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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Hot springs in Tsuwano Tsuwano Onsen Nagominosato Nagominosato is in the road side station which is located on Hagi-Tsuwano Station Line (萩津和野...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- SAHIMEL The Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe “SAHIMEL” How many people know which is the highest mountain in Sh...(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)
- Grand Toit Grand Toit is the compound institution; museum and theater. In Iwami Art Museum, you can enjoy many kinds of Art at 4 ex...(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)
Restaurant & Cafe
Everything from freshly caught seafood to organic buffets, freshly ground coffee, and wild boar meat.
- Cafe Fadette Café Fadette Near Masuda station, you can find a cool restaurant called Café Fadette. Inside the buildi...(read more)
- Ani no kitchen "Ani no kitchen"has varied menus and you can enjoy eating fish or meat, tempura and so on. Not onl...(read more)
- Kamuri & Koraku Ichi Kamuri (香夢里) isthe first restaurant you will see at Kobokuno Mori. It islocated at the top ...(read more)
- MameMame Dining Mamemame dining is located on the left where go straight from Hamada station's main entrance. “Mame” m...(read more)
- Sanbe Burger Ohda city is famous for its nature, which can be found in abundance at nearby Mt....(read more)
- Hanasoushi A four-minute walk from Hamada station is a small French restaurant called Hanasoshi. The restaurant is a little diff...(read more)
- Mori no Restaurant This is an Italian restaurant in Gotsu. Since its opening in 2011, Mori no Restaurant has served Italian food. The conce...(read more)
- Tontei Restaurant Tontei is a cozy pork cutlet restaurant that has been serving the local area for 25 years. It’s located about 10 m...(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)
- Elite “Elite” is a café, located in Hamada City. It serves many kinds of food including sandwiches, p...(read more)
- Kaede Gelato Kaede Gelato(楓ジェラート)is an Italian gelato shop located in Misumi. It opened in 2013. You can choose from m...(read more)
Scenery
Hike the Chugoku mountain trail, see ancient temples, enjoy green tea in a traditional garden, or photograph terraced rice paddies.
- Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine Place :〒698-0041 Takatsu Masuda city Shimane This shrine is Takatsu Kakinomoto Shrine, but people who...(read more)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Ryuunji (Cloud Dragon Temple) Ryuunji is a Soto Zen temple, which was found...(read more)
- 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)
- Jionji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) This is Jionji (慈恩寺). It is located in Tsuchi cho, Gotsu city. Thetemple was built in 1376by Tadafuyu Ashika...(read more)
- Kanzeonji Temple (Iwami 33 Temple Pilgrimage) The original Kanzeonji Temple burned down in 1800 in a fire which destroyed most of the town. However, it was reconstruc...(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)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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 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)
- 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 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)
- 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)
- 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)