Introducing Western Honshū
A land of exquisite ceramics, tranquil mountain villages and urban vibrance, Western Honshū is most known for the legacy of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. But this region, known as Chūgoku, offers much more. The Inland Sea (Seto-nai-kai) prefectures of Okayama and Hiroshima boast charming coastal communities, islands dotted with modern art and cities with room to breathe. Superlative museums crowd the canal quarter of Kurashiki, while Bizen abounds in kilns. Yamaguchi prefecture, a trade hub at the end of Honshū, has its ‘Kyoto of the west’ and limestone caves. Shimonoseki delights in fresh seafood, especially the potentially fatal fugu (blowfish). The Inland Sea, meanwhile, is a peaceful microcosm ringed by the twinkling night lights of Honshū and Shikoku.
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Shimane and Tottori prefectures, part of an area once pejoratively termed ura-nihon (Japan’s rear), are especially hospitable. Former gateways for continental culture, they now enjoy a slower pace dedicated to onsen (hot springs), rugged nature and quiet mountain towns. With an original castle in Matsue and sand dunes in Tottori, the Sea of Japan coast is like a leisurely historical park stroll. Izumo Taisha, one of the oldest and most important shrines in Japan, is the rendezvous for Shinto’s myriad gods.
The Chūgoku mountain range divides Western Honshū. On the southern San-yō coast (literally, ‘the sunny side of the mountains’), the mild Inland Sea weather nurtures populous cities; to the north, the San-in coast (literally, ‘in the shade of the mountains’) is on the cooler Sea of Japan, where nature takes priority.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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RE: room reservations
by Glenski 13 September 2011
Spent 3 weeks on Honshu and Shikoku in October (and including all those places you mentioned). Booked in advance only 3 cities where there…
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RE: Help on Itinerary
by bamse 31 August 2011
+Also, we plan to commute between Osaka & Kyoto (2 hrs each way) considering the high cost of accommodations in Kyoto if we are not able…
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Kyoto and Kyushu - Safe enough again to travel?
by Meggie_Polo 18 August 2011
Before the tsunami and the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima I bought a flight ticket to Osaka to go to Kyoto and further South to Kyushu…
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Western Honshū
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Western Honshū Overview
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Make it happen
Our Top Picks For Western Honshū
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1 Hiroshima’s
Ponder the significance of Hiroshima’s past and capture its cosmopolitan present
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2 Daisen
Clamber up the crumbling volcano of Daisen from the ancient temple Daisen-ji
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3 Okayama-ken International Villa
Sleep in an old thatched-roof farmhouse Okayama-ken International Villa at Hattōji, on a high plateau
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4 Karato Ichiba
Gobble up the intriguing marine life from Karato Ichiba in Shimonoseki and watch the sun rise over the Kanmon Strait
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5 Tawarayama Onsen
Seek out hidden-away rural health spa Tawarayama Onsen and its curious phallic temple
Our favourite Western Honshū Blogs (beta)
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The Most Peaceful Place in the World: Hiroshima
Blog: Inside the Travel Lab - 8 April 2011
People often describe the view from Miyajima Island as one of the most beautiful in Japan. A softly curved Torii, a scarlet figure similar to the symbol pi, rises out of the water. Its calm background: layered mountains and the ferryboats crossing from Hiroshima.
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turning japanese
Blog: The Road Forks - 3 August 2010
at the end Video highlighting the beauty of Japan We began traveling in Japan feeling like the proverbial strangers in a strange land, frustrated by the lack of overt friendliness and the precision of human interactions. I remember telling Patrick and our friend on the eighth day that I found the country beautiful but didn’t understand the people, as I had in Thailand and Cambodia, because their relationships seemed stilted.
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paper cranes and peace
Blog: The Road Forks - 23 July 2010
hiroshima Paper cranes writing out peace
