Iwami is the home of kagura. In ancient times it was a dance performed for the enjoyment and appeasement of the gods, but since the Meiji era it has been handed down more as a variety of folk entertainment, for the amusement of the people, than as a sacred ritual. Clad in rich colours, performers dance through the night to distinctive rhythms with elegance and bravado.

This temple is known for having hosted Sesshu as its fifth chief priest. Sesshu created a garden here of bold straight design. Its charms transcend theseasons, with springÃÔ weeping cherry blossoms andautumnÃÔ reddening leaves. The main gate, relocated from Nanao Castle, where it was the front gate, is an imposing structure in the fashion of the DragonÃÔ Palace, definitely worth seeing.