Gōtsu

Gōtsu is a small city on the Sea of Japan coast in the western part of Shimane Prefecture, Japan. It had an estimated population of 21,913 in mid 2023 and covers about 268 square kilometres, which makes it the smallest and least populous city in the prefecture. The land rises from coastal terraces in the north to hilly, heavily forested country in the south, and the Gōnokawa River, the largest river of the Chugoku region, reaches the sea within the city. Gōtsu is often advertised as the city furthest from Tokyo in terms of travel time. Its economy rests on farming, commercial fishing and the production of Sekishu roof tiles and Iwami ware pottery, and it was formed in its present shape in 1954 and enlarged in 2004 when the town of Sakurae joined it.