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)

- Iwami Kagura Costumes Atelier Iwami Kagura’s costumes atelier ~ Kagura shop “Kuwanoki” First, I’d like to explain about Iwa...(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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

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

- 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)

- 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)

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

- 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)

- Gelateria Café Mui Gelateria Mui is a local company in Shimane, run by Six Produce. Six Produce is a local dairy company. They p...(read more)

- Restaurant Miyagawa お食事処 宮川 Go down hill from the University of Shimane until you reach Route 186 then turn left, go eastward for about 5...(read more)

- Sakuraco This cafe is called ‘Sakura co’. You can eat lunch and pancakes here. And you can read a book, chat with f...(read more)

- Mimatsu Shokudou A trip to Tsuwano allows you to see a different side of Japan. Iwami is far off the beaten track, the nearest big city i...(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)

- Kara kara noodles This is Tantanmen or spicy noodles from Kara Kara, a restaurant in Hamada, located five-minutes on foot from t...(read more)

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

- Kameria Tsuwano, known as the 'little Kyoto' of Shimane, is bursting with shrines, and temples, traditional architecture...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- Tsuwano Catholic Church ○Tsuwano Catholic Church (photo copyright Ojisanjake) There is an interesting church on Tonomachi (殿町) Street in To...(read more)

- Ryougonji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) Ryougonji Temple (written 楞厳寺 in Japanese) is the 27th on the Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage. It’s located in Yunotsu ...(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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

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

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

- 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)

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

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

- 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)























