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 (2)
- Festivals (6)
- Hot Springs (17)
- Kagura (2)
- Museums (16)
- Skiing (2)
- Surfing (1)
- 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)
- Nima Sand Museum When you visit Japan for vacatipn, a trip to the countryside allows you to see a dofferent side of country. Iwami is f...(read more)
- Iwami Kagura Costumes Atelier Iwami Kagura’s costumes atelier ~ Kagura shop “Kuwanoki” First, I’d like to explain about Iwa...(read more)
- Sekisho Art museum This museum was built for Sho Ishimoto(石本正) who is a famous Japanese artist. He sent his works to Misumi and this museum...(read more)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Sanbe Azukihara Maibotsurin park “Maibotsurin” means submerged forest. This park is at the bottom of Mt. Sanbe. This facility was establish...(read more)
- Sanbesou Sanbesou (さんべ荘) <<Restaurant Iris>> You can enjoy delicious Japanese dishes such as soba noodl...(read more)
- Grand Toit Grand Toit is an arts center in Shimane. Both the roof and outerwalls of Grand Toit use roof tilescalled Sek...(read more)
- Tsuwano’s Japanese heritage center (Tsuwano-cho Nihon-Isan Center) Iwami region is home to one of Japan's 'little Kyotos', smaller scale versions of the delightful city. Tsuwa...(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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.
- 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)
- 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)
- Akebono Shokudo Akebono Shokudo is a typical little restaurant in Gotsu. It’s the kind of place where the local people eat. You ca...(read more)
- Fathers my first hero Fathers is located on a leafy hilltop, at the top of a long steep slope. It’s a little difficult to find so please...(read more)
- Minori Oshokuzidokoro Minori (Lookon a Japanese map forお食事処みのり) is a traditional Japanese restaurant.Minori m...(read more)
- Rum’s Bar Rum’s bar started to provide lunch and coffee. And you can enjoy night time too. There are many kind of drinks. (c...(read more)
- Gyozushi Goyozushi ~御用鮨~ Goyozushi is a seafood restaurant. This restaurant isn’t well known by everyone, but th...(read more)
- Nitto kocha tea parlor If you want to experience a retro cafe in Japan, look no further than Nitto Kocha tea parlor. The café opened i...(read more)
- Coffee House This is a café which serves bread and drinks. There are so many kinds of bread. It’s pretty cheap and there...(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)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Tsuwano Catholic Church ○Tsuwano Catholic Church (photo copyright Ojisanjake) There is an interesting church on Tonomachi (殿町) Street in To...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Youmeiji Tsuwano has outstanding shrines and temples, incredible festivals, hot springs, sake breweries, a Christian hist...(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)
World Heritage
Iwami boasts both a World Heritage site in the Iwami Silver Mine and an intangible asset, Sekishu hand-made paper.
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Seisuiji Temple SeisuijiTemple is a Shingon Buddhist temple, and is a notable place in the history of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, wh...(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)
- Iwami Ginzan museum Iwami Ginzan is a historic silver mine in the mountains of Shimane, Japan. The preservation and revitalization of Iwami ...(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)
- 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)
- 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)