Iwami Ginzan Roadway along with the mineshaft and other facilities of Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2007. A section of the 7 km, 280 m high Iwami Ginzan Roadway is called Yanashiomichi. Visitors can enjoy imagining the scenery of the olden days when people carried silver to the port via this bumpy trail.

Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine was opened approximately 500 years ago. During its peak, it is said that it yielded one third of the world’s production of silver. Many settlements flourished along this Iwami Ginzan Roadway including Yunotsu, which has remained a popular hot spring area to this day. Yanashiomichi still retains the flavor of the olden days. You can appreciate the history of the silver mining era, when silver was transferred from the silver mine to the port via a land route over 140 km long.

There is an abundance of nature to enjoy along the route, including delicate bamboo forests and photogenic spots where you can view Mt. Sanbe, one of the most beautiful mountains in Shimane. The most grueling part of the route is called Yanashiozaka, a steep slope that has 16 bends over approximately 500 m. Local volunteers maintain the route on a regular basis, however, visitors should pay particular attention to fallen trees and wild animals while they are trekking.