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)

- Hamada Castle Museum Hamada Castle Museum introduces the history of the castle and the nearby port of Tonoura, which is recognized as a Japan...(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)

- 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)

- Arifuku Arifuku onsen or hot spring is a small village, just a collection of streets really, lined with retro hot sp...(read more)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

- I-sann I went to I-sann (いーさん) to eat dinner. This restaurant is located along route 186. This restaurant serves delicious Ko...(read more)

- 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)

- Maruco & Isseiro MARUCO (マルコ) is an Italian restaurant in Misumi, Hamada. Near Misumi city hall, you will find a lovely building which ha...(read more)

- Fontane This is a soupand gelato shop located in Masuda. They provide some kinds of soups (Soup lunch\650: S...(read more)

- 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)

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

- 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)

- Hanasoushi A four-minute walk from Hamada station is a small French restaurant called Hanasoshi. The restaurant is a little diff...(read more)

- Kaede Gelato Kaede Gelato(楓ジェラート)is an Italian gelato shop located in Misumi. It opened in 2013. You can choose from m...(read more)

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

- Takohatsu restaurant Takohatu dining room (たこ初食堂) is located near Lawson, a convenience store, Lawson, in the Kataniwa area of Hamada. You ca...(read more)

- AZ ~Café & Select Shop~ AZ is popular café in Masuda city. It’s called café, but they offer lunch menu, international dishes, a lot of kind of d...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

- Mononobe Shrine IwamiIchinomiya Mononobe Shrine has been revered since ancient times for itsdeity of both academics and mart...(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)

- 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)

- 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)
![IMG_7942[1]](http://www.iwami-travelguide.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_79421-240x240.jpg)
- 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)

- 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)

- Sanbe Sightseeing Chair Lift Anyone can climb Mount Sanbe! Even if you're with little kids or have mobility issues, you can take a chair lift n...(read more)

- Misumi shrine ...(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)

- 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)

- Jionji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) This is Jionji (慈恩寺). It is located in Tsuchi cho, Gotsu city. Thetemple was built in 1376by Tadafuyu Ashika...(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)
World Heritage
Iwami boasts both a World Heritage site in the Iwami Silver Mine and an intangible asset, Sekishu hand-made paper.

- 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 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Seisuiji Temple SeisuijiTemple is a Shingon Buddhist temple, and is a notable place in the history of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, wh...(read more)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Imodaikan Museum (Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Museum) The Imodaikan Museum (Iwami Ginzan Silvermine Museum) exhibits historical records, mine records and mineral specimens. T...(read more)






















