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Iwami

  • Ohda
  • Gotsu
  • Misato
  • Kawamoto
  • Ohnan
  • Hamada
  • Masuda
  • Tsuwano
  • Yoshiga

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.

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Recommended contents

Experience

From noodle making, traditional weaving, throwing pottery, rice planting, or risking your life on a wild boar hunt.

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Birthplace of Ogai Mori Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(read more)
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Yakushiyu 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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Kiunsou At night, Yunotsu looks like something straight out of Studio Ghibli's 'Spirited Away.' Traditional inns and...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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SAHIMEL The Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe “SAHIMEL” How many people know which is the highest mountain in Sh...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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Mounted Archery (Yabusame) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(read more)

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SakuraeDetails

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Restaurant & Cafe

Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.

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Gyozushi Goyozushi ~御用鮨~ Goyozushi is a seafood restaurant. This restaurant isn’t well known by everyone, but th...(read more)
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hito-toki (Cafe & Wine dining room) hito-toki is a café and wine dining room which is a place with good vibes in Masuda. You can enjoy a delicious lu...(read more)
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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9...(read more)
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Torteno TORTENO~~western style gateau studio Torteno is a cake shop located near Kintano-sato(きんたの里). This place offers...(read more)
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Elite “Elite” is a café, located in Hamada City. It serves many kinds of food including sandwiches, p...(read more)
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Hataoka( Vietnamese restaurant ) If you want to try Vietnamese dishes in Hamada, you should go to Hataoka. It’s close to Hamada station. You can se...(read more)
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Azemichi Rest House Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is burs...(read more)
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Minori Oshokuzidokoro Minori (Lookon a Japanese map forお食事処みのり) is a traditional Japanese restaurant.Minori m...(read more)
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Cafe Ju-ru Café Ju-ru(住留) Iwami Ginzan is a UN World Heritage site in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. During the sixteenth...(read more)
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Youkiya Youkiya(ようきや)is a restaurant that sells Okonomiyaki, a Japanese savoury pancake with egg, pork, noodles and whole choice...(read more)
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Mom-and-pop buckwheat noodle shop Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is bu...(read more)
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Marugo Marugo is a Western restaurant and has many kinds of food including pizza, rice omelet, curry and rice, gratin, ...(read more)

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HamadaDetails

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Scenery

Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.

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Otome Chapel Otome Chapel (乙女峠) (photo copyright by Ojisanjake) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyo...(read more)
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Ganryuji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) History of Ganryuji Temple About 1,200 years ago, during the Daido period (806~810), Kobo Daishi Kukai founded the near...(read more)
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Saishou Temple This temple was founded in 1465. The temple in existence was rebuilt in 1739. This temple has some statues on the roo...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
Sanbe Sightseeing Chair Lift
Sanbe Sightseeing Chair Lift Anyone can climb Mount Sanbe! Even if you're with little kids or have mobility issues, you can take a chair lift n...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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Misumi shrine ...(read more)

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MasudaDetails

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World Heritage

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

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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Iwami Ginzan museum Iwami Ginzan is a historic silver mine in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. The preservation and revitalization of Iwami ...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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Sekishu-Washi ~Making traditional paper activity~ &...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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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)

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OhdaDetails