Introduction to Yamaguchi Prefecture
Located in the westernmost part of Honshu, Yamaguchi Prefecture is blessed with rich nature, surrounded by both sea and mountains. Bordering both the Seto Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan, the prefecture is known for its abundant seafood. It is also home to many attractive tourist attractions that combine history and culture.
Geographic location
Yamaguchi Prefecture is located in the westernmost part of Honshu and belongs to the Chugoku Region. It faces Yamaguchi Prefecture to the north, Hiroshima Prefecture to the east, Ehime Prefecture to the south, and the Seto Inland Sea to the west.
History and culture
Yamaguchi Prefecture’s long history of trade with mainland China has nurtured a unique culture. As a result, there are many unique local arts and traditional crafts. It is also known for being the scene of the Meiji Restoration at the end of the Edo period, thanks to the activities of the Choshu clan.
Tourist attraction
Yamaguchi Prefecture offers a variety of attractive sightseeing spots, including historical and cultural attractions and spots where visitors can enjoy nature to the fullest.
Hagi Castle Ruins
The ruins of the castle, located in Hagi City, are designated as a special national historic site, and visitors can feel the history associated with the Choshu clan. From the ruins of the castle, you can also enjoy a view of the city of Hagi and the Sea of Japan.
Akiyoshidai
Akiyoshidai is a karst plateau designated as a special natural monument of Japan. It covers an area of approximately 30 square kilometers, and visitors can enjoy the beauty of natural formations such as strange rocks, caves, and vast grasslands characteristic of karst landscapes.
Motonosumi Shrine
Motonosumi Shrine stands on a cliff jutting out into the Sea of Japan. More than 1,200 torii gates line the shrine grounds, and the magnificent view is one of the “Three Great Views of Japan.
Nagato City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Tourism Site Nanabi – Motonosumi Shrine
Shimonoseki Aquarium Kaikyokan
The greatest attraction of the Shimonoseki Aquarium is the “large tank,” one of the largest aquariums in Japan. This tank is home to 3,000 marine creatures of about 120 species, including sharks, rays, and manta rays.
Tsunoshima Bridge
The Tsunoshima Bridge is a 1,780-meter-long bridge connecting Shimonoseki City and Tsunoshima Island in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Underneath the bridge, islands of various sizes float, creating a picturesque landscape. The white arches floating in the cobalt blue sea are a beautiful sight, and the bridge is known as one of the most spectacular scenic spots in Japan.
Food culture
Yamaguchi Prefecture’s food culture is characterized by seafood and local cuisine.
Fugu dishes
Yamaguchi Prefecture is famous for its fugu (blowfish). Fugu can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes such as sashimi, nabe, and tecchiri. Fugu cuisine is known as one of Japan’s representative gourmet specialties because of its high quality and unique taste.
Tile-shaped soba noodles
A soul food of Yamaguchi Prefecture, it is a unique way of eating rice grilled on a kawara tile and topped with soba (buckwheat noodles). The rich broth and savory soba flavor are a perfect match.
Tsunoshima beef
Tsunoshima beef from Yamaguchi Prefecture is a healthy, fat-free beef raised on a diet of rich marine and mountain produce from the Sea of Japan.
Ube ramen
This ramen originated in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It is characterized by a simple and delicious ramen with a rich pork-bone soy sauce-based soup and medium-thick, straight noodles.
Activities
Yamaguchi Prefecture offers a variety of activities.
Trekking and hiking
Yamaguchi Prefecture has many trekking and hiking spots where you can enjoy magnificent nature, such as Akiyoshidai and Motonosumi Shrine.
Various trekking and hiking courses are also available around tourist attractions such as Kakushima Ohashi Bridge and Kintai Bridge.
Tour of a hot spring
Yamaguchi Prefecture is home to many hot spring resorts surrounded by rich nature, including Abu Onsen, one of the three best hot springs in Japan.
Akiyoshidai Onsenkyo and Yuda Onsen, each with its own unique characteristics, can be enjoyed.
Enjoy gourmet food
Yamaguchi Prefecture is home to many delicious gourmet foods such as fugu (blowfish) and kawara soba (tile soba). We hope you will enjoy the gourmet food of Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Seasonal Recommendations
Yamaguchi Prefecture is a place with four distinct seasons, and each season offers different activities to enjoy.
Spring
- Appreciation of cherry blossoms and rape blossoms: Yamaguchi Prefecture is famous for its cherry blossoms, which attract many tourists in spring. The cherry blossoms floating on the cobalt blue sea (Kakushima Ohashi Bridge) and the view of rape blossoms on the karst plateau (Akiyoshidai) are truly spectacular.
- Enjoy the taste of spring: The taste of spring is abundant, and in addition to standard delicacies such as puffer fish, kawara soba and kawara yaki, visitors can also enjoy seasonal produce such as spring cabbage, udo, and bamboo shoots.
Summer
- Swimming and camping: Yamaguchi Prefecture is bordered by the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea, making it an ideal place for swimming and camping.
- Enjoying Summer Festivals: Yamaguchi Prefecture’s summer festivals are characterized by their glamor and liveliness. Particularly famous summer festivals are the Onsen Festival (Yamaguchi City) and the Akiyoshidai Fire Festival (Mine City).
Autumn
- Appreciation of autumn leaves and cosmos: Yamaguchi Prefecture has many spots where visitors can enjoy spectacular natural scenery such as autumn leaves and cosmos.
- Enjoy the taste of autumn: Yamaguchi Prefecture’s autumn delicacies include an abundance of seafood, such as puffer fish, squid, and autumn swordfish. Yamaguchi Prefecture is also one of Japan’s leading grape-growing regions, and visitors can enjoy delicious grapes.
Winter
- Skiing and Snowboarding: There are more than 10 ski resorts in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Courses are available for beginners and advanced skiers alike.
- Spending time in hot springs: Yamaguchi Prefecture is home to many hot springs surrounded by rich nature, including Abu Onsen, one of the three best hot springs in Japan.
Local Culture
Yamaguchi Prefecture has its own unique festival culture and traditional crafts.
Festival
- Onsen Matsuri (Yamaguchi City): Held every April in Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, this is one of the three major onsen festivals in Japan. The parade of portable shrines and floats creates a spectacular atmosphere in the hot spring resort area.
- Akiyoshidai Fire Festival (Mine City): Held annually in late February, this is one of Japan’s largest wildfire events, with some 10,000 torches lit in the magnificent natural setting of Akiyoshidai.
Traditional crafts
- Hagiyaki: Hagiyaki is made in a variety of forms, including tea bowls, vases, and plates. It is characterized by its rustic texture and is popular overseas as well.
Transportation
There are many ways to reach Yamaguchi Prefecture, including airplanes, bullet trains, trains, and highway buses.
Airplane
There are direct flights to Yamaguchi-Ube Airport (Yamaguchi City) from Haneda Airport and Narita Airport.
Shinkansen
From Tokyo Station to Shin-Yamaguchi Station takes about 5 hours by Sanyo Shinkansen.
Railway
The Sanyo Main Line can be accessed from Shin-Osaka Station to Yamaguchi Station in approximately 5 hours.
Express Bus
Highway buses can be taken from Tokyo Station to Yamaguchi Station in about 8 hours.
Lastly
Yamaguchi Prefecture is a prefecture filled with a variety of attractions, including history, culture, nature, and cuisine. We encourage you to visit Yamaguchi Prefecture with reference to the activities we have introduced here, as well as information on how to enjoy each season and access to the prefecture.