Yamaguchi Travel Guide

Travel off-the-beaten-track to a quiet and rural prefecture that’s home to serene beaches, tranquil caves, and ancient castles, and has a history that’s dominated by the samurai. Its Dassai sake is famed, and local delicacies include the poisonous fugu (pufferfish). Yamaguchi Prefecture was founded by the Ouchi clan in the 14th century. It’s the last point on the main island before you reach Kyushu and the tropical island of Okinawa, and is the gateway between Japan and South Korea, with a daily ferry service to and from Busan. History lovers should head to the historic Hagi to see the origins of the Meiji Restoration, samurai quarters, and castle ruins along with the town’s picturesque street. Yamaguchi came to be known as the Kyoto of the West after it grew to culturally rival Kyoto during Japan’s age of warring states, because of the Ouchi lords. The Hagi area is also renowned for its pottery and craftsmanship. Kintaikyo Bridge is a famed attraction and one of the most iconic bridges in Japan which is a reconstruction of an original five-arched bridge with limestone pillars that was built in 1673. Yamaguchi hosts a large firework festival in summer and other notable attractions include the Motonosumi Shrine that was erected in 1955 that features 123 repetitive red torii gates near the cliffside, as well as National Treasure, Rurikoji, a five-story pagoda and that largest limestone cave in Japan. The most popular place for tourist is Shimonoseki, as it offers up some of the county’s best seafood, and is particularly known for its local specialty, the poisonous fugu (blowfish). It can be deadly if prepared incorrectly, so only licensed chefs are allowed to prepare it. If you can bare getting up at the ungodly hour of 4 am, it’s worth heading down to the Karato Fish Market to get in on the fresh seafood action. Snack on renkon crisps, traditional Japanese sweets from Suzushi Toshiro, and sugar-coated mandarins. Other food specialties include kawara soba which is perfected by mixing noodles with green tea along and topping it off with the usual veggies, meat, and nori as well as a squeeze of lemon, and to top it off, it’s served on a sizzling roof tile! But it isn’t just food that the region is known for; Yamaguchi is also home to one of the most famous sake brands in the world, Dassai. The sake is made from an original strain of sake rice that creates that iconic smooth and refreshing taste.