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)

- 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)

- Tsuwano’s Japanese heritage center (Tsuwano-cho Nihon-Isan Center) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(read more)

- Kiri no Yu -Hot spring- Iwami Onsen hot spring – Kiri no Yu – Shimane prefecture Ochi county Onan town Yakami 8532 – 2 0855 - 95 - 3505 (J...(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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Art workshops At Sekisho Art Museum they hold regular art workshops. You can learn how to paint, sketch, and make things. Of course, i...(read more)

- Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe, SAHIMEL This is thenatural history museum at Mt. Sanbe in Ohda city. Mt. Sanbe is an active volcano. In this museum, yo...(read more)

- Hanzake Nature Museum of Mizuho Hanzake Nature Museum of Mizuho,is in Ohnan-cho Ochi-gun, Shimane prefecture, Japan. It is dedicated to the giant ...(read more)

- Yamabuki Green Farm Yamabuki Green Farm in the remote village of Muikaichi has a beautiful garden. In fall, it is full of sunflowers, and in...(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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

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

- Kaze-no-Engawa (風のえんがわ) “Kaze-no-Engawa” is a fantastic café and restaurant in Gotsu. Going through a little grove of tr...(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)

- Kiraku Kiraku is a little difficult to find, but don’t let that put you off! This restaurant mainly serves donburi, or di...(read more)

- Restaurant Irodori Kouboku no Mori (香木の森) has some great restaurants. If you enjoy a nice view while you are eating, I recommend Restauran...(read more)

- Camborough Camborough is a specialized shop which offers pork. It is located in the “Donchicchi town(どんちっちタウン) near Hamada statio...(read more)

- Cafes in Hamada Cafe Michele Hamadahas lots of good places to eat such as cafésor restaurants. “Café Mi...(read more)

- Coffee House This is a café which serves bread and drinks. There are so many kinds of bread. It’s pretty cheap and there...(read more)

- Kamuri Kamuri is an informal restaurant situated in Ohnan. Ii is part of the ‘Koboku no mori’ area. You ca...(read more)

- Mom-and-pop buckwheat noodle shop Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is bu...(read more)

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

- Pocket Kitchen Kitchen Pocket This restaurant serves a daily set lunch you can try something new every day. We can choose dishes fr...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

- 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)

- Misumi shrine ...(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)

- Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine Place :〒698-0041 Takatsu Masuda city Shimane This shrine is Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine, but people who...(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)

- 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)

- Manyo Park This park is called Manyo Park. Hitomaro Kakinomoto (柿本人麻呂) who is famous poet around 700 A.D. wrote many poems and thes...(read more)

- 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)

- The Ogawas’ garden of Sesshu The Ogawa family is a famous old Japanese family. It is said that Sesshu built this garden for them when he visited&nb...(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)

- Kanzeonji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) The original Kanzeonji Temple burned down in 1800 in a fire which destroyed most of the town. However, itwas recon...(read more)

- Otome Chapel Otome Chapel (乙女峠) (photo copyright by Ojisanjake) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyo...(read more)
World Heritage
Iwami boasts both a World Heritage site in the Iwami Silver Mine and an intangible asset, Sekishu hand-made paper.

- 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)

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

- 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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- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

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

- 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)






















