Western Honshū
Nicknamed U-jō (烏城; Crow Castle) because of its colour, the striking black Okayama Castle has an imposing exterior with gilded-fish gargoyles flipping…
Must-see attractions in Western Honshū
Western Honshū
Within this park, there's not much of the old Hagi-jō to see, apart from the castle's typically imposing outer walls and the surrounding carp-filled moat…
Western Honshū
What remains of the old samurai quarter in Iwakuni now forms pleasant Kikkō-kōen, accessed via Kintai-kyō bridge. Within the park are old residences, a…
Hiroshima
Also known as Carp Castle (鯉城; Rijō), Hiroshima-jō was originally constructed in 1589, but much of it was dismantled following the Meiji Restoration. What…
Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
Hiroshima
A softly lit internal walkway leads down into this cool, contemplative space, where the walls show a circular panorama of Hiroshima and the names of its…
St Francis Xavier Memorial Church
Western Honshū
Built in 1952 in honour of St Francis Xavier, this church burned down in 1991 and was rebuilt in 1998 with a clinically modern interior and geometric…
Western Honshū
This shrine is dedicated to the seven-year-old emperor Antoku, who died in 1185 in the battle of Dan-no-ura. On the left is a statue of Mimi-nashi Hōichi …
Naoshima
A work of art itself, this museum designed by Tadao Ando consists of a series of cool concrete-walled spaces sitting snugly underground. Lit by natural…
Hiroshima
Modelled after West Lake in Hangzhou, China, Shukkei-en was built in 1620 for daimyō (domain lord) Asano Nagaakira. The garden's name means 'contracted…
Yamaguchi Furusato Heritage Centre
Western Honshū
The ground floor of this 1886 sake-merchant building (Manabi-kan; まなび館) has a small display of local crafts, including some Ōuchi dolls (lacquerware…
Hiroshima Region
Buddhist theme park, anyone? Shortly after the death of his beloved mother in 1934, local steel-tube magnate and arms manufacturer Kanemoto Kōzō became a…
Naoshima
The drawcard of little Inujima island is this copper refinery converted into an eco-building, displaying artist Yanagi Yukinori's surreal take on the…
Western Honshū
Both a tourist information office and a cultural experience, inside a traditional Japanese house dating from 1850 near the bridge entrance. The elegant…
Western Honshū
This shrine, with a garden and small complex, was founded in 1890 and is dedicated to Meiji Restoration movement leader Yoshida Shōin. His former…
Western Honshū
About 5km northeast of Shimonoseki Station, this park has superb views over the Kanmon Straits from the top of 268m-high Hino-yama. To get to the lookout…
Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture
Hiroshima Region
This ode to architecture and Ōmi-shima showcases the natural beauty of the island through two buildings designed by internationally acclaimed architect…
Western Honshū
A highlight on the Kibiji bicycle route, this temple has a picturesque five-storey, 34m pagoda – famed for being the last pagoda to be built in Japan. The…
Western Honshū
The 5th-century Tsukuriyama-kofun is the fourth-biggest kofun tomb (keyhole-shaped burial mound) in Japan. It's thought to mark the final resting place of…
Western Honshū
This museum is housed in a 150-year-old building that once served as the home of a shōya (village headman). Downstairs is a collection of soft-edged…
Western Honshū
This pretty garden occupying an area of around 40,000 sq metres was established privately in 1975 on Lake Nakaumi's Daikonshima Island, between Matsue and…
Western Honshū
Crowded into two small caves at Gohyakurakan, there are 500 diminutive stone statues of the Buddha's disciples, each showing a different expression – some…
Western Honshū
The first public school in Japan, Edo-era Shizutani Gakko has wood interiors with glossy lacquered floors and beautifully preserved Bizen-yaki roof tiles…
Western Honshū
This temple is notable for its simple, stone-dotted Zen garden, Sesshutei, designed by the painter Sesshū. From the garden, a trail leads uphill through…
Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn) Memorial Museum
Western Honshū
This memorial museum has displays on the life and work of former Matsue resident Lafcadio Hearn, as well as some of the writer's personal effects –…
Hiroshima
Mazda is popular for the chance to see the impressive 7km assembly line. English-language tours (90 minutes) are available at 10am weekdays, but it's best…
Western Honshū
Hagi-yaki (Hagi ceramic ware) is noted for its fine glazes and delicate pastel colours, and connoisseurs of Japanese ceramics rank it as some of the best…
Western Honshū
For an oddly fascinating and unique museum experience, visit this 'heartbeat archive' on a small bay near the Karato Port area. There are tens of…
Western Honshū
The main attraction at this 17th-century temple is its beautiful garden, built around a pond. Gather your thoughts and contemplate the arrangement of…
Izumo Cultural Heritage Museum
Western Honshū
This cultural museum in the beautifully restored former home of the lords of Izumo, the Ezumi clan, is worth a visit if only to stroll around the pretty…
Hiroshima Region
Founded in 1623 and among the best-known Saijō sake breweries, Kamotsuru is worth a look as it has a large tasting room, and screens a video about the…
Naoshima
Award-winning architect Tadao Ando designed this stunning museum and hotel on the south coast of the island. Among the works here are pieces by Andy…
Western Honshū
A small late 19th-century samurai house with pretty gardens where the writer lived. You can still see the desk where he penned his classic collection,…
Western Honshū
This multimedia museum displays manga artist Mizuki Shigeru's illustrations, artwork, and personal collection of masks and folklore paraphernalia. Audio…
Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
Hiroshima
Fans of contemporary art should drop into this modern museum in Hijiyama-kōen, where the exhibits change regularly and may include anything from large…
Western Honshū
Four rooms are crammed with displays of wooden toys, masks, dolls and spinning tops (including a world-record breaker), as well as a colourful array of…
Western Honshū
Tsuwano-born Anno Mitsumasa is famous for his wonderfully detailed illustrated books, including Anno's Alphabet and Anno's Journey. You can see his work…
Hiroshima
An obvious pit stop for manga (Japanese comics) enthusiasts, this library has a small section of foreign-language manga and a collection of vintage and…
Western Honshū
The Shimonoseki City Art Museum, on the main road at the edge of the old Chōfu area, houses an eclectic collection of local art, which is rotated based on…
Western Honshū
The tiny Maria-dō dates from 1951. More than 150 'hidden Christians' were imprisoned in a Buddhist temple on this site in the early years of the Meiji…
Western Honshū
This beautiful reflective pond of crystal cobalt water feels like it's in the middle of nowhere, on the outskirts of Akiyoshi-dai Quasi-National Park…
