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 (3)
- Driving (1)
- Festivals (6)
- Hot Springs (17)
- Kagura (2)
- Museums (15)
- Skiing (2)
- Surfing (1)
- 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)
- Sanbe Azukihara Maibotsurin park “Maibotsurin” means submerged forest. This park is at the bottom of Mt. Sanbe. This facility was establish...(read more)
- Bon dancing festival in Tsuwano (津和野盆踊り大会) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful...(read more)
- Hot Spring after skiing? There are some nice places for onsen near Osa Ski Resort. The nearest onsens are at Kinta no sato and Geiho...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Kazenokuni Onsen Shimane is known for its famous hot springs. For example, Tamatsukuri Hot Springs are very popular hot springs in Nort...(read more)
- Revolution surfer’s base Revolution surfer’s base is a surf shop in Hamada city. This surf shop has a surfing school for beginner, and an...(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)
- 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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.
- Kuraniwa Kuraniwa(蔵庭) Kuraniwa is a delicious new vegetarian restaurant in Gotsu city, which opened in the summer of 2015...(read more)
- Jomon Village ...(read more)
- Dosanko (noodle restaurant) West of Hamada, there is a ramen restaurant called “Dosanko”. This restaurant is a chain shop, so there ar...(read more)
- Kagura Bar Kagura is a cozy place basing its theme on the Kagura, which is usually about sacred music and dancing in performa...(read more)
- Nemu no ki (Hikimi) (森の洋食屋さん ねむの木) Mori no yo-shokuyasan Nemu no ki” (森の洋食屋さん ねむの木) is a restaurant named after a tree. This restaur...(read more)
- Hotel Matsuo Hotel Matsuo offers traditional Japanese dishes, using Hamada's localingredients. You can enjoy Japanese tr...(read more)
- Restaurant FUKINOTOU Restaurant FUKINOTOU ~ in Kinta no sato ~ Place: Shitijou イ980-1, Kanagi-tyo, Hamada, Shimane. ( 島根県浜田市金城町七条イ980-1 ) ...(read more)
- Hamada restaurants We are reviewing some of our favourite restaurants in the area and, in particular, those participating in Hamada's 1...(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)
- KUN Kun is a café where you can get fresh waffles and nice coffee. It is located in Asahi-cho Hamada, and is on the f...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.
- Hashi beach Hashi beach is a very popular beach in the Iwami region. This beach is located in Iwami Seaside Park. From Aquas,...(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)
- Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine Place :〒698-0041 Takatsu Masuda city Shimane This shrine is Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine, but people who...(read more)
- Kigami Shrine Looking for love in Iwami? The god of Kigami shrine known as Okuninushi-no-mikoto is the very same as the god of marriag...(read more)
- Youmeiji Tsuwano has outstanding shrines and temples, incredible festivals, hot springs, sake breweries, a Christian hist...(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)
- Hori teien Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is bursting w...(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)
- Ryuunji (Cloud Dragon Temple) Ryuunji is a Soto Zen temple, which was found...(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)
- Taikodani Inari Shrine Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Iwami Ginzan museum Iwami Ginzan is a historic silver mine in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. The preservation and revitalization of Iwami ...(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)
- 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)