Izumo Enmusubi Airport IZO

Izumo Enmusubi Airport (the name roughly means “romantic fate”) is in the Hikawa area of Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. It is about 20-30 minutes by car from the centre of Izumo and also from Matsue, the prefectural capital. It is a regional airport with domestic flights only, and handled around 830,000 passengers in 2015. It is the easiest way to reach the great Izumo Taisha shrine and the Shimane coast without a long journey by road or rail from Osaka or Hiroshima.

Terminals

There is a single terminal with three jet bridge gates. Arrivals and departures are in the same building, so there are no transfers between terminals and finding your way around is easy.

Airlines and destinations

This is a domestic airport. Japan Airlines connects Izumo with Tokyo-Haneda, and its regional partners J-Air and Japan Air Commuter fly to Osaka-Itami, Fukuoka and the island of Oki. Fuji Dream Airlines flies to the Nagoya area. Routes and frequencies change with the season, so check the timetable before you finalise your trip.

Services

It is a small airport: expect souvenir shops, some food and the basic services of a regional airport, but not a wide choice of restaurants or shops. The airport has customs and immigration facilities for occasional international charter flights, but there are no scheduled international flights.

Tips

The airport is somewhat out of the way, and the nearest train station, Shōbara, is about 10 minutes away by car, so it is most practical to plan your arrival around the bus or book a taxi. Carry some yen in cash just in case. If you are flying to Tokyo in peak season, such as Obon or New Year, book well in advance.