SHIMANE

Discount Information for International Visitors (IWAMI AREA)

The Iwami region lies in the west of Shimane, stretching from the mountains to the sea with an abundance of nature and deep roots in tradition. To the west is a town called Tsuwano, or “little Kyoto”, where koi filled canals and white plastered walls remain from its old castle town days. Visit the 400 year old Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, globally known for producing high quality Japanese silver which contributed to 1/3 of the world’s silver supply, and the town that was built around it which includes the therapeutic waters of Yunotsu Onsen; both are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

21 Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center (石見銀山世界遺産センター)

Serving as the introductory entrance of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine districts, this museum features exhibits and simple dioramas that clearly provide an overall perspective about Iwami Ginzan to the visitors. A fun short play by museum staff introducing the life of miner families in the Iwami Ginzan in the Edo period is held from time to time. Visitors can join workshop of making Chogin, one of the silver coins used during 16th to 19th century in Japan, using an alloy of tin and bismuth. (Reservation is required to join workshops).

1597-3, I, Omoricho, Ohda City
0854-89-0183
http://ginzan.city.ohda.lg.jp/1750.html (EN)
 [Mar. – Nov.] 8:30am – 6pm
*Exhibition Room: 9am – 5:30pm (Last admission at 5pm)
[Dec. – Feb.] 8:30am – 5:30pm
*Exhibition Room: 9am – 5pm (Last admission at 4:30pm)
Closed every last Tue. of the month, New Year holidays

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥200
Elementary/ Junior High School Students: ¥100

Access
 33min via local bus from JR Odashi Sta. to ‘Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Center’ bus stop
 90min from Izumo Airport via San-in EXPWY.
400 cars

 EN / KR / 簡 / 繁

22 Ryugenji Mabu Mine Shaft (龍源寺間歩)

During the middle of Edo period, silver was massively produced in the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. These mine shafts are known as ‘mabu’ and there are over 700 of them in various sizes in this area. Ryugenji Mabu was operated under the direct management of the magistrate’s office. Visitors can walk inside of the tunnel and the rough chisel marks made by miners in the Edo period can still be seen clearly on the walls. We recommend taking a relaxing 40 min walk along the beautiful stream in the forest as you go between the mining shaft and Omori town.

 183, Ni, Omoricho, Ohda City
 0854-89-0347
 [Mar. – Nov.] 9am – 5pm (Last admission at 4:50pm)
[Dec. – Feb.] 9am – 4pm (Last admission at 3:50pm)
Closed on New Year’s Day

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥210
Elementary/Junior High School Students: ¥100

Access
 30min by local bus from JR Odashi Sta. Get off at ‘Omori’ bus stop. Then walk 40min to the mine shaft through little village and the forest.

 EN / KR / 簡 / 繁

23 Rakanji Temple & Gohyaku-rakan (羅漢寺・五百羅漢)

This temple was founded in 1764 for the repose of the souls of the people who had worked at the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. There are caves across the river in front of the temple. Enshrined inside the caves carved into the rocky mountain are Buddhist statues with 500 handcarved stone arhat figures that were made over the course of about 25 years. Each is engraved with different expression and it is said that you can surely find an arhat figure which looks similar to a lost loved one. Everything, the three stone bridges, small stream, etc., survives today unchanged.

 804, I, Omoricho, Ohda City
0854-89-0005
http://www.rakanji.jp/ (JP)
 Open 7 days a week
9am – 5pm

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥400
Elementary/Junior High School Students: ¥200

Access
 28min via local bus from JR Odashi Sta. to ‘Omori’ bus stop

24 Former Kawashima Residence (Samurai House) (旧河島家)

The Kawashima family, who had become a head of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine officials, built this house in the beginning of 1800. The characteristics of a samurai residence such as placements and room arrangements are well preserved. It enables visitors to get a glimpse of the daily life of a samurai. Visitors can also enjoy the display of how things were stored and a recreated scene of dinner time for a samurai family.

118-1, Ha, Omoricho, Ohda City
 0854-89-0932
http://kumagai.city.ohda.lg.jp/10.html (JP)
 9am – 4:30pm
Closed on New Year holidays

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥100
Elementary/ Junior High School Students: Free

Access
 26min via local bus from JR Odashi Sta. to ‘Omori Daikansho ato’ bus stop. Then walk 10min.

 EN / 簡 / 繁

25 House of the Kumagai Family (熊谷家住宅（重要文化財))

The Kumagai family was the largest merchant in Omori. The family was involved in the management of the silver mine and became a purveyor under the Tokugawa government patronage. Running such finance businesses, sake breweries, and etc., they enjoyed prosperity, as the ruling merchant in the 19th century. It is worth seeing not only the historic architecture and historical associations with the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine but also its furniture, garments and other household articles that change with each season. ‘Kamado-no-hi’ (Cooking Stove Day), a unique opportunity to experience the old Japanese lifestyle, is held every second Sunday of the month.

63, Ha, Omoricho, Ohda City
0854-89-9003
http://kumagai.city.ohda.lg.jp/ (JP)
 9:30am – 5pm (Last admission at 4:30pm)
Closed every last Tue. of the month(or last Wed. if last Tue. is a holiday),New Year holidays, Closed occasionally

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥320
Elementary/ Junior High School Students: Free

Access
 26min via local bus from JR Odashi Sta. to ‘Omori Daikoansho ato’ bus stop, then walk 2 min.

 EN / 簡 / 繁

26 Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Museum [Former Magistrate’s Office] (石見銀山資料館)

The place was once the estate of Tokugawa Shogunate mine administrators. This museum houses many historical materials ranging from the valuable materials of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine, mining and smelting tools which were actually used in the mine, materials representing life and worship of samurai and Tokugawa Shogunate mine administrators, to various ores from various mines across Japan. The current building was built in 1902 as the Nima District Office, but remains being used as a museum today.

 51-1, Ha, Omoricho, Ohda City
 0854-89-0846
http://fish.miracle.ne.jp/silver/english/index.html (EN)
 9am – 5pm (Last admission at 4:30pm)
Closed between 29 Dec. – 4 Jan

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥450
Elementary/ Junior High/ High School Students: ¥200

Access
 26min via local bus from JR Odashi Sta. to ‘Omori Daikansho ato’ bus stop.

*There are some explanations written in English & Simplified Chinese inside the museum.

27 Nima Sand Museum (仁摩サンドミュージアム)

‘Sand’, ‘Time’ and ‘Environment’ are the three main concepts of this sand museum. The museum, designed by Shin Takamatsu who is a world-famous architect who was born and raised in the town of Nima, consists of six large and small pyramids. The magnificent hourglass set in the middle of the largest pyramid measures the duration of a year and has been recognized as the world’s largest hourglass by the Guinness World Records in 2015. Visitors can enjoy participating in various glass workshops in the neighbouring Fureai Koryu-kan.

Discover.Shimane Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtW7IkBh-NQ

 975, Amagouchi, Nima-cho, Ohda City
 0854-88-3776
http://www.sandmuseum.jp/ (JP/EN/KR/ 簡 / 繁 )
 9am – 5pm (Last admission at 4:30pm)
Closed every Wed., New Year holidays

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥360
Elementary/Junior High School Students: ¥170

Access
10 min from JR Nima Sta.
 40 min from Izumo IC. on San-in EXPWY. / 30min from Gotsu IC. on San-in EXPWY.
200 cars

 VISA / MasterCard / CC issued by AEON  *Only at Fureai Koryu-kan
  EN

28 The Shimane Nature Museum of Mt. Sanbe [ Sahimel ](島根県立三瓶自然館)

Located at Mt. Sanbe associated with the Daisen-Oki National Park, this museum provides knowledge and understanding of the surrounding environment, nature of Shimane, the formation of the Japan Sea, and etc. which can then be applied to it’s outdoor workshops. With a full-scale astronomical observatory complete with a planetarium with a theater and a museum for children this museum is sure to make a whole day of fun for the whole family.

 1121-8 Tane, Sanbecho, Ohda City
 0854-86-0500
 http://www.nature-sanbe.jp/sahimel/ (JP)
 9:30am – 5pm (last admission at 4:30pm)
[Every Sat. during Apr. – Sept.] 9:30am ～ 6pm (Last admission at 5:30pm)
Closed every Tue. (Next weekday if Tue. is a holiday)

Discounted Admission
Adults: ¥320
Elementary/ Junior High School Students: ¥160
*special exhibition admission fees may vary

Access
 30min from JR Odashi Sta.
 40min from Yoshida-Kakeya IC on Matsue EXPWY.

 EN
 EN

29 The Sanbe-Azukihara Buried Forest Park(三瓶小豆原埋没林公園)

Around 4000 years ago Mt. Sanbe erupted covering the surrounding lands and forests in volcanic ash. In the exhibition hall of Sanbe-Azukihara Buried Forest Park you can view the long trunks of giant trees, that were once buried during the Jomon period (14,000~300 BCE), and were said to have once towered over the surrounding areas. You can understand the threat the volcano posed over the surrounding area and feel  the richness of the forest in those days.

Discover.Shimane Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC_mUgiCcFM

 58-2,Ro, Tane, Sanbecho, Ohda City
 0854-86-9500
 http://www.nature-sanbe.jp/buried_forest/index.htm (EN)
 9am – 5pm (last admission at 4:30pm)
Closed 5days of Dec. (first Mon. thru Fri.), 12/26 ~ 1/1

Discounted Admission
Exhibition Hall:
Adults: ¥240 
Elementary/ Junior High School Students: ¥80 

Access
 20min from JR Odashi Sta.
 50min from Yoshida Kakeya IC on Matsue EXPWY

 EN
 EN

30 Hamada Children’s Museum of Art (浜田市世界こども美術館)

A hands-on museum for kids where visitors can enjoy experimenting with “seeing” and “creating” things. This museum holds many unique and special exhibitions oriented for kids. Striving to promote cultural exchange with other countries, this museum has collected many arts of kids all over the world. Various workshops where kids can express their ingenuity through creative activities are held every Saturday, Sunday and during public holidays.

From within the museum you can enjoy the grand view of the Sea of Japan, as well as enjoy playing in the surrounding nature.

 859-1 Nobaracho, Hamada City
 0855-23-8451
 http://eng.hamada-kodomo-art.com/ (EN)
 9:30am – 5pm (last admission at 4:30pm)
Closed every Mon., New Year Holidays, and between exhibitions

Discounted Admission
Adult: ¥400
High School/ University Students : ¥240
Elementary/ Junior High School Students: ¥160
*rates vary from according to exhibition

Access:
 10min via local bus (bound for “Shimane Kenritsu Daigaku”) from JR Hamada Sta. to ‘Kodomo Bijyutsukan-Mae’ bus stop.
 10 min from Hamada IC Hamada EXPWY

31 Iwami Art Museum (Grand Toit) (島根県立石見美術館)

The Shimane Arts Centre, ‘Grand Toit’ has beautiful architecture with its roofs and walls being decorated with ‘sekishu-gawara’ (traditional roof tiles of the Iwami region). There is a basin of 25 sq m in a 45 sq m courtyard surrounded by a glass corridor which is known as a place for visitors to relax. Iwami Art Museum, located in ‘Grand Toit’, has 4 exhibition rooms with permanent and seasonal special exhibitions.

 5-15, Ariakecho, Masuda City
 0856-31-1860
http://www.grandtoit.jp/english/index.html (EN/ 簡 /KR)
10am – 6:30pm (Last admission to the galleries at 6pm)
Closed every Tue. (or Wed. if Tue. is a holiday) , New Year holidays

Discounted Admission
Special Exhibition:
Adults: ¥500 
University Students: ¥300
Elementary/Junior High/High School Students: ¥150

Access
 5min via Iwami Kotsu Bus (bound for Ikou-ji) from JR Masuda Sta. to ‘Grand Toit Mae’ bus stop.
 15min via Hagi-Iwami Airport Bus to JR Masuda Sta.
15min (1km) from JR Masuda Sta.
 6km from Hagi-Iwami Airport.
 50min (40km) from Hamada IC on Hamada EXPWY,
 200 cars
 90min via limited express train from JR Shin-Yamaguchi Sta. to JR Masuda Sta.

VISA / MasterCard / JCB / AMEX / Diners
EN
EN