Gōtsu is located in the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It consists of coastal terraces in the north that extend from east to west, and hilly areas in the south.The
Gōnokawa River, one of the few rivers that runs through the
Chugoku Mountains and the largest river in the Chugoku region, flows into the
Sea of Japan in this city. Approximately 79% of Gōtsu's land are is forested. It is said to be the city with the longest travel time from Tokyo, and is advertised as "the furthest city from Tokyo", a point which has been featured in high school "Geography A" textbooks. Overlooking Gōtsu City is Hoshitaka Mountain, or "Star Mountain", so named for the star pattern carved into the face of the mountain. According to Gōtsu legend, the star was formed by a meteor that had fallen many years ago. A piece of this meteor was saved, and a shrine was built at the foot of the mountain to honor the event. In the winter, snowfall on the mountain creates a beautiful star-shaped pattern, visible from anywhere in the city. In the spring, white azaleas bloom to form a white star, while the area bordering the star remains green. In the summer, in celebration of the Japanese Obon Festival, the star is lit up at night. ==Neighboring municipalities==