We studied distribution of Vibrio vulnificus in sea water, sediment, and shellfish along the coast and contamination of retail fish and shellfish with V vulnificus in Shimane Prefecture, Japan between 2001 and 2004. V. vulnificus was isolated from 77 (68.1%) of 113 sea water samples with≤10⁵MPN/L, 88 (70.4%) of 125 sediment samples with≤10⁷MPN/100g, 8 (17.2%) of 46 fish samples with≤10⁶CFU/10g and 68 (43.8%) of 156 shellfish samples with≤10⁶ MPN/10g. This organism was isolated from 64 (70.3%) of 91 shellfish samples, (short-necked clam, clam, hen clam, oyster and scallop, etc) with≤10⁶MPN/10g and from 7 (43.7%) of 16 prawn samples with<10² MPN/10g. These isolates were divided into 11 serotypes with the most prevalent serotype being O4 followed by O1, O3 and O6. Serotype O12 strain (isolated from a patient from interior Shimane Prefecture in August 2004) was isolated from sea water and a sediment sample and from 3 samples of short-necked clam produced in Kumamoto Prefecture. These findings suggested potential transmission of V. vulnificus through the water environment along the coast of the Japan Sea, that V. vulnificus is easily spread by coldtransport of fresh marine product, and that the occurrence of V. vulnificus infection is possible regardless of one's nearness to coastal areas where V. vulnificus is prevalent.