Tsuwano is a small castle town in Shimane bordering Yamaguchi. It stands in a deep valley, overlooked by a splendid Shinto shrine, Taikodani Inari Shrine, and above that, the stone walls of the ruined castle.

The main street of the town, Tonomachi, is lined with samurai mansions. A small waterway beside the road is peopled with brightly coloured carp. Tsuwano Catholic Church on Tonomachi was built by a priest from Germany in 1931. A little museum next to it documents the persecution of Christians who were sent to Tsuwano in the early Meiji period for ‘re-education’. Between Tsuwano Station and Tonomachi is the former merchant district, where buildings of various periods, including sake breweries, have been preserved in good condition. The Tourist Office has a free museum that provides a good overview of the town.

Tsuwano Castle stands at 200 meters above the town. The keep was hit by lightning and burnt down in 1686. You can take a chairlift or walk up to the impressive ruins, and the views over the town and valley are spectacular.