Tastes of Japan CHUGOKU・SHIKOKU　|ANA

Activity

Daisen-Oki National Park

Mount Daisen, which towers over Daisen Town in Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture, is popular as a climbing spot. It is a sacred mountain that also known as "Hokifuji".

Experience

Naruto Whirlpools and Tourist Attractions

Naruto Strait is located between Naruto City in Tokushima Prefecture and Awaji Island, and is famous for its tidal whirlpools.

Activity

Townscape of Udatsu, Wakimachi

Wakimachi at Mima City is the town where indigo merchant enjoyed prosperity in the Edo period. Stretching along 430m, there is “Udatsu” street or townscape as a symbol of wealth.

Activity

Iya Valley

The picturesque scenery of Iya in Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture is known as one of the three most unexplored regions of Japan.

Food

Ehime's Local Specialty

Ehime’s citrus fruits are always evolving and new varieties are being developed all the time. Ehime produces around 210,000 tons of citrus fruits a year.

Activity

Niyodo Blue

The Niyodo River in Kochi has the most beautiful blue water in all of Japan and is known as Niyodo Blue. This mystical blue basin was the location of a Japanese legendary tale between a mythical serpent and a beautiful daughter.

Culture

Awa Odori Kaikan

You can enjoy Tokushima’s world-class Awa Odori dance throughout the year in the biggest Awa Odori Hall. There is also a museum where you can learn the history of Awa Odori, and you can get Tokushima souvenirs at Tokushima Products Tourist Information Plaza, Arudeyo Tokushima. The fifth floor is Bizan Ropeway Sanroku Station.

Culture

Kochi Castle History Museum

Kochi Castle History Museum is a new hub for the culture and history of Tosa. This museum is the main venue of the Shikoku Kochi Bakumatsu Restoration Exhibition, and visitors can enhance their understanding of the Bakumatsu-Meiji restoration period.

Culture

Hagi’s Five Sites Industrial

Japan, in a short period of about 50 years achieved modernization and industrialization, was called "The Miracle of World History at the End of the 19th Century".

Activity

Miyajima

Itsukushima Shrine has an impressive appearance befitting its status as one of Japan’s top shrines.

Activity

New Meets Old, Wakasa Railway

19.2 km of railway in eastern Tottori operated by the Wakasa Line. Along Wakasa Line Route is full of interesting scenery.

Activity

Inasanohama Beach and Hinomisaki

Inasanohama Beach and Hinomisaki at Shimane Prefecture are a typical sunset beach. You also can enjoy a beautiful harmony between the lighthouse, the sky and the ocean at Hinomisaki. The coastline on the west of the Shimane Peninsula is certified as Japanese heritage in April 2017 as "Sunset on the Sacred Land of Izumo." The sunset seen from there is an incredible sight not just a myth.

Culture

Yashima

The Tale of Heike begins with “The sound of bells echoes through the monastery at Gion Shoja, telling all who hear it that nothing is permanent.” This is a story that describes the pity if impermanence and the pursuit if bravery.

Activity

Shibukawa Beach

Shibukawa beach stretches for an entire kilometer. It has been selected as one of the 100 best beaches in Japan and is the largest swimming beach in Okayama, with visitors flocking in the summer.

Culture

Uchiko

Uchiko had a thriving wax industry from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period. There are historical buildings dotted all around the town.

Culture

Ozu Castle

Ozu is often called the little Kyoto of Iyo, and is a castle town that thrived with Ozu Castle as the center of activity.

Culture

Uwa City

Uwa, located on the highway linking Matsuyama and Uwajima, used to prosper as an inn town and country town of the Uwajima Domain.

Culture

Uwajima Castle

The castle tower of Uwajima Castle, which is counted as one of the 12 remaining original castle towers, has been designated an Important Cultural Property. The Castle is built on top of (approximately 80m above the sea) in the plain in central Uwajima.

Activity

Tensha-en Garden

Date Munetada, the seventh feudal lord of the Uwajima domain who went by the pseudonym "Shunzan," constructed this garden as a place of retirement.

Experience

Nametoko Valley

Canyoning is a river sport from France that allows you to full enjoy valleys with your whole body—jump into the waterfall basin, allow the water current to carry you, and abseil.

Culture

Machu Picchu of Tonaru

This is a group of industrial heritage sites of the Besshi Copper Mine, nestled deep in the mountains of Niihama. At its peak, this was a bustling town with many residents. However, with the closing of the Besshi Copper Mine, only its remnants are left over.

Shopping

Minetopia Besshi

This is a roadside station located along Besshi-Suiha Hana Kaido on Ehime Prefectural Road 47.

Culture

Besshi Copper Mine Memorial Museum

The Sumitomo Group jointly established this memorial museum in order to pass down the achievements at Besshi Copper Mine, one of Japan’s three great copper mines, for generations to come.

Food

Kiri-no-Mori

At the Kiri-no-Mori roadside station, you can purchase the well-known Shingu Tea and Kiri-no-Mori Daifuku rice cakes from the sweet factory, and enjoy sweets and dishes made with the Shingu Tea at “Chafe” and “Kaido-Chamise” and restaurants.

Food

Kaki Komachi Oysters

Oysters are recommended in Hiroshima. Regardless of season and season, you can enjoy it at the direct sale or the oysters shop all the year. In the summer, a large brand oyster "Kaki Komachi" is recommended.

Culture

Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle

Bitchu-Matsuyama Castle is one of 12 existing temples and is designated as an important cultural property of the country. It is also famous as the only mountain castle where its original tower still exists.

Activity

Kuroshima Venus Road

At the island Kuroshima off the coast of Ushimado, when the tide is low a sandbar appears from beneath the sea connecting Kuroshima to two other islands, Nakanokojima and Hashinokojima in an arch. You can walk across this path from island to island.

Culture

Izumonokuni Tatara Fudoki

It is no exaggeration to say that the history and natural feature of Izumo in Shimane Prefecture was nurtured by the ironwork at Tatara Manufacturing.

Activity

Uno Port

Uno Port is an important arrival and departure point on such routes as to Shikoku and Seto Inland Sea (Naoshima, Teshima, and Shodoshima) that closely related to local life. In addition, cruise ships from foreign country also stop by here.

Food

Tamano Ontama Meshi

The All Japan Minato Oasis Sea-Class Gourmet Competition is a festival of gourmet dishes containing elements of the sea, using seafood caught from local ports.

Activity

Mount Ojigatake

Ojigatake is a 235m high mountain that extends into both Tamano city and Kurashiki city. It is part of the Setonaikai National Park, and from the peak you can see a panorama consisting of the entire of the Great Seto Bridge, the many beautiful islands of the Seto Inland Sea, and the mountain ranges of Shikoku on the opposite coast.

Activity

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

In the Edo period, Kurashiki was put under the direct control of the shogunate, and underwent massive development.

Activity

Mount Washu

This is one of the leading picturesque sceneries in Setonaikai National Park, and designated as a place with scenic beauty by the Japanese government.

Shopping

Kojima Jeans Street

The Kojima district has developed the textile industry since the late Edo period.

Culture

Tamamo Park (Ruins of Takamatsu Castle)

Tamamo Park, a historical site was designated as Takamatsu Castle.

Culture

Marugame Castle

Marugame Castle as a symbol of Marugame City is one of the wooden castle with 400 years old history.

Culture

The Shikoku Pilgrimage

The Shikoku Pilgrimage is a circular-shaped pilgrimage that included numerous sacred sites where the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi (Kukai) is believed to have trained from around 1,200 years ago.

Culture

Townscape of Minowa

The ancient city of Utazu is a district that prospered as a port city since the middle Ages, sacred temples, shrines, and traditional “townhouses” were made and still remains even today.

Food

Kamatama Udon

Udon is famous for Kagawa Prefecture, but besides chicken stock, oiri soft, and wasanbon, other ingredients used is olives to enrich the flavor.

Activity

Time and Space

Kagawa has a culture of art and home for some of the world’s finest works of art. It is also home for International artist and masterpieces that have sent ripples throughout Japanese art world.

Activity

Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum

Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Art Museum is a museum of Japanese paintings where donated by Higashiyama Kaii’s family after he passed away.

Activity

Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art (MIMOCA)

This is a museum for works of art by Genichiro Inokuma who spent his childhood at Marugame and designed by an architect Yoshio Taniguchi.

Activity

George Nakashima Memorial Gallery

George Nakashima who made furniture through “dialogue” with tree. When surrounded by his work, somehow it felt as we were in the forest. Since 1964, Sakura Seisakusho recognized his technique and set up a memorial hall to share his philosophy.

Activity

Naoshima

How about surrendering yourself to the passage time and travelling around the Seto Inland Sea that known as “Jewels of the World"? Naoshima, known as the island of the art is about one hour by ferry from Takamatsu Harbour and 30 minutes by speed boat.

Activity

Teshima

Shima Kitchen is a restaurant that reconstructed from a vacant house by the work of architect Ryo Abe.

Activity

Ogijima

It takes about 40 minutes to Ogijima from Takamatsu Port via Megijima. The island has very flat land and settlements are made in ladder pattern across southwest area. You can see a unique landscape where residences are overlapping like the scales of a fish.

Activity

Awashima

Awashima shaped like a screw, there is oldest seafarer training school in Japan which was established in 1897.

Activity

Chichibugahama Beach

If there is no wind in the low tide, the surface of the water on the tidal pool is like the Uyuni Salt Lake in South America. Chichibugahama is famous for being a mirror that reflects the sky.

Activity

Mount Shiude

Land of the legendary Urashima Taro is all around Shonai Peninsula, Mitoyo City. One of them is Mount Shiude.

Culture

Takaya Shrine

Zenigata Sunae is a huge sand art of a 345m copper coin from Edo period drawn on Ariake Beach in Kanonji City; it was created over the night in 1633 to welcome the feudal lord Ikoma Takatoshi.

Culture

Honenike Dam

Honenike Dam is multiple-arch dam that was completed built in 1929. It has great character and stature reminiscent of medieval European castle. A harmony between water-filled surfaces and the surrounding mountains makes beautiful scenery in every season.

Activity

Marugame Island

The eastern part of Kagawa Prefecture, Higashi-Kagawa City found many geological treasures.

Activity

Enjoy Kagawa

What about active trips with pleasant sea breezes such as triathlons (Marugame International Half Marathon, Shodoshima Olive Marathon, Sunport Takamatsu) and cycling to the tranquil views of the Seto interior?

Culture

Traditional Artistry of Kagawa

Kagawa Prefecture introducing traditional techniques throughout the country such as Kagawa Shikki, Marugame Uchiwa, Ajiseki, Tebukuro, and Bonsai.

Activity

Kurayoshi Figure Museum

Kurayoshi City is a beautiful city with townscape of white-walled storehouses and red-tiled roofs that still exists. In April 2018, the oldest existing round school building in Japan was transformed into the Japan’s newest figure museum.

Food

Food Capital Tottori

Mt. Mitoku was recognized as a Japan's most dangerous national treasure in the spring of 2015.

Culture

Tradition from the Inaba Province, Kirinjishi Dance

Tottori Prefecture has lots of interesting things such as cattle bone ramen and sand dunes.

Culture

Mitokusan Sanbutsuji Temple

Mt. Mitoku was recognized as a Japan's most dangerous national treasure in the spring of 2015.

Activity

The Hill of Sea Breeze, Tomari

Ground Golf is a sport for everyone, feel free to join from children to adults and even for elderly people.

Food

Well Crab Campaign

Welcome to the crab prefecture!

Culture

Kochi Castle

Kochi Castle was built by Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a feudal lord who was assigned by Tokugawa Ieyasu the whole province of Tosa for the contribution to the Battle of Sekigahara.

Culture

Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum

Sakamoto Ryoma, born in Tosa, was a patriot at the end of the Edo Period and dedicated his life to early modern Japan. The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum was opened in November 1991 to commemorate his achievements, and collect and exhibit items relating to him.

Culture

Katsurahama Beach

Katsurahama beach is one of the most picturesque locations in Kochi. This arch-shaped beach is located at the entrance of Urado Bay, in between Cape Ryuzu and Cape Ryuo. The backdrop of thick pine greenery, the five-colored beach gravel, and the deep blue sea come together to form a picturesque scene almost like a miniature garden.

Activity

Tairyuji Ropeway

The Tairyuji Ropeway is a massive 2,775m long, making it the largest ropeway in west Japan.

Activity

Hiwasa Chelonian Museum Caretta

At the Hiwasa Chelonian Museum Caretta in Minami, Tokushima, there are events that allow visitors to interact with sea turtles on weekends and public holidays.

Activity

Ritsurin Garden

At Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu, Kagawa you can enjoy the diversity of the four seasons through night illuminations of autumn foliage and cherry blossoms, as well as plum blossoms, along with an entire thousand pine trees.

Culture

Kotohira-gu Shrine

The stairs to Kotohira-gu Shrine in Kotohira, Kagawa have 785 steps. The long path to the inner shrine is famous, and further extends to an entire 1,368 stone steps.

Activity

Shodoshima

Shodoshima in Kagawa is a famous tourist spot. There are so many places to relax on the island, such as the Olive Garden, Angel Road, and a roadside station made in the image of Greece.

Culture

Dogo Onsen

Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, Ehime is an extremely popular tourist spot. Another recommendation is healing yourself at the nearby Asuka no Yu hot springs and Isaniwa Shrine, and going on an eating tour in the shopping district.

Culture

Matsuyama Castle

You can easily access the castle tower of Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Ehime via ropeway or lift, and the castle is lit up at night.Matsuyama Castle sits atop Mount Katsuyama (132 meters above sea level) in central Matsuyama city.

Activity

Shimanami Kaido

The Shimanami Kaido, which connects Imabari in Ehime to Hiroshima, is a popular tourist spot for cycling. You can also feed your soul with history and nature at Kirosantenbo Park and Oyamazumi Shrine, and enjoy local delicacies such as Imabari Yakibuta Tamago Meshi (grilled pork and egg over rice).

Culture

Japan Heritage Center

“The One Hundred Landscapes of Tsuwano” is an art book that depicts the famous places and the lives of the local people around 150 years ago towards the end of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Activity

Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark

The Oki Islands are located in the Sea of Japan, around 50km north from the Shimane peninsula.

Activity

Akiyoshidai and Akiyoshido

Akiyoshidai and Akiyoshido is Japan’s largest karst plateau, extending from central to eastern Mine.In 1955, it was designated Akiyoshidai and Akiyoshido Quasi-National Park and in 1964, a Special Natural Monument.

Culture

Motonosumi Inari Shrine

In 1955, a white fox appeared by the bedside of Hitoshi Okamura, a local fishing business owner.

Activity

Tsunoshima Bridge

Tsunoshima Bridge was opened in the year 2000, and it is Japan’s longest (1780m) bridge to an isolated island that you can cross for free, as it is a non-toll road.

Culture

Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum

Osafune is a Japanese sword hub and has thrived since the Kamakura period as the largest Japanese sword producing region.

Activity

Ushimado Olive Garden

A Greek once visited this area, and was amazed how much the scenery looked like his hometown by the Aegean Sea, earning it the name the Aegean Sea of Japan.

Culture

Sekishu Washi Kaikan

The western region of Shimane has been called Iwami province (or alternatively, Sekishu) since times of old.

Activity

Okayama Korakuen

Korakuen is a garden created by a daimyo (feudal lord) that represents the Edo period. It is designated a Special Place of Scenic Beauty.

Activity

Tomonoura, Japan Heritage Port Town

Tomonoura is located along the coast 14km south from Fukuyama Station. This place of scenic beauty has long been a port where boats wait for a favorable wind, and it is even mentioned in poems in the Manyoshu, an ancient collection of Japanese poems.

Activity

Sandankyo Gorge

The spectacular clear streams and greenery of the massive Sandankyo Gorge stretch for around 16km from the entrance of the gorge to the Hijiri Lake.

Activity

Visit Saijo, Japanese Sake Capital

Saijo stands shoulder to shoulder with the famous sake brewing regions, Nada and Fushimi. In the vicinity of JR Saijo Station, seven sake breweries are still in operation.