Tsuwano & Iwami Ginzan — Shimane Heritage HighlandLoop.
Distance
155 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
1,300 m
Tsuwano & Iwami Ginzan — Shimane Heritage Highland Loop.
A loop through the deepest, quietest corner of western Honshu. Tsuwano is the "Little Kyoto of San'in" — a perfectly preserved Edo-era castle town in a narrow mountain valley, where koi swim in the street drainage canals. From there the road climbs through ancient cedar forest toward the Sea of Japan coast and Iwami Ginzan — the UNESCO World Heritage silver mine that produced one third of the world's silver supply in the 17th century, with the preserved mining village of Omori still inhabited and almost car-free. Old Japan, with almost no other tourists.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance155 km
Days1
Total climb1,300 m
DifficultyModerate
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The route.
TsuwanoStart · Start in Tsuwano — the "Little Kyoto of San'in". A perfectly preserved Edo-era castle town in a narrow mountain valley. Carp swim in the open street canals (originally cut as a famine reserve). The old Catholic chapel from a brief 19th-century mission is also worth a look.
Tsuwano Castle RuinsScenic Point · Hilltop ruins above the town, accessible by short chairlift. Sweeping view down the valley and over the tiled rooftops — best in misty mornings when the town floats below cloud.
Mountain Road to MasudaScenic Point · Route 9 winds north through deep cedar forest valleys — narrow, twisty, almost car-free. Roadside shrines mark old pilgrimage paths. Masuda is the coastal town where the route emerges on the Sea of Japan.
Hamada CoastPhoto Spot · The R9 hugs the Sea of Japan north along a wild rocky coast — almost zero population. Pull off at any of a dozen scenic overlooks. The Hamada Marine Bridge is a graceful 1,000m span over the bay.
Iwami Ginzan — Omori VillageMountain Pass · UNESCO World Heritage silver mine that produced one third of the world's silver supply in the early 17th century. The Omori village street (1km, mostly car-free) is lined with preserved wooden merchant houses and former samurai residences. A working mine shaft (Ryugenji Mabu) is open to walk through.
Yunotsu OnsenRestaurant · Historic hot spring port that served Iwami Ginzan as the shipping point for the silver. Two ancient public bathhouses (Motoyu and Yakushiyu — both run continuously since the 13th century). Lunch and a soak.
OdaEnd · End at Oda — the city that administers the Iwami Ginzan site. JR San'in Main Line connects east or west along the coast. The Sanbe-san caldera 20km inland is the next worthwhile destination if continuing.
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