Ōchi

Ōchi lies inland along the Gōnokawa, which cuts through the mountains of Iwami toward the Sea of Japan. The Ogasawara family held Nukuyu Castle at Kawamoto and extended its influence toward the silver mines. After conflict with the Mōri, its lord left the castle in the sixteenth century. In the Edo period the silver road crossed this district on its way from Ōmori to Onomichi, with difficult mountain stretches requiring extra porters.