Iwami Town offers stunning attractions including Iwami Silver Mine UNESCO World Heritage Site, beautiful beaches along the Sea of Japan coast, traditional Japanese hot springs (onsen), historic temples and shrines, and scenic hiking trails through mountainous terrain. Visitors can explore mining heritage, enjoy fresh seafood, and experience authentic rural Japanese culture.
To reach Iwami Town, take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka, then transfer to JR San-in Line via Izumo City. The total journey takes approximately 6-7 hours. Alternatively, fly to Izumo Airport and take a bus or rental car to Iwami Town. Highway buses from major cities like Osaka and Hiroshima also provide direct access.
The best time to visit Iwami Town is during spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) when temperatures are mild and comfortable for sightseeing. Spring offers beautiful cherry blossoms, while autumn provides stunning fall foliage. Summer can be hot and humid, while winter brings snow and cooler temperatures ideal for hot spring bathing.
Iwami Town offers various accommodation options including traditional Japanese ryokan inns with hot springs, modern hotels, guesthouses, and minshuku (family-run lodgings). Popular choices include onsen ryokan near the coast, budget-friendly business hotels in town center, and traditional accommodations that serve local Iwami cuisine and fresh Sea of Japan seafood.
Iwami Town specializes in fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan including crab, sea bream, and local fish varieties. Must-try dishes include Iwami beef, local sake, traditional Japanese sweets, and regional specialties at local restaurants and izakaya. Many ryokan and hotels serve kaiseki meals featuring seasonal local ingredients and traditional Japanese cuisine.
Traveler reviews
Access to the mine is confusing and not easy. You'd park at the designated parking lot, after which you either need to take a long hike to the top of the mines, or you'd need to pay for an infrequent and small electric buggy.
The signs to the mines were infrequent, and at the start we were double-guessing ourselves on whether we were on the right track or the right direction.
As for the mines itself, the photo is pretty much what you're going to see for the whole attraction.
My personal take-away is, while the place is an important UNESCO cultural site, it's definitely not a "tourist attraction" so to speak. You'd probably appreciate the place more if you have the Japanese guides give you more info and history of the mines, but as a foreign tourist I don't think this location is a productive use of your time.
Interesting to go into the old silver mine. Recommend wearing the hard hat provided unless you are very short as the ceiling is low in many places and we bumped our heads a few times. There were some pictures of what the mining working conditions were like for the workers. Would have been a hard life.
The Iwami Ginzan historic site is impressive for its preserved old structures and landscape. It's clear that a considerable budget has been invested in maintaining the authenticity of this heritage site.
This was a fun experience. If you come here expecting to go deep under ground in a deep, vast tunnel you will be let down. The tunnel is nice to walk through but it's not the most thrilling thing in the world so its best to keep your expectations low. What really made this experience special was hiring a bicycle and riding through the beautiful traditional buildings in the town which leads up to the mine.
We visited this place on 8 october 2023. The day was little bit rainy but didn't interrupt our visit to this UNESCO World heritage site.
We started our journey from Yamaguchi city. The way to Shimane was also nice and enjoyable.
It was a guided tour. First, we visited the art museum. It is recommended to visit before you go to the site. You can know the history thoroughly. Then it will be easy to you to visualize the 500 years old silver mine civilization.
The place is quite thrilling full with history. You can see 500 years ago Barbara shop, the house of Samurai, old house and court building. Here, everything was kept as you can imagine yourself and go back 500 years ago.
Although we can not visit the actual mine area the trip was worthy as well. Strongly recommended.
