Enjoy Stunning Scenery, Great Food, and History! A Yamaguchi Travel Guide

Day 1 of the model course starts at JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station.
Take a bus from JR Shin-Yamaguchi Station to the Akiyoshido bus stop.
After getting off, walk for Approx. 7 minutes to reach the first spot, Akiyoshidai and Akiyoshido.

Akiyoshidai is one of Japan’s largest karst plateaus, spreading across the central and eastern parts of Mine City.
The white limestone rocks emerging from the vast grassland are a spectacular sight.
The view from the Akiyoshidai Karst Observatory, which overlooks the entire plateau, is especially beautiful.
Beneath Akiyoshidai, limestone caves spread out like a web.
There are more than 450 in total, including the Special Natural Monument Akiyoshido, Kagekiyodo, where a defeated Heike warrior is said to have hidden, and the three-dimensional, maze-like Taishodo.
Enjoy both the sweeping scenery of the grasslands and the adventure of exploring the caves with their cool, otherworldly atmosphere.

After exploring Akiyoshidai and Akiyoshido, return to the nearest bus stop, Akiyoshido.
From there, take a bus, get off at Hagi Bus Center, and walk for Approx. 10 minutes to reach Hagi Castle Town.
Hagi prospered as a castle town for 260 years after the warlord Terumoto Mori built Hagi Castle there.
The beautiful townscape of white walls, namako walls, and black board fences still preserves the streets of the Edo period so well that people say “you can still use an Edo-period map,” and the atmosphere of that era remains strong.
In 2015, it was also registered as part of the World Heritage Site “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.”
The Hagi area has five component parts recognized as some of the earliest heritage sites related to the introduction of industrial technology, and this is one of them.
Take a walk through Hagi Castle Town, where you can enjoy both an Edo-period townscape and heritage connected to the development of the next era in one place.
There are also many restaurants in Hagi Castle Town, so this is a great place to enjoy one of Yamaguchi’s local specialties for lunch.

Board a bus at Hagi Bus Center and get off at Hagi Reverberatory Furnace. After a walk of about 2 minutes, you will arrive at your destination, Hagi Reverberatory Furnace.
A reverberatory furnace is a metal melting furnace introduced in the late Edo period for the purpose of casting cannons.
It was built based on sketches of a reverberatory furnace, and although only records of temporary and trial operations remain, it symbolizes the trial and error Japan went through in its push toward modernization.
Other than the Hagi Reverberatory Furnace, the only remaining reverberatory furnace ruins in Japan are in Shizuoka and Kagoshima.
Hagi Reverberatory Furnace is both a nationally designated historic site and one of the component sites of the World Heritage listing.
Take your time exploring this valuable historic ruin, where you can feel the flow of Japanese history.

It is Approx. a 30-minute walk from Hagi Reverberatory Furnace to the next spot, Shokasonjuku Academy.
This private school was run in the late Edo period by Yoshida Shoin, a samurai born and raised in Hagi.
It is said to have been named Shokasonjuku because the surrounding area was called Matsumoto Village.
It accepted students regardless of status or class, and although Yoshida Shoin taught there for just over a year, the school produced many talented figures who went on to play major roles in the Meiji Restoration and the new Meiji government.
Within the grounds are buildings preserved just as they were in the late Edo period, along with Shoin Shrine, which enshrines Yoshida Shoin.
At the World Heritage-listed Shokasonjuku Academy and Shoin Shrine, take a moment to reflect on the great figures who worked to change their era.

After enjoying Shokasonjuku Academy, walk to JR Higashi-Hagi Station.
Take a train from JR Higashi-Hagi Station to JR Nagatoshi Station, then take a bus to Nagato Yumoto Onsen.
Nagato Yumoto Onsen is a hot spring town with a history of over 600 years.
If you walk along the river, you can enjoy seasonal natural scenery, including bamboo groves.
You can also try a variety of street foods, such as mitarashi dango, dorayaki, and soft-serve ice cream.
Enjoy some food as you make your way to KAI Nagato, your accommodation for the first night.
This inn is themed around “a tea retreat for feudal lords” that reflects samurai culture from the Edo period, and its guest rooms are distinctive local-inspired rooms.
You will likely notice a Japanese-modern feel in the interior design.
Relax after the day with free-flowing hot spring baths and a kaiseki meal, and get ready for tomorrow.

From JR Nagatoyumoto Station, the starting point of Day 2, take a train to JR Asa Station.
Transfer at JR Asa Station and get off at JR Shimonoseki Station. Then take a bus from the station to arrive at the first stop of Day 2, Dan-no-Ura Battlefield.

Dan-no-Ura Battlefield is the site of the Battle of Dan-no-Ura, the final battle between the Genji and Heike clans.
The defeat of the Heike clan there brought an end to their power in the Heian period (794–1185) and helped usher in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) under the Genji clan.
It truly marks a turning point in Japanese history.
As you reflect on history at the monument, be sure to also take in the beauty of the sea stretching out before you.
After your visit to Dan-no-Ura Battlefield, stop nearby for lunch.

It is about a 15-minute walk from Dan-no-Ura Battlefield to Akama Jingu Shrine.
The shrine enshrines Emperor Antoku, who was defeated in the Battle of Dan-no-Ura and drowned himself at the age of eight.
The vermilion Suitenmon Gate is designed in the image of the Dragon Palace, giving it a gorgeous yet solemn atmosphere.
Within the grounds, there is also a treasure hall displaying valuable materials, along with a row of vivid vermilion buildings.
At Akama Jingu Shrine, another symbol of the Kanmon Strait, reflect on Emperor Antoku and the Heike people who met their end in history.

After visiting Akama Jingu Shrine, walk to the next spot, Karato Market.
Karato Market is a fish market where not only professionals but also tourists can shop casually.
In addition to Shimonoseki’s famous fugu, it is also well known as a market for sea bream and yellowtail, with freshly caught fish brought in by local fishermen on display.
Besides the fresh seafood section, the market also has produce stands and shops selling prepared foods, filled with the lively voices of fishers and farmers.
Take home some of Yamaguchi’s exceptional food products as souvenirs.

After buying souvenirs at Karato Market, walk for Approx. 5 minutes to the Shimonoseki Marine Science Museum Kaikyokan.
The aquarium features plenty of exhibits unique to Shimonoseki, including a tank that recreates the beautiful currents of the Kanmon Strait and displays of pufferfish species, including tiger pufferfish and ocean sunfish, with one of the world’s largest varieties of pufferfish on view.
It also offers distinctive and creative events, such as a joint dolphin and sea lion show and performances of bubble rings made by finless porpoises.
Enjoy not only the exhibits but the events as well.

From the Shimonoseki Marine Science Museum Kaikyokan, it is Approx. a 20-minute walk to Kaikyo Yume Tower, a beloved Shimonoseki landmark.
From its 143 m-high observation room, one of the tallest in Japan, you can enjoy a sweeping 360-degree panoramic view that includes the Seto Inland Sea, the Kanmon Strait, Ganryujima Island, Hibikinada (the Sea of Japan), and even Kyushu on the opposite shore.
The tower is certified as a “Lovers’ Sanctuary” and is also famous as a date spot.
There is also a matchmaking shrine on the 28th floor. At night, the tower is illuminated in vivid colors.
Be sure to enjoy its romantic atmosphere after sunset as well.