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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Hot spring in Kanagi city There are many hot springs in Shimane prefecture. Here I will introduce two hot spring resorts. Kintanosato (きんたの里) T...(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)

- 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)

- Hot springs in Tsuwano Tsuwano Onsen Nagominosato Nagominosato is in the road side station which is located on Hagi-Tsuwano Station Line (萩津和野...(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)

- 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)

- Yakushiyu When you visit Japan for a vacation, you should try a hot spring. OK, you do need to take your clothes off, but there ar...(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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

- Mameda The main road from Hamada station is called 銀天街 (Gintengai). There are many restaurants, bars, and stores here a...(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)

- 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)

- Restaurant Iruka There is restaurant called Iruka, or dolphin, next to Aquas. Don't worry: it doesn't serve dolphin. It’s g...(read more)

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

- Hachiemon Hachiemon is a Japanese restaurant where you can enjoy lots of fresh sea food from Hamada’s port. Hamada's cl...(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)

- Cafe Cagliari Iwami Ginzan is a UN World Heritage site in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. During the sixteenth century, it was one of...(read more)

- Mori no Restaurant This is an Italian restaurant in Gotsu. Since its opening in 2011, Mori no Restaurant has served Italian food. The conce...(read more)

- Gyozushi Goyozushi ~御用鮨~ Goyozushi is a seafood restaurant. This restaurant isn’t well known by everyone, but th...(read more)

- 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)

- Gungendo Cafe Iwami Ginzan is a UN World Heritage site in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. During the sixteenth century, it was one of...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)
![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)

- 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)

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

- 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)

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

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

- 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 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)

- 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 Library This beautiful building is Iwami Ginzan Library, our university's satellite campus in Iwami Ginzan. This library ...(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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

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





















