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.
Experience
From noodle making, traditional weaving, throwing pottery, rice planting, or risking your life on a wild boar hunt.
- Crafts and cooking (5)
- Driving (3)
- Festivals (6)
- Hot Springs (17)
- Kagura (2)
- Museums (20)
- Skiing (2)
- Surfing (1)

- 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)

- 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)

- Mimata Hot Spring Kokumin Hoyou Center Mimata is the one of the most famous hot springs in Shimane. It has been used for over 150 years. It is claimed that t...(read more)

- Mounted Archery (Yabusame) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(read more)

- Yunotsu 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)

- The history of Arifuku A brief history of Arifuku Onsen Arifuku Onsen town, located in Gotsu, Shimane, dates back about 1,300 years. At that...(read more)

- Nima Sand Museum When you visit Japan for vacatipn, a trip to the countryside allows you to see a dofferent side of country. Iwami is f...(read more)
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- Tsuwano Festivals “Tsuwano Yabusame Festival (流鏑馬まつり)” . Yabusame is a type of mounted archery which has a long his...(read more)

- Kiunsou At night, Yunotsu looks like something straight out of Studio Ghibli's 'Spirited Away.' Traditional inns and...(read more)

- Hamada Children’s Museum of Art This is the biggest museum in Hamada. There are many pictures and most of them are displayed at children's eye leve...(read more)

- SANBE BURGER made from Shimane’s special fresh ingredients In Ohda City, located in the central part of Shimane Prefecture, there is a beautiful mountain called Mt. Sambe. Mt. Sam...(read more)

- Hot Spring after skiing? There are some nice places for onsen near Osa Ski Resort. The nearest onsens are at Kinta no sato and Geiho...(read more)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

- Restaurant TOKI No trip to Japan is complete without sampling the local cuisine. Plemty of little restaurants in the Iwami region have...(read more)

- Nitto kocha tea parlor If you want to experience a retro cafe in Japan, look no further than Nitto Kocha tea parlor. The café opened i...(read more)

- Minori Oshokuzidokoro Minori (Lookon a Japanese map forお食事処みのり) is a traditional Japanese restaurant.Minori m...(read more)

- Restaurany Pony Restaurant Pony is in Grand Toit, the largest museumin Masuda. You can enjoy delicious foods made with fresh loca...(read more)

- Shou-kyouto Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is ...(read more)

- Un-kai "雲海 ( Un-Kai ) " is the restaurant in the さひめ野 ( Sahimeno ) which is kind of hotel. We can come here just e...(read more)

- Tanuki-no-kuni If you like little Japanese raccoon dogs, you should visit Tanuki-no-kuni (literally Raccoon Dog Country). This restau...(read more)

- Eating in Iwami Ginzan Restaurants and restrooms There are some good restaurants and few restrooms in this area. Café Nobosemon This ...(read more)

- Akanegumo No trip to Japan is complete without sampling the local cuisine. Plenty of little restaurants in the Iwami region have p...(read more)

- Marugo Marugo is a Western restaurant and has many kinds of food including pizza, rice omelet, curry and rice, gratin, ...(read more)

- Tontei Restaurant Tontei is a cozy pork cutlet restaurant that has been serving the local area for 25 years. It’s located about 10 m...(read more)

- Hataoka( Vietnamese restaurant ) If you want to try Vietnamese dishes in Hamada, you should go to Hataoka. It’s close to Hamada station. You can se...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

- Taikodani Inari Shrine Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(read more)

- 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)

- 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)

- Youmeiji Tsuwano has outstanding shrines and temples, incredible festivals, hot springs, sake breweries, a Christian hist...(read more)

- Washihara Hachimangu Shrine This place is famous for its Yabusame field, the last remaining one in Japan. On the second Sunday of April, they hold a...(read more)

- Saishou Temple This temple was founded in 1465. The temple in existence was rebuilt in 1739. This temple has some statues on the roo...(read more)

- 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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- Shogenji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) If you enjoy visiting temples, Iwami has a 33 temple pilgrimage route that you can follow. Shogenji Temple is one ...(read more)

- SANBE BURGER made from Shimane’s special fresh ingredients In Ohda City, located in the central part of Shimane Prefecture, there is a beautiful mountain called Mt. Sambe. Mt. Sam...(read more)

- Ryuunji (Cloud Dragon Temple) Ryuunji is a Soto Zen temple, which was found...(read more)

- Iwami 33 Temple Pigrimage Have you ever heard a pilgrimage to the Iwami Kannon 33 Temples Pilgrimage? All the temples are located in Iwami region ...(read more)

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

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Cooking Experience at Kumagai House Visitors to Iwami Ginzan canexperience Japanese traditional cooking in the kitchen ofKumagai Family House. T...(read more)

- Kakita Katsuro Mask Workshop Iwami Kagura is traditional dance in Iwami region and performers wear Kagura masks for the performance rather than make-...(read more)

- 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)

- Iwami Ginzan museum Iwami Ginzan is a historic silver mine in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. The preservation and revitalization of Iwami ...(read more)

- 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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- 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)

- Iwami 33 Temple Pigrimage Have you ever heard a pilgrimage to the Iwami Kannon 33 Temples Pilgrimage? All the temples are located in Iwami region ...(read more)

- Kazenokuni ( paper making experience) In Gotsu city, in the town of Sakurae, there is a nature park and leisure facilities called Kazenokuni. The Kazenokuni c...(read more)

- 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)





















