"Yunotsu" is located to the west of Iwami Silver Mine. "Yunotsu" means "the port of hot spring" in Japanese. Silver mined at Iwami Silver Mine was shipped out domestically and was exported from the Yunotsu Port.

Trains on the Sanin Line are available to go to Yunotsu. Yunotsu Station is the sixth station from Odashi Station. Yunotsu downtown is located by the Sea of Japan and it is approximately ten minute of walk from Yunotsu Station.

Old houses and shops line along a street to downtown Yunotsu. The billboard over the street says "Welcome to Yunotsu Hot Spring".

If you walk ten minutes from Yunotsu Station, you will arrive at Yunotsu downtown. Yunotsu Hot Spring originally found 1300 years ago, and downtown Yunotsu was developed. This area preserves the historical atmosphere, well.

The below pictures show the NAITO Residence. NAITO Kuranojyo built a castle near the Yunotsu Port by the order of MORI Motonari in 1570 and he was assigned as the first castellan of the castle.

NAITO Kuranojyo was the one of three major commanders of MORI navy. It indicates how MORI Terumoto considered Yunotsu was the important area in his territory. The current existing residence was rebuilt after the previous residence was completely damaged by fire happened in 1747.

Old houses with white clay walls are also located in downtown Yunotsu. Yunotsu Historical District is designated as a conservation district of traditional buildings.

If you walk further along the narrow street in downtown Yunotsu, Japanese style hotels with hot springs are also located. This area is Yunotsu Hot Spring, which has thirteen hundreds years of history.

Yunotsu Port is located to the south of Yunotsu Downtown. The port was very calm and only a few fishing boats anchored in the port, when I visited.

The sea was glowing with the setting sun.

This scenery was very peaceful. It was difficult to imagine that many ships sailed with loading silver from Iwami Silver Mine four hundred years ago. Yunotsu is designated as a world heritage, as a part of Iwami Silver Mine.

How to get there
From Matsue, take a Limited Express "Super Matsukaze" or "Super Oki" to Ohdashi. It will take fifty minutes by a Limited Express. Change to a ordinally train or a rapid train at Odashi to Yunotsu. Rapid trains directly run from Yonago, through Matsue and Izumo-Shi to Yunotsu.

Other Historical Sites near by:
Ruins of Matsue Castle
Izumo-Taisha Shrine
Historical Sites in Iwami Silver Mine
Ruins of Hamada Castle
Tsuwano Castle Town