Central Izumo (Izumo, Shimane)

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Izumo (出雲市 Izumo-shi?) is a city located in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Izumo is known for Izumo soba noodles and the Izumo Taisha Shinto shrine.
The modern city was founded on November 3, 1941.
As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 87,940 and a population density of 510.30 persons per km². The total area was 172.3 km².
On March 22, 2005, Izumo absorbed the city of Hirata, and the towns of Koryō, Sada, Taisha and Taki (all from Hikawa District) to create the new and expanded city of Izumo.
After the creation]] of the new city, as of 2010, the estimated total population is 145,008 and the combined area of the new city of Izumo is 543.48 km².
On October 1, 2011, the town of Hikawa (also from Hikawa District) was also merged into the new Izumo. Hikawa District was dissolved as a result of this merger.
Izumo is serviced by two rail networks. The first is the JR West Sanin Main Line, connecting Izumo-shi Station to Tottori through Yonago and Matsue to the east, and connecting along the coast to Ōda, Hamada and Masuda to the west.
The secondary rail network is the Ichibata Electric Railway. Dentetsu Izumo-shi Station is the terminal, and the line runs from Izumo to Matsue, passing through and connecting Hirata. The Dentetsu line also branches out and runs to Izumo Taisha from Kawato Station. A JR West service to Taisha ran until 1990 when the line was closed and Izumo-Takamatsu and Arakaya stations removed. Taisha JR railway station still exists as a historic building.
There is one airport inside the city of Izumo, Izumo Airport, located in the former town of Hikawa.