Oku-Izumo ~ From Ancient Times to the Present

Oku-Izumo: From Ancient Times to the Present Arts & Geohistoria, Oku-Izumo A premium tour that links the past and present of this area, the land of myths: Oku-Izumo and Yasugigo, which developed through tatara iron smelting. Create a future of co-creation of bonds with the local people who are the bearers of the culture.

• ①A journey to meet the stories created by the 1,000 years of iron making. The Oku-Izumo Yasugi region have developed through "tatara" iron making. Here is a journey to retrace the story and cultural assets of the Japan Heritage “Land of Izumo Chronicle” based on the scattered traditional sites, and to draw your own future through the interaction with people who are carrying on the tradition to this day.
• ②Special limited public viewing of the “Tamahagane Engi”, a designated cultural property of Yasugi City. A special limited public viewing of the historical picture scroll “Tamahagane Engi” is offered, a story depicting the tatara iron making and is also recognized in the Japan Heritage “Land of Izumo, Tatara Chronicle - A Thousand Years of Iron-”. While viewing this large work, which is approximately 55 meters long, visitors can learn and deepen their understanding of the 1400-year history of tatara iron making.
• ③Interaction with a real blacksmith. Experience being an apprentice to Hironari Koto, a blacksmith at Kajikobo Hiromitsu. The workshop has been practicing tatara iron smelting and blacksmithing since the Edo period and continues to carry on the traditions of Izumo ironworking to this day. Unlike regular iron smelting experiences or studio tours, this experience uses the real blacksmith's workshop and tools. You will enjoy the time spent looking back on your past and future while learning about the thoughts and struggles of the blacksmiths who have inherited the history and are putting it to use in the present.　
• ④A story to be discovered by an interactive tour. Here is an interactive tour to visit people and deepen the understanding of the myths and birthplace, and to learn about the history, present and future of tatara iron making, which has developed as a sustainable industry where nature and people coexist. This new type of tour allows you to experience the myths and history of the area while praying at Kanayago Shrine, which enshrines the god of ironmaking, and to experience the story of tatara ironmaking with all your senses through a conversation with the last lumberjack at Sugaya Tatara Sannai. Learn about what it was like when tatara ironmaking was carried out.