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Hagi Castle Ruins Shizuki Park (Cherry Blossoms)

Hagi Castle Ruins Shizuki Park (Cherry Blossoms)

Developed on the site of the former Honmaru (inner bailey) of Hagi Castle, "Shizuki Park" features beautiful remains of Edo-period stone walls and moats and is designated as a National Historic Site. It is also Hagi's leading cherry blossom spot, where about 600 Somei-Yoshino cherry trees bloom in spring, elegantly coloring the old stone walls and white walls. Especially the sight of cherry blossoms reflected in the water of the moat and the "Hana-ikada" (flower raft) where fallen petals cover the water surface is spectacular. The park also features the rare "Midori-yoshino" cherry blossoms, found only in Hagi, making it...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Activities
Nature
Spring

Kikko Park (Cherry Blossoms)

Kikko Park (Cherry Blossoms)

A vast historical park utilizing the site of the former residence of the Kikkawa family, lords of the Iwakuni Domain, stretching beyond the Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni City. Known as one of Yamaguchi Prefecture's leading cherry blossom spots, thousands of Somei-Yoshino and Yaezakura cherry trees bloom in spring, enveloping the entire park in a pale pink flower haze. The contrast between the historical landscape, with its Edo-period samurai gates, stone walls, and white-walled fences, and the blooming cherry blossoms is breathtakingly beautiful. With large fountains and lawn areas, the sight of families and couples enjoying picnics under the cherry blossoms...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring

Kintai Bridge

Kintai Bridge (Kintai-kyo) spanning the Nishiki River in Iwakuni City is one of Japan's three most famous bridges, built in 1673, and is a wooden bridge with five beautiful arches rarely seen in the world. Its unique structure, assembled without using a single nail, is a collection of the best of Japan's advanced architectural technology of that time and is also designated as a National Scenic Spot. The view of the clear Nishiki River flowing and Mt. Shiroyama towering behind from atop the bridge is spectacular. With thousands of cherry blossoms in spring, traditional cormorant fishing fires in summer, vivid...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Prefectural Art Museum

Prefectural Art Museum

A museum built within the lush green environment of the cultural zone "Park Road" in Yamaguchi City. It boasts a wide collection mainly featuring works by the master painter Sesshu, associated with Yamaguchi Prefecture, and local artists, including Japanese paintings, Western paintings, sculptures, and photography. Also, special exhibitions planned from unique perspectives are of very high quality, allowing you to touch excellent art from Japan and abroad. The building itself is in beautiful harmony with the surrounding landscape, and the time spent facing art in the quiet interior adds sophisticated color to your trip. Along with nearby museums and libraries,...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Mitajiri Salt Pan Memorial Park

Mitajiri Salt Pan Memorial Park

Located in Hofu City, this industrial park conveys the history of "Mitajiri Salt Pans," which once flourished as the number one salt production area in Japan. The traditional salt-making method from the Edo period, "Irihama-style salt pans," has been restored, and you can observe the vast salt pans where salt was actually made and salt-making tools using coal as fuel up close. The biggest attraction is the ability to actually have a "salt-making experience." Under an artisan's guidance, the experience of boiling down saltwater to complete your own pure white salt is a precious chance to learn the roots of...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Santoka Museum

This facility introduces the life and works of Santoka Taneda, a leading Japanese free-form haiku poet from Yamaguchi City. Within the modern building incorporating traditional house designs, you can deeply understand his poetic world, having lived a turbulent life while continuing to compose poems with a unique sensitivity and honest heart, through beautiful videos and exhibits. The "solitude, love for nature, and attachment to life" embedded in his verses strongly resonate with our hearts today. Located in a corner of the Yuda Onsen district, stopping by during a stroll and touching the Japanese landscapes and mental images seen by a...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum

Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum

Located along Park Road in Yamaguchi City, this is a historic comprehensive museum founded in 1912. Abundant materials covering nature, history, science and engineering, and astronomy departments are displayed, allowing you to learn about the formation of Yamaguchi Prefecture from multiple perspectives. Especially the exhibits on dinosaur fossils discovered in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the geology of Akiyoshidai are very interesting and stimulate intellectual curiosity. Also, explanations on the role of Yamaguchi from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji Restoration and local traditional crafts are substantial. It is a "Hall of Knowledge" where everyone from children to adults...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Kagekiyodo Cave

Kagekiyodo Cave

Located on the north side of Akiyoshidai, this is a limestone cave where a legend remains that the Taira clan warrior Taira no Kagekiyo, defeated in the Battle of Dan-no-ura, went into hiding. The cave is very spacious with high ceilings, and you can observe fossils of coral and fusulinids up close on the walls. In addition to general sightseeing courses, an "Exploration Course" is available where you wear a helmet and light to advance deep into the darkness, allowing you to enjoy the natural limestone cave with plenty of thrills. The complex formative beauty created over hundreds of millions...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Akiyoshidai Plateau

Akiyoshidai Plateau

Japan's largest karst plateau, where countless white limestones looking like a "flock of sheep" are scattered across a vast grassland at an altitude of 200 to 400 meters. This landscape, created by coral reefs from hundreds of millions of years ago upheaving due to crustal movements and being eroded by rainwater over many years, is grand art telling the story of Earth's evolution. It changes expressions throughout the four seasons: mountain burning in spring, vivid green in summer, pampas grass in autumn, and snowscapes in winter, offering a different spectacular view every time you visit. Driving on the Karst Road...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Park Road

Located in the center of Yamaguchi City, this is a beautifully maintained symbol road continuing from the Yamaguchi Prefectural Office toward the Yamaguchi Xavier Memorial Cathedral. Rich tree-lined paths continue on both sides of the road, where cultural facilities such as art museums, libraries, and museums are scattered, making it a walk path full of the cultural fragrance of the "Kyoto of the West" Yamaguchi. You can enjoy the changes in nature of the four seasons; especially during spring cherry blossoms and fresh greenery, and autumn leaves, beautiful landscapes in harmony with historical buildings spread out. The open space with...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Tokotoko Train (Cherry Blossoms)

Tokotoko Train (Cherry Blossoms)

This is a cute electric sightseeing vehicle that runs about 6 kilometers from Nishikicho Station to Sozukyo Onsen Station in Iwakuni City. Utilizing the site of an uncompleted line where a railway was supposed to run, the biggest highlight is the "Kirara Yume Tunnel." The tunnel walls feature stone murals painted by local children that glow, taking you through a world like a fantastical galaxy of light. Especially in spring, cherry blossoms bloom beautifully along the line, and the time spent proceeding "toko-toko" through the flower haze while feeling the breeze is truly a moment of healing. It is a...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring

Steam Locomotive Yamaguchi

Steam Locomotive Yamaguchi

This is a representative Japanese sightseeing train where the C57 steam locomotive, affectionately known as the "Lady," runs about 63 kilometers from Shin-Yamaguchi Station to Tsuwano Station. The sight of it running with a powerful exhaust sound and black smoke is spectacular, and many people gather along the line to catch a glimpse of its brave figure. The passenger cars recreate the retro interiors of the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras, and stepping inside makes you feel as if you've slipped back to the golden age of railways. Looking at the peaceful rural scenery and canyon beauty outside the window...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Kanmon Strait

The Kanmon Strait separates Honshu (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi) and Kyushu (Kitakyushu, Fukuoka), with a width of only about 700 meters at its narrowest point. It is one of the world's leading maritime traffic hubs, with about 700 ships of all sizes passing through each day. Historically, it has been the stage for numerous legends, such as the final battle of the Genpei War, "Dan-no-ura," and the duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro on "Ganryujima." The dynamic landscape, with the massive Kanmon Bridge spanning the sky and a pedestrian tunnel running under the sea, is overwhelming. While watching the rapid currents...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Sogo Railway Bridge

Sogo Railway Bridge

The "Sogo River Bridge" on the JR San'in Main Line in Abu Town is a concrete arch bridge drawing an elegant curve against the Sea of Japan backdrop. At dusk, the setting sun on the horizon dyes the bridge's silhouette red, and the sight of a train slowly passing through is famous as a "miraculous spectacular view" attracting not only railway fans but many tourists. The form merging natural dynamic coastline and modern architectural beauty is very photogenic. The quiet time waiting for the train while blown by the sea breeze will surely be deeply engraved in your heart as...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Michi-no-Eki Abu-cho

Michi-no-Eki Abu-cho

One of the "birthplaces of roadside stations" first born in Japan, located in Abu Town, northern Yamaguchi Prefecture. In a prime location overlooking the Sea of Japan, it features restaurants where you can taste local brand "Mukaku Wagyu" beef and freshly caught seafood. The greatest feature is that despite being a roadside station, it has an "onsen," "campsite," and "pool," plus it's a scenic spot where you can see beautiful sunsets over the Sea of Japan. Feeling the sea breeze while savoring Abu's seasonal specialties and refreshing in the hot spring is a top-tier destination exceeding a mere break during...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Food
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Mikawa Mu Valley

Mikawa Mu Valley

An adventure park themed after a "Subterranean Kingdom" utilizing a former mine in Iwakuni City. In the vast underground exploration course, stone statues reminiscent of ancient civilizations, mysterious light-ups, and various gimmicks are prepared, allowing both adults and children to enjoy puzzle-solving like explorers. The cave stays at a constant 17 degrees Celsius year-round, making it comfortable regardless of weather. Also, with gold panning experiences, camping facilities, and hot springs attached, you can play all day in nature. It's a popular, excitement-filled spot where you can enjoy Japan's historical mining heritage as entertainment.

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Tabuse Town

Located in southeastern Yamaguchi Prefecture, Tabuse Town is a place where history and nature harmonize, blessed with rich rural landscapes and the calm Seto Inland Sea. From ancient tumuli to sites associated with modern politicians, you can feel a wide layer of history. High-quality agricultural products like specialty figs and rice are produced here, and you can enjoy fresh tastes at the "Tabuse Regional Exchange Center." Completely away from city hustle, walking on peaceful paths between rice fields and looking at seasonal scenery is the ultimate luxury for travelers wanting to encounter Japan's original landscape. It's a peaceful area where...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Kagawa Residence Gate

Kagawa Residence Gate

A prestigious samurai residence gate built in the mid-Edo period, located near Kikko Park in Iwakuni City. It served as the main gate for the Kagawa family, who held the position of Karo (clan elder) in the Iwakuni Domain, and its imposing presence and heavy tile roof still convey the authority of the samurai class today. Boasting the largest scale and best preservation state among nagaya-mon gates remaining in Yamaguchi Prefecture, it is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. Standing before the gate, the air of the era when former samurai passed through on horseback seems to drift by....

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Kin-unkaku

A beautiful ema-do style building built in 1885 on the site of the former residence of the Kikkawa family, lords of the Iwakuni Domain, in Kikko Park. Built in the image of a turret of Iwakuni Castle, it harmonizes perfectly with the white walls of the moat and surrounding rich greenery, creating a scene like a Japanese painting. Its reflection on the water is very photogenic, and many tourists visit to capture its beauty, especially during spring cherry blossoms, summer deep green, and autumn leaves. It's an atmospheric view spot representing Iwakuni, ideal for enjoying a slow stroll while feeling...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Former Mekada Residence

Former Mekada Residence

An Edo-period samurai residence located within Kikko Park in Iwakuni City. It was a residence for middle-class samurai of the Iwakuni Domain and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property due to its excellent state of preservation. Though two-story, it features a unique architectural style called "samurai etiquette," such as making the first-floor roof the same height as the second-floor floor to avoid looking down on the domain lord. You can actually tour the simple yet functional and dignified interior, feeling firsthand how samurai lived and what they valued. This building allows you to realistically and deeply experience the...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Umamon (Pickles)

Umamon (Pickles)

A famous long-established Japanese pickle shop near Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni City, continuing since the Meiji era. Centered around their flagship "Ajina Takuan," their pickles are made with a traditional "triple-soaking" method that takes much time and effort, resulting in a deep flavor concentrating the vegetables' natural umami. Part of the storehouse is open to the public, sometimes allowing views of heavy brewing spaces with giant wooden vats lined up. While learning the depth of pickles as fermented foods, you can taste and purchase various types, deliciously experiencing the "fermentation culture" essential to the Japanese table. It is an ideal...

Yamaguchi
Food
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Jinngahana Kofun Tumulus

Jinngahana Kofun Tumulus

A keyhole-shaped tumulus (kofun) in Hirao Town, believed to have been built around the 5th century. Located on a hill overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, it is famous for the discovery of a female skull, thought to be a "queen," and luxurious burial goods. Currently maintained as a historical park, you can observe the reconstructed tumulus shape up close, and a museum displaying excavated items is also attached. The view from here is wonderful, allowing you to reflect on the stories of ancient Japanese rulers while overlooking the calm sea that the leaders of that time must have gazed upon....

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwakuni Chokokan Museum

Iwakuni Chokokan Museum

A heavy stone museum completed in 1945, located within Kikko Park in Iwakuni City. The building itself is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property and possesses a unique presence and beauty, having been built with ingenuity during wartime material shortages. Inside, historical materials and artworks handed down in the Kikkawa family, lords of the Iwakuni Domain, as well as exhibits regarding Iwakuni's culture and nature are substantial. It is a "knowledge hub" for deeply understanding the historical background of Kintai Bridge and Iwakuni Castle, where you can follow the region's progress in a quiet space. The combination of geometric architectural beauty...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Michi-no-Eki Kaminoseki Kaikyo

Michi-no-Eki Kaminoseki Kaikyo

A lively roadside station located right by the Kaminoseki Strait. It's a treasure trove of freshly caught seafood from the sea in front, especially branded fish known as horse mackerel, sea bream, and Kuruma prawns, which are lined up at surprisingly low prices. The local specialty "Tenpura" (deep-fried fish cake) is best enjoyed freshly fried on the spot. From the restaurant, you can enjoy meals while watching ships coming and going through the strait and the beautiful Kaminoseki Grand Bridge, making it ideal as a break during a drive. It's a place where you can enjoy the rich sea blessings...

Yamaguchi
Sightseeing
Food
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter