A street in Omori Town
Omori Town is a one and a half kilometer long stretch of houses, shops, temples, and shrines that runs along the river valley to the north of the mines. It used to house magistrates, merchants, and craftsmen who benefited from the nearby mines.
Today there are many historical sites interspersed among the homes of the town's current residents. Among them are the Former Government Office which has been restored as the Iwami Ginzan Museum, and numerous historical residences.
The largest and most spectacular of these is the Kumagai Family Residence near the Tourist Center in the north of town. Once the home of the leading merchant and town official, it has been restored to be an excellent example of a period household.
Iwami Ginzan Museum
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Kumagai Family Historical Residence
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Some of the shrines and temples in the area are particularly interesting. Kigami Shrine at the north end of town has a dragon painting on its ceiling that echoes like the roar of the dragon when you clap your hands under it. Shogenji Temple looks fairly ordinary from the outside but inside houses a beautifully painted main hall and altar, and also has a small museum.
Gohyakurakan are 500 stone statues of Buddha's disciples housed in a series of man-made caves. Their postures and facial expressions run the entire gamut of emotions and are very interesting to see.
Gohyakurakan
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Kigami Shrine
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