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)

- Hamakko Festival in August Hamakko festival is the biggest festival in Hamada city. It is held every summer, at the beginning of August. Hamakko ...(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)

- 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)

- Anno Mitsumasa Museum Anno Mitsumasa Museum安野光雅美術館 Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little...(read more)

- Mizuho Highland Mizuho Highland is the biggest ski slope in the west part of Japan. You can enjoy a variety of ski courses from begin...(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)

- Yunotsu Onsen summer festival (Yunotsu Hotsprings summer festival) At night, Yunotsu looks like something straight out of Studio Ghibli's 'Spirited Away.' Traditional in...(read more)

- Morijuku Museum Tsuwano is a must-see on any visit to the Iwami region in Japan. This ' little Kyoto'...(read more)

- Making pottery You can experience making pottery in Gotsu. There are two kinds of ways to make pottery. One is by hand and the ...(read more)

- Grand Toit Grand Toit is an arts center in Shimane. Both the roof and outerwalls of Grand Toit use roof tilescalled Sek...(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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

- Akebono Shokudo Akebono Shokudo is a typical little restaurant in Gotsu. It’s the kind of place where the local people eat. You ca...(read more)

- Tsurube (Udon restaurant) A visit to the Iwami region of Shimane should include some local cuisine. Japan is famed for its delicious food, and Tsu...(read more)

- Sushiyuu, Sushi restaurant Sushiyuu is a sushi restaurant located five minutes on foot from Hamada station It’s not a conveyor-belt sushi res...(read more)

- Kuraniwa Kuraniwa(蔵庭) Kuraniwa is a delicious new vegetarian restaurant in Gotsu city, which opened in the summer of 2015...(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)

- Jomon Village ...(read more)

- Sanbe Burger Ohda city is famous for its nature, which can be found in abundance at nearby Mt....(read more)

- Mamechaka & Apli Mamechaka and Apli are small but cute cafes on the edge of Honmachi where you can still see old buildings. These two are...(read more)

- Kinta no Sato ( hot spring and restaurant) This attraction is at Kanagi in Hamada. There are some places to relax such as hot spring, a restaurant and a break ro...(read more)

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

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

- Gozen-Soba Gozen-Soba (御前そば) Their Soba noodles are made with the water “Sanbyaku-Sui” which is one o...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

- 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)

- Kotogahama 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)

- 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)

- 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 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Seisui Temple Seisui temple ( 清水寺 ) It takes about 30min by foot from Omori bus stop. TEL:0854-89-0129 Seisui te...(read more)

- 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)

- 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)

- Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine Place :〒698-0041 Takatsu Masuda city Shimane This shrine is Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine, but people who...(read more)
World Heritage
Iwami boasts both a World Heritage site in the Iwami Silver Mine and an intangible asset, Sekishu hand-made paper.

- Okubo Mabu Mine Shaft Tour Although there are at least 600 entrances to the silver mine, only a few are open to the public. Tours to the Okubu min...(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)

- 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)

- 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 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)























