YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN: 15 best things to Do & places to visit

one of the best things about Japan is that it’s bursting with places to see and things to do wherever you go. It’s expected when it concerns global tourism favorites like Osaka and Tokyo. but even destinations that are practically unheard of among international tourists also have so much to offer. case in point: Yamaguchi.

Punctuating the southwestern suggestion of Honshu Island, Yamaguchi Prefecture is often overlooked in favor of its much more recognizable neighbors — Fukuoka to the south and Hiroshima to the north. many travelers coming from Fukuoka airport on their way to Hiroshima typically just breeze through it without giving it a second look. This is why Yamaguchi often surprises visitors.

The prefecture’s history has a strong link to the samurai ruling class. Today, it is one of the most industrialized prefectures in the country. It attracts tourists to its lush natural parks, coasts, and cultural sites. the most popular destinations are Yamaguchi City, Shimonoseki, Iwakuni, Hagi City, and the Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park.

If you are adding Yamaguchi in your itinerary, here are some of the things to do and places to visit.

Wat is bedekt met deze gids?

1. Motonosumi Inari Shrine
2. Tsunoshima Bridge
3. Tsunoshima Island
4. Kintai Bridge
5. Iwakuni Castle
6. Iwakuni Sushi
7. 100 flavors of ice cream at Musashi
8. Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park
9. Yudaonsen
10. Hagi Castle Town
11. Ruriko-ji Temple
12. Irori Sanzoku
13. Karato Fish Market
14. Akama-Jinju Shrine
15. Kawara Soba
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1. Motonosumi Inari Shrine

Adorning the coast of Yuyatsuo in the coastal city of Nagato in the north, Motonosumi Inari Shrine is included in CNN Travel’s list of “31 many beautiful places in Japan.”. Its many striking feature is the path of red torii gates leading to the coast and the rock formations below. The contrasting deep red color of the conventional torii gates against the green woods and the blue waters of the Sea of Japan is a sight to behold.

The construction of the shrine started in 1987, forming a tunnel of 123 torii gates crawling from the hilltop entrance down the rocky coast. but the most noteworthy of them all is the tallest one with an offertory box perched high above. visitors believe that their wish will be given if they successfully toss a coin into the box.

Another attraction in the vicinity is the Ryūgū Wave Splash, just a few meters from the last torii gate at the base.

Location: 498 Yuyatsuo, Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture 759-4712, Japan
Opening Hours: 5:30 AM – 5:30 PM (Daily). Basically, the shrine is open from sunrise to sunset, so hours miht differ.
Vrije toegang
Nearest Station: Nagato-Furuichi station or Hitomaru Station. note that you might need to hail a taxi because access to the shrine through public bus is very challenging and limited.
Official Website: www.motonosumi.com

2. Tsunoshima Bridge

On the northwest coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture, a beautiful bridge stretches 1,780 meters over Amagaseto Strait, connecting the mainland to Tsunoshima Island, a resort island off the coast of Shimonoseki. Curving slightly to avoid the spot occupied by a small uninhabited island (Hato Island), the bridge is hailed as the second-longest in Japan.

Officially opened in November 2000, the bridge starts at Hōhoku in Shimonoseki. Both ends of the bridge are adorned by parks — Amagase Park in Shimonoseki and Sezakiyono Park on Tsunoshima Island.

Although tourists cannot cross the bridge on foot, the beautiful drive is one of its draws aside from the attractions on the island. Amagase Park in Shimonoseki features the Tsunoshima Observatory and other viewpoints.

Location: Hohokucho Oaza Tsunoshima, Shimonoseki, 〒759-5332 Yamaguchi, Japan
Nearest Station/Stop: Shimonoseki Station, Takibe Station, hotel Nishinagato Bus Stop

3. Tsunoshima Island

Situated northwest off the coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture, the island is under the jurisdiction of Shimonoseki and is part of the Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park. before the construction of the Tsunoshima Bridge, the island was linked to the mainland by ferry. The bridge contributed mostly to the island’s tourism industry by making it a lot simpler to access.

Some of the Tsunoshima Island’s points of interest are Shiokaze Cobalt Blue Beach, Tsunoshima Ohama Beach, Tsunoshimaohama camping Ground, Tsunoshima Lighthouse, Makizakikazeno Park, and other parks.

The island is also a popular film and ad shooting location. camping and sports fishing are some of the common activities on the island.

Location: Hohokucho Oaza Tsunoshima, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi 759-5332, Japan
Nearest Station/Stop: Shimonoseki Station, Takibe Station, Kottoi Station, Tsunoshima Bus Stop

4. Kintai Bridge

Originally constructed in 1673 leading to the main gate of Iwakuni Castle, the Kintai Bridge is one of the most amazing historic landmarks in Yamaguchi.

Een deel van het Kikkou Park, de brug zich uitstrekt ongeveer 200 meter lang en kruisen over de Nishiki-rivier. Het staat bekend om zijn serie van vijf houten bogen ondersteund door vier stenen pieren en twee houten pieren aan elk uiteinde van de brug. Het onderging verschillende reconstructie in de loop van de jaren. Het werd in 1922 erkend als een nationale schat.

Kikkou Park is een populaire hanami (bloemweergave). Tijdens het kersbloesemseizoen en Momiji (Japanse esdoorns) zien de bestemming tijdens het herfstseizoen.

Locatie: Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 741-0062, Japan
Openingstijden: Bridge 24/7; Ticket Booth 8:00 AM – 18:00 PM (zomer), 8:00 – 17:00 (Winter). Als u buiten de ticketcabine bezoekt, laat u uw betaling in het verstrekte tol / ticket vallen. Merk op dat het openingsschema kan veranderen, dus controleer op updates en aankondigingen voorafgaand aan uw bezoek.
Toegang: ¥ 310 (Volwassenen), ¥ 150 (kinderen)
Dichtstbijzijnde station / stop: Nishi-Iwakuni Station, Iwakuni Station, Kintaikyo bushalte
Officiële website: www.kintaikyo.iwakuni-city.net

5. Iwakuni-kasteel

Ook deel uit van het Kikkou Park, Iwakuni Castle ligt op de berg Yokoyama, met uitzicht op de stad en de Seto-binnenzee. In opdracht van Kikkawa Hiroie om als zijn officiële woning te dienen, werd het oorspronkelijke kasteel voltooid in 1608. Het werd echter in 1615 gesloopt na het beleid van de Tokugawa Shogunate van “één kasteel per provincie”.

De huidige vierverhaalstructuur dateert uit 1962. Het kasteel organiseert ook een verzameling Samurai-gerelateerde artefacten.

Vanuit Kikkou Park kunt u het kasteel te voet of via Ropeway bereiken.

Locatie: 3 Chome Yokoyama, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 741-0081, Japan
Openingstijden: Kasteel 9:00 – 16:45 uur (dagelijks); Ropeway 9:00 AM – 17.00 uur (dagelijks), gesloten (inspectie / onderhoudsdag). Merk op dat het openingsschema kan veranderen, dus controleer op updates en aankondigingen voorafgaand aan uw bezoek.
Toegang: ¥ 270 (volwassenen), ¥ 120 (kinderen)
Dichtstbijzijnde station / stop: Nishi-Iwakuni Station, Iwakuni Station, Kintaikyo bushalte
Officiële website: www.kankou.iwakuni-city.net

6. Iwakuni sushi

Terwijl u in het park Kikkou Park Iwakuni’s populaire specialiteitengerecht niet mist – Iwakuni Sushi. In de vorm lijkt deze gelaagde ingedrukte Sushi (Oshizushi) eruit als een hartige cake.

Er kunnen variaties zijn, maar de originele basisingrediënten zijn sushi rijst, Iwakuni Renkon Lotus-root, Denbu (of verse vis), dun gesneden eieren en champignons. Deze ingrediënten worden vervolgens samen gedrukt met behulp van een houten sushi-schimmel. De sushi wordt bediend door de “sushi-taart” in kleine stukjes per laag te snijden.

Het wordt verkocht en geserveerd in restaurants en kraampjes in Kikkou Park, met name rond het Kintai Bridge-gebied.

7. 100 smaken ijs in Musashi

Waarschuwing: dit is niet voor de besluitelere! Maar als je zoveel tijd op je handen hebt, verrukkelijk in het browsen door de menuplaten voor de ijssmaak die je interesse vangt.

Je kunt kiezen voor de klassieke smaken of de vreemde als je je gedurfd voelt. Honderd smaak van ijs is misschien een beetje overweldigend, toch? Maak je geen zorgen! Er zijn lijsten van ijs smaken gegroepeerd per categorie: Bestsellers, seizoensgebonden smaken, speciale smaken en nieuwe smaken. Flavours zijn ook gecategoriseerd per ijsbasis: op fruit gebaseerd, op thee gebaseerd en meer.

Musashi-ijs bevindt zich aan de andere kant van de Kintai-brug. Zoek naar de tweede etablissement aan uw linkerzijde Kikkou Park. De prijsklasse voor de normale smaak Soft-SIPE-ijs is ¥ 200 – ¥ 400.

Locatie: 2 Chome-1-23 Yokoyama, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi 741-0081, Japan
Openingstijden: 9:00 – 16.30 uur (maandag, woensdag – zondag); Gesloten (dinsdagen). Merk op dat de openingstijden kunnen variëren en veranderen zonder voorafgaande kennisgeving.
Prijsklasse: ¥ 200 – ¥ 400 (reguliere smaken)

8. Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park

Established in 1955, the Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park is a protected area covering about 45 square kilometers of karst plateau and large grassland.

The park’s many well-known feature is the Akiyoshidō, the longest cave in Japan and one of the longest in Asia. The cave spans practically nine kilometers in length,; however, only about one kilometer is available to the public for sightseeing. The cave trip entails traversing a walkway and bridge system and an synthetic elevator. inside are dozens of rock formations that can capture your imagination.

Aside from Akiyoshidō, there are over 400 much more limestone caves in the park. The park also includes the Akiyoshidai Groundwater System, which was declared as a Ramsar site and wetland of international importance. There are several hiking routes within the park leading to beautiful spots. There’s a visitor center, the park headquarters, a natural history museum, a rest house, and a youth hostel. The park is managed by the local prefectural government.

Highlights: Akiyoshidō, Akiyoshidai Karst Lookout, Akiyoshidai Eastern (Chōjagaminé) seeing Platform, Kanzan, Chōjagamori, Jigokudai, Kaerimizu, Karst Road, Mt. Wakatake, Mt. Nishinonishi
Location: Mine,Yamaguchi 754-0602, Japan
Opening Hours: general Park area 24/7; Akiyoshidai traveler info center 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM; Akiyoshidō 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (March – November), 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (December – February). Merk op dat het openingsschema kan veranderen, dus controleer op updates en aankondigingen voorafgaand aan uw bezoek.
Admission: Akiyoshidō ¥1,300; general Park area FREE. You may explore on your own or you may book one of the trips if you want to be accompanied by a local guide. fees apply for guided tours.
Nearest Station/Stop: Akiyoshidō Bus Terminal, Mine Station. If you are not a fan of walking and hiking, you may hail a Karst Taxi which operates within the park.
Official Website: www.akiyoshidai-park.com

9. Yudaonsen

Onsen (natural hot spring) culture is strong in Japan. It is one of the defining customs that locals still religiously practice. The experience may be shocking to first timers, but for the locals, it is a way of life.

Onsen baths are incredibly well-known for their health benefits. There are various onsen towns and villages in Japan, but this one in Yamaguchi has a mystical background. According to legends, a white fox concerned the Kumano Shrine and dipped its wounded paw into the shrine’s pond and eventually healed.

Today the Yudaonsen district in Yamaguchi City is littered with fox statues and fox-themed enterprises like restaurants, souvenirs, and more. The Yudaonsen station is dominated by a huge statue of the white fox to celebrate the district’s symbol. The natural spring baths are known for its alkaline waters. There are numerous onsen establishments in the district, but it is also provided by ryokans and hotels.

If you are too shy to try, choose one of the six totally free foot bath facilities instead.

Location: Yudaonsen, Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Nearest Station: Yudaonsen Station

10. Hagi Castle Town

Hagi was an affluent castletown during the Edo Period. It is the seat of the Mori clan, one of the most popular and powerful clans in Japan during that period. The Mori lords ruled over the present-day Yamaguchi for over 250 years. The Hagi Castle serves as their official residence of the lords. The castle grounds also served as home to the samurai, merchants, and craftsmen.

Today, the city of Hagi still exudes the conventional vibe of the old castle town. The former castle was constructed at the foot of a hill (Mount Shizukiyama), adjacent to Kikugahama beach at the edge of the city. only the castle ruins remain on the site today, while the castle town in the city center today used to be the area where the samurai and commoners settled. The castle town flaunts well-preserved structures such as old merchant houses and former samurai mansions.

Highlights: Castle Ruins, Kikugahama Beach, Edoya Yokocho, Kuchiba Residence, Kubota Residence, Kido Takayoshi Residence, Kikuya Residence, Hagi museum and other museums, Enseiji Temple
Location: 1 Chome, 呉服町 Hagi, Yamaguchi 758-0072, Japan
Nearest Station: Higashi-Hagi Station. From the station, you can ride the Maru Bus or go there on foot, which will take you roughly 30 minutes. If you are into cycling, you can explore Hagi by renting a bike at the station.

11. Ruriko-ji Temple

Dating back to the late 15th century, Ruriko-ji is one of the main attractions in Yamaguchi. The Buddhist temple boasts a five-story pagoda, hailed as one of the three greatest pagodas in Japan.

The pagoda is the oldest structure within the temple grounds, existing already even before the foundation of the temple as an institution. The complex encompasses the main hall, a bell tower, a museum, and a temple storehouse.

Ruriko-jo is located within Kozan Park, which also houses the Mori Clan burial site and the historically significant tea house, Chinryutei.

Location: 7-1 Kozancho, Yamaguchi, 753-0081, Japan
Opening Hours: temple grounds 24/7; Pagoda 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Daily). note that the opening schedule might change, so check for updates and announcements prior to you

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