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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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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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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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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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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)
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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)
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Restaurany Pony Restaurant Pony is in Grand Toit, the largest museumin Masuda. You can enjoy delicious foods made with fresh loca...(read more)
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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)
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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)
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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)
Mimata Hot Spring Kokumin Hoyou Center
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)
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Masuda String-puppets Masuda marionettes were designated as an intangible folk-cultural property of Shimane prefecture 60 years ago. They are ...(read more)
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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)

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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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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)
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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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Shou-kyouto Tsuwano is a must-see on any vacation in the Iwami region in Japan. This 'little Kyoto' of Shimane is ...(read more)
Beijing Fandian
Beijing Fandian If you want to enjoy Chinese food, why don't you try Beijing Fandian? It is one of the best Chinese restaurant in Ha...(read more)
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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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Un-kai "雲海 ( Un-Kai ) " is the restaurant in the さひめ野 ( Sahimeno ) which is kind of hotel. We can come here just e...(read more)
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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)
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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)
Chinese Cooking Karamomo
Chinese Cooking Karamomo When you come to Iwami, you can also enjoy other Asian cuisine. Karamomo is a delicious Chinese restaurant in Hamada, wh...(read more)
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Ichiban-Kan Ichiban-Kan is located near Gotsu station. You can take a train to Gostu station. From the station, you can go there on ...(read more)
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Furusato No trip to Japan is complete without sampling the local cuisine. Plenty of little restaurants in the Iwami region ...(read more)
Kuraniwa
Kuraniwa Kuraniwa(蔵庭) Kuraniwa is a delicious new vegetarian restaurant in Gotsu city, which opened in the summer of 2015...(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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Taikodani Inari Shrine 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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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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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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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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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)
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Youmeiji Tsuwano has outstanding shrines and temples, incredible festivals, hot springs, sake breweries, a Christian hist...(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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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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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)
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Seisui Temple Seisui temple ( 清水寺 ) It takes about 30min by foot from Omori bus stop. TEL:0854-89-0129 Seisui te...(read more)
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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)
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Ryuunji (Cloud Dragon Temple) Ryuunji is a Soto Zen temple, which was found...(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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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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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 museum
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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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)
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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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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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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 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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Sekishu-Washi ~Making traditional paper activity~ &...(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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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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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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OhdaDetails