Yunotsu Onsen

What to know

Yunotsu (温泉津) is a charming old-fashioned hot spring town located west of the Iwami Ginzan World Heritage Site mining area.

Known as a relaxation spot since feudal times, the town today offers several public baths, traditional ryokan, and a picturesque setting for an evening or morning stroll through streets that evoke past decades.

The nearby ports of Okidomari and Tomogaura were used to ship silver from the Iwami Ginzan Mines. At Okidomari, you can see Hanaguri-Iwa, special rocks used for mooring boats, accessible via a five-minute hike around the bay. The narrow nature trail starts at a small bridge crossing the creek on the right side of the dock.

The former roads used to transport silver from the mines to the ports are now hiking trails. The trail to Okidomari and Yunotsu is 12 kilometers long and passes two castle ruins, while the trail to Tomogaura is 7 kilometers long. You can do a loop hike as Yunotsu and Tomogaura (near Maji Station) are connected by the JR Sanin train line.

Yunotsu is a station on the JR Sanin Line, one hour by limited express train (approx. 3,000 yen) or two hours by local train (1,520 yen) from Matsue. The town center is a 10-15 minute walk or short bus ride (140 yen) from Yunotsu Station. Okidomari is another 15-minute walk northwest of the town center.

If coming from Omori Town, take a bus to Nima or Oda-shi Station and transfer to the JR Sanin Line to Yunotsu. With a good connection, the journey takes about 45 minutes via Nima Station or about one hour via Oda-shi Station, but note that train and bus services in the region are rather infrequent.