to Izumo or Tsuwano.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 江津市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold, some snow)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–16,000 excl. bed · High ¥16,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥300–500 |
| Noodle soup (ramen or soba) | ¥700–1,200 |
| Beer: draught at a bar / can at a convenience store | ¥500–700 / ¥250–350 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | ¥2,000–2,500 |
| JR Sanin Line Gotsu → Hamada, one way | ¥580 (check) |
| Ogawa Residence entry | ¥500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IZO · Izumo Enmusubi Airport
- About 1 h 15 min by car; limited flights from Tokyo (Haneda) and Osaka (Itami).
- HIJ · Hiroshima Airport
- About 2 h by car via the Chugoku Expressway; more domestic and international connections.
Typical fares
- Gotsu Station → Hamada, JR Sanin Line
- about ¥580, about 30 min (check)
- Taxi Gotsu Station → Mt. Hoshitaka
- about ¥2,000
- Taxi Gotsu Station → Ogawa Residence
- about ¥1,000
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No bike rental; walking from the station covers the Honmachi district and the Ogawa Residence. For Mt. Hoshitaka or the coast, a car or taxi is needed. Taxis queue at Gotsu Station; ask the driver for a card.
See and do
Known for
- Ogawa Residence and Sesshu garden
- Mt. Hoshitaka and its star symbol
- Honmachi Iraka Kaido historic district
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hamada | JR Sanin Line, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Izumo | JR Sanin Line, about 1 h 10 min | About 1.5 h |
| Tsuwano | JR Sanin Line to Tsuwano Station, about 1 h 20 min | About 1.5 h |
| Matsue | JR Sanin Line, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.75 h |
Sleep
- Near Gotsu Station
- A few business hotels and minshuku; walking distance to the station and the Honmachi district.
- Coastal area
- Ryokan and small inns along the coast; car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- No bike rental in town; plan for walking or a car.
- The Ogawa Residence garden may close on short notice: check the official site before visiting.
- Mt. Hoshitaka trail can be overgrown in summer; wear long trousers and bring water.
Very safe; the main risks are summer heat and the lack of street lighting on Mt. Hoshitaka trail. Keep cash for taxis and small shops.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gotsu yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ogawa Residence and Sesshu garden
- Mt. Hoshitaka and its star symbol
- Honmachi Iraka Kaido historic district
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gotsu City official website: www.city.gotsu.lg.jp/
- Gotsu tourist association (Japanese): gotsu-kanko.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Gotsu, revision 5095357 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5095357
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Gotsu江津市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
Cash is essential; many places do not accept cards.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/gotsu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.