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)
- Kazenokuni Onsen Shimane is known for its famous hot springs. For example, Tamatsukuri Hot Springs are very popular hot springs in Nort...(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)
- 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)
- Tsuwano Festivals “Tsuwano Yabusame Festival (流鏑馬まつり)” . Yabusame is a type of mounted archery which has a long his...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Sanbesou Sanbesou (さんべ荘) <<Restaurant Iris>> You can enjoy delicious Japanese dishes such as soba noodl...(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)
- Mounted Archery (Yabusame) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.
- Cafe Kureha No trip to Japan is complete without sampling the local cuisine. Plenty of little restaurants in the Iwami region ...(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)
- Karaku Italian restaurant There's an Italian restaurant called Karaku in Konya machi. It opened in 2013, but its owner studied cooking in It...(read more)
- Tokumasa A visit to the Iwami region of Shimane should include some local cuisine. Japan is famed for its delicious food,...(read more)
- Kamuri Kamuri is an informal restaurant situated in Ohnan. Ii is part of the ‘Koboku no mori’ area. You ca...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Osamu If you want to enjoy fresh seafood which is famous in Hamada city at a homey Japanese style restaurant, then Osamu is on...(read more)
- Fukumimi Fukumimi is a japanese restaurant which offers kansai-style okonomiyaki. You can enjoy many kinds of okonomiyaki such ...(read more)
- Sanbe burger Ohda city is famous for its nature, which can be found in abundance at nearby Mt. Sanbe. In Ohda city, very ...(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)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.
- Taikodani Inari Shrine Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Youmeiji Tsuwano has outstanding shrines and temples, incredible festivals, hot springs, sake breweries, a Christian hist...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Misumi shrine ...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
World Heritage
Iwami boasts both a World Heritage site in the Iwami Silver Mine and an intangible asset, Sekishu hand-made paper.
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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 museum Iwami Ginzan is a historic silver mine in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. The preservation and revitalization of Iwami ...(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)