Exploring the depths of Shimane - A trip to Sanbe and Yunotsu, where history and nature coexist, nurtured by the breath of active volcanoes

Yunotsu, a place that holds the memories of the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine - A story woven by hot springs and ports

Yunotsu Onsen is one of the most popular hot spring resorts in Shimane Prefecture. It is also known as part of the World Heritage Site "Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine Ruins and its Cultural Landscape" in the city. It is the only hot spring resort in Japan that is designated as a World Heritage Site and has a townscape designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings (Judenken).

Yunotsu Onsen is an ancient hot spring that is said to have been in operation for 1,300 years, and its history dates back to before the Nara period.
A new hot spring source emerged due to the Hamada earthquake in 1872, and since then, along with Motoyu, two other day-trip hot spring facilities have been offering soothing relief to travelers.
As you walk through the town, you can see the rocky surface peeking out from between the gaps in the buildings and through the alleys, and the volcanic and sedimentary rocks tell us that this land was formed by a volcano. The surrounding ports are located on ria coasts, and have developed into excellent natural harbors with deep coves. The townscape winds along the topography, and the scenery has remained unchanged since the Edo period.

Yunotsu is a hot spring town with a simple, rustic atmosphere that is secretly popular among experienced travelers and is a town for connoisseurs.
However, in recent years, tradition and modernity have blended together, and the area has begun to evolve into a hot spring resort with new appeal.
It is by no means an imitation of the city, but rather maintains the unique character of Yunotsu. Rather than forcing a large number of people to visit, it is creating a town that will attract specific types of people to visit again and again. Various challenges are being taken on with the desire to improve the quality of hospitality and cherish repeat visitors.
For example, "separation of lodging and meals." In towns where it was common to have one night's stay and two meals at an inn, the number of restaurants has increased, and cafes where you can enjoy breakfast and a variety of dinner options have increased. In addition, guesthouses with laundry facilities that can accommodate medium to long-term stays and high-end rental properties have also appeared, creating an environment that welcomes a wide range of travelers. In this way, inns have become "windows" to the entire region, creating a trend where you can interact with local shops and nature, and there is a shift from mere sightseeing to a trip where you "experience and build relationships." Rather than being consumed as a tourist destination, it should be a place where visitors can return again and again and deepen their relationship with the town. We aim to be a hot spring resort that is not flashy, but that will remain in the hearts of those who want to enjoy a careful journey.
Why not enjoy sightseeing while walking through the alleys where new and old blend together? Yunotsu, where various charms blend in harmony with nature, is a quiet and relaxing place to travel.

Yunotsu Onsen (Visiting Yunotsu)

WATOWA

Genshosha Book and Cafe

Visit two museums where you can experience the memories of the earth, including a forest left behind by a volcano and the singing sand beach where the sounds of nature resonate.

In Oda City, there is a spot where you can feel the power of nature that transcends time.
One of these is the Sanbe Jomon Forest Museum, a facility that exhibits a "buried forest" of giant trees that were buried in the great eruption of Mt. Sanbe about 4,000 years ago and left untouched.
The debris flow and pyroclastic flow caused by the eruption covered the entire forest in an instant, and the trees were buried underground in an instant. Furthermore, because the area was rich in groundwater (underflow water), the supply of oxygen to the buried trees was cut off, preventing them from decaying. As a result, the trees were preserved underground for many years, and when they were discovered during rice paddy development work in 1998, they were in such good condition that the bark and tree rings were clearly visible.
Even today, you can see the forest as it was about 4,000 years ago. It's as if time has stopped, and while it gives you a sense of the power of nature, it also teaches you the ferociousness and terror of nature's power at times.
What is particularly noteworthy here is that, unlike buried forests in other areas, the trees were discovered standing upright with their long trunks still intact. Although there are trees lying around that had been knocked down by mudslides, these standing trees were buried underground exactly as they were at the time. Moreover, many of them are giant trees with root circumferences exceeding 10 meters, a scale rarely seen in modern times.
In the exhibition room, you can see the buried forest up close and almost reach out to touch it, and the history of Mt. Sanbe is explained in an easy-to-understand manner.
The trees on display are only a small part of what is there. Even now, beneath our feet in the park, an ancient forest continues to sleep peacefully. When we think of the plants that have taken root and continued to live there, even amidst the repeated volcanic activity and harsh environment, we cannot help but feel a sense of grand romance.

In Nima Town, facing the Sea of Japan in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture, there is Kotogahama Beach, known as the beach of "singing sand."
When you walk on this beach, you will hear a clear squeaking sound beneath your feet. The sound of singing sand can only be created when a number of natural conditions come together.
Approximately 65% of the sand at Kotogahama is a mineral called "quartz," and the sound is created when the uniformly sized, rounded grains rub against each other. Also, a clean beach is an essential element for singing sand.
Although singing sand beaches are becoming less common nationwide, the beauty and sounds of Kotogahama have been protected thanks to long-standing cleaning efforts by locals. Visitors can still enjoy the delicate sounds of nature.

Nima Town is home to a unique sand-themed museum, the Nima Sand Museum. Since opening in 1991, it has been run with the hopes of protecting Kotogahama Beach, a local treasure with its singing sand, and passing on the beautiful natural environment to the future. The eye-catching pyramid-shaped glass building was designed by Nima-born architect Shin Takamatsu. Its transparency and geometric form create a futuristic landscape that blends in with nature.
The main attraction is the "Sand Calendar," the world's largest hourglass that calculates the time of one year. This hourglass is 5.2 meters tall and is designed to allow one ton of sand to fall slowly over the course of a year. On New Year's Eve, 108 men and women born in the same year will pull together to turn the "Sand Calendar" half a turn, starting the ticking of new time for the next year.
This place is also known as the setting for the popular manga "Hourglass" by Hinako Ashihara. Fans of the manga, which has also been adapted into a TV drama and a movie, still make "pilgrimages" to the site, and it is common to see people purchasing the "one-minute counter" that appeared in the work as a souvenir.
The Sand Museum offers exhibits and experiences that allow you to think about the earth, nature, and time itself through sand, such as the mechanism behind singing sand and displays of sand from around the world.

Throughout this trip, we felt that Oda City in Shimane Prefecture continues to convey the many blessings it has received, including the nature nurtured by the volcanic activity of Mt. Sanbe, the hot springs that were born from it, and the geological heritage. This is a must-visit place for those who want to enjoy a quiet trip while experiencing the connection between nature and history.

Sanbe Jomon Forest Museum

Kotogahama Beach

Nima Sand Museum