Shimane, Experience Craftsmanship Passed down in the Land of the Gods~

●Minimum price 122,000 JPY/person 720£ / person (1 £=170 JPY) *Price per person when booking for two participants. Tour can be booked for 1-7 people. ●Included - Accommodation fee - Experience and entrance fees - Local transport (private car) - Tour guide fee ●Not included - Transportation to Shimane - Meals

  • ◎ Visit Japan's one and only World Heritage hot spring resort.
  • ◎There are many new attractions, such as stylish guesthouses, saunas and snack bars with a strong connection to local crafts.

Date

Time

Schedule

Content

Day1

Meet at Yunotsu Onsen

Satoyama Install Tour

  • Indulge in a sauna which is Mr.Kobayashi produced featuring sekishu tiles

Sauna KAZE

  • Younotsu onsen

Dinner

  • at accommodation

Day2

Free Time

  • Spend moring in Yunotsu Onsen (morning bath etc.)

Tsubaki gama

  • Yunotsuyaki Pottery Workshop Tour

Lunch

  • Lunch at local restaurant

Kamedani Cermaics Ltd.,

  • Sekishu Tile Workshop Tour

Kakita Mask Workshop

  • Kagura Masks Workshop Tour

Free Time at Yunotsu

  • Dinner, Onsen, Sauna etc.

Kagura performance at Tatsugozen Shirne

  • *Kagura performance is held every Saturday.

Snack bar TSU

Day3

Shimada gama

  • Iwamiyaki Pottery Workshop Tour

Lunch

  • at Kaze no Engawa

End of tour

Experience

Satoyama Install

●Overview: Learn about Mr.Kobayashi's project. ●Duration: 2 hr Mr. Kobayashi's base of activities in Shimane. Here, he conducts self-supporting forestry and community agriculture with a focus on satoyama regeneration.

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Sauna KAZE

●Overview: Enjoy sauna experience. ●Duration: 2 hr A "reservation only" sauna facility located in the World Heritage Site "Yunotsu". The sauna utilizes a wood-burning stove, which is rare in Japan. Visitors can enjoy a special time in the loft-type sauna while experiencing the Sekishu Tile that is representative of Shimane Prefecture.

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Yunotsuyaki Tsubaki gama Pottery

●Overview: Tour of Workshop ●1hr Made of highly refractory Iwami clay and fired at high temperatures (1,300°C/2,372°), Yunotsuyaki pottery is hard and unbreakable, meaning it is ideal for long-term daily use as tableware.

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Kamedani Cermaics Ltd.,

●Overview: Tour of Workshop ●Duration: 1hr Sekishu Tile, which has been used in the area around Yunotsu machi for centuries, is actually said to be the toughest tile in the world. The tiles are hardened and baked at approximately 1,300 degrees Celsius, making them fireproof, water-resistant, and durable.

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Kagura Masks & Iwami Kagura

●Overview: Tour of the workshop (1hr) & see the Kagura performance (1hr) Iwami Kagura began with dances performed at shrines to celebrate the good harvest of the year and to pray for a good harvest in the following year. Even today, it is carried out every Saturday. More performances were added to please audiences over the years, and the musical accompaniment and movements became more flamboyant. The wooden kagura masks are now made of lightweight Japanese paper, and the costumes are embroidered with gold and silver threads. This splendid art is still proudly enjoyed by locals as the best entertainment.

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Shimada gama

●Overview: Tour of workshop ●Duration: 1 hr Iwami Pottery Kiln "Seikishu Shimada gama" is a full-scale kiln that makes many large pieces, such as water bottles and stools, and fires them five times a year in a large climbing kiln. The simple, easy-to-use, and very durable tableware can be used on a daily basis without hesitation, and the color development of the glaze, which evokes the colors of nature, is pleasantly vivid and will enrich your daily table.

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Stay

Yunotsu Onsen

A small town with a population of about 2,500 people, Yunotsu is the only hot spring town in Japan that is recognized as a World Heritage Site. In the Edo period (1603-1867), the town was a silver shipping port for Iwami Ginzan, a mine that produced one third of the world's silver. As the name "Yunotsu" - meaning "port with hot springs" - implies, the town was blessed with naturally plentiful hot springs and was a very prosperous hot spring resort. The retro townscape and nearby beach, and more recently, the fashionable guesthouses, saunas, restaurants, local beer, and a variety of other attractions, have made Yunotsu a popular destination for tourists.

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Dine

Snack bar Tsu

Adjacent and directly connected to Sauna KAZE, Tsu is a cafe during the day and a snack bar (a type of old school Japanese bar) in the evening. Enjoy sake and craft beer, seasonal food, and pottery cups and utensils, all locally produced.

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Kaze no Engawa

The cafe is located in Gotsu, a small town near the sea in Shimane Prefecture. The dishes are servedwith organic, natural, and local ingredients grown with ambition. Why not visit to relax in the great outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and the breeze that blows from nowhere.

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  • Languages
    Mainly in Japanese, other languages based upon request.
  • Number of participants
    1 to 7 people
  • Meeting place
    negotiable
  • Reservation deadline
    14 days prior to departure
  • Payment method
    Bank transfer, credit card
  • Clothing
    None specified
  • Tour guide
    Local producer or interpreter (arrangements made based upon customer’s preference)
  • Cancellation fee
    15-29 days before arrival: 5% 7-14 days before arrival: 20% 4-6 days before arrival: 50% 1-3 days before arrival: 70% Arrival day or no-show: 100%
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