Shimane is one of Japan's 47 prefectures, including Hokkaido. It sits far west of Tokyo, facing the Sea of Japan on the north. Valleys and mountains cut off the south side edges for the most part. The long-running mountain ridge forms the prefectural boundary between Hiroshima and Shimane—the western end of Shimane borders on Yamaguchi and the east end on Tottori.

Each of the four seasons here is very distinct, and atmospheric temperature ranges from below 0 to around 35 degrees Celsius, depending on the season. Generally, there is relatively much rainfall. The soil type is acidic and partly alkaline, with a pH range of 5.0 to 8.0. Therefore, this part of the country enriches environmental factors that create flora diversity.