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Iwami

  • Ohda
  • Gotsu
  • Misato
  • Kawamoto
  • Ohnan
  • Hamada
  • Masuda
  • Tsuwano
  • Yoshiga

An English guide to the
beautiful Iwami region of JapanIwami is in the western part of Shimane, a rural prefecture on the Sea of Japan,
geographically remote from the larger cities, and cut off from the nearest major city
of Hiroshima by the Chugoku mountain range. This is old, rural Japan.

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Recommended contents

Experience

From noodle making, traditional weaving, throwing pottery, rice planting, or risking your life on a wild boar hunt.

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Driving in Ohda You'll love driving in nature around Mt. Sanbe. You can relax here.In summer, the green of plants and mountain...(read more)
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Cooking Experience at Kumagai House Visitors to Iwami Ginzan canexperience Japanese traditional cooking in the kitchen ofKumagai Family House. T...(read more)
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Kannanmiji temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) Kannamiji Temple is the 11th on the Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage.It's in the Kawamoto area of Gotsu city and was...(read more)
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Sekisho Art museum This museum was built for Sho Ishimoto(石本正) who is a famous Japanese artist. He sent his works to Misumi and this museum...(read more)
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SAHIMEL The Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe “SAHIMEL” How many people know which is the highest mountain in Sh...(read more)
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Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center Iwami Ginzan is a UN World Heritage site in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. During ...(read more)
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Kazenokuni Onsen Shimane is known for its famous hot springs. For example, Tamatsukuri Hot Springs are very popular hot springs in Nort...(read more)
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Arifuku Arifuku onsen or hot spring is a small village, just a collection of streets really, lined with retro hot sp...(read more)
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Motoyu When you visit Japan for vacatipn, a trip to the countryside allows you to see a dofferent side of country. Iwami is far...(read more)
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Iwami Silver Mine Museum The museum was built as a local government office in the Meiji era (1902). It's a large traditional house and exhibi...(read more)
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Nogawaya (Japanese traditional inn) When you visit Japan for a vacation, a trip to the countryside allows you to see a different side of the count...(read more)
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Bon dancing festival in Tsuwano (津和野盆踊り大会) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful...(read more)

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SakuraeDetails

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Restaurant & Cafe

Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

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Hanasoushi  A four-minute walk from Hamada station is a small French restaurant called Hanasoshi. The restaurant is a little diff...(read more)
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Fukumimi Fukumimi is a japanese restaurant which offers kansai-style okonomiyaki. You can enjoy many kinds of okonomiyaki such ...(read more)
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Cafes in Hamada Cafe Michele Hamadahas lots of good places to eat such as cafésor restaurants. “Café Mi...(read more)
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Sanbe burger Ohda city is famous for its nature, which can be found in abundance at nearby Mt. Sanbe. In Ohda city, very ...(read more)
Chinese Cooking Karamomo
Chinese Cooking Karamomo When you come to Iwami, you can also enjoy other Asian cuisine. Karamomo is a delicious Chinese restaurant in Hamada, wh...(read more)
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Koharu Biyori Koharu Biyori (小春日和) is a café located in Masuda, which opened on January 15th, 2015. It looks like an old J...(read more)
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Rum’s Bar Rum’s bar started to provide lunch and coffee. And you can enjoy night time too. There are many kind of drinks. (c...(read more)
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Cafe Bar Roan When you come to Japan on vacation, you must try local Japanese food. Iwami is on the sea of Japan coast, and it's...(read more)
Fathers my first hero
Fathers my first hero Fathers is located on a leafy hilltop, at the top of a long steep slope. It’s a little difficult to find so please...(read more)
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Gamu Gamu is a cafe. It takes about one minute on foot from Hamada station to Gamu. If you come out of the station and tur...(read more)
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Hotel Matsuo Hotel Matsuo offers traditional Japanese dishes, using Hamada's localingredients. You can enjoy Japanese tr...(read more)
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Azemichi Rest House Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is burs...(read more)

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HamadaDetails

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Scenery

Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

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Hori teien Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is bursting w...(read more)
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33 temple pilgrimage Check out the video of our day trip to 7 of the 33 temples on the Iwami Silver Mine Kanon 33 temple pilgrimage. Many t...(read more)
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Mount Sankai In Hamada, there are a lot of hills and mountains but Mt. Sankai is one of the symbols of Hamada city. The height ...(read more)
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Ikouji Temple and Sesshu Garden Along route 191 in Iwami, there is an old temple which has a tasteful Japanese garden. The temple is called Ikouji and...(read more)
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Seisuiji Temple SeisuijiTemple is a Shingon Buddhist temple, and is a notable place in the history of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, wh...(read more)
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Ebisu Shrine in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture This beautiful building is Ebisu Shrine in Masuda City, Shimane Prefecture. This shrine is a sub-shrine of Miho Shrin...(read more)
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Senjouen In Hamada, just by the sea, there is a really cool hotel called Senjouen (千畳苑). The best thing about this place is that ...(read more)
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Ganryuji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) History of Ganryuji Temple About 1,200 years ago, during the Daido period (806~810), Kobo Daishi Kukai founded the near...(read more)
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European Herb Garden In Koboku no mori, there is an herb garden. Depending on the season, you can enjoy different kinds of herbs. &nbs...(read more)
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Hashi Beach This beach is great for swimming and surfing. Unfortunately, it was cloudy on the day we went so our pictures aren'...(read more)
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Jinguji (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) This quiet place surrounded by many trees is the original location of Jinguji tmple.It is located across a small b...(read more)
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Senganji temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) Senganji temple is located at the top of a small mountain in theKawamoto area of Gotsu. This temple was establis...(read more)

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MasudaDetails

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World Heritage

Iwami boasts both a World Heritage site in the Iwami Silver Mine and an intangible asset, Sekishu hand-made paper.

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Omori Omori is a traditional noodle restaurant in Iwami Silver Mine. There's a retro feel to the building, with its old-fa...(read more)
Hidden Gem in Iwami Region
Hidden Gem in Iwami Region In one corner of peaceful Oda City, you’ll find a hidden gem: Oni-Iwa Rock. Away from the noise of busy town, this...(read more)
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Sekushu-Washi Kaikan Sekishu-Washi Kaikan(石州和紙会館)” is a place where we can experience making washi and learn culture and history of Sek...(read more)
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Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center Iwami Ginzan is a UN World Heritage site in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. During ...(read more)
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Iwami Silver Mine Museum The museum was built as a local government office in the Meiji era (1902). It's a large traditional house and exhibi...(read more)
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Takanoji Temple ( Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) If you enjoy walking, we recommend Takano temple, about 20 minutes by taxi from Yunotsu station in Iwami region. The mai...(read more)
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Enpukuji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) If you want to see a visual representation of the last judgement, you should visit Enpuku-ji temple in Ohda, Iwami regio...(read more)
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Enjoji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) Enjoji Temple (written圓城寺 in Japanese) is also known as Reichinzan (霊椿山) or mountain of the sacred camellia. There is a ...(read more)
Iwami Ginzan museum
Iwami Ginzan museum Iwami Ginzan is a historic silver mine in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. The preservation and revitalization of Iwami ...(read more)
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Ryugenji Mabu  When you visit Japan for a vacation, a trip to the countryside allows you to see a different side of the country. Iwam...(read more)
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Iwami Ginzan Library This beautiful building is Iwami Ginzan Library, our university's satellite campus in Iwami Ginzan. This library ...(read more)
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Seisuiji Temple SeisuijiTemple is a Shingon Buddhist temple, and is a notable place in the history of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, wh...(read more)

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OhdaDetails