Spots in Yamaguchi

Each spot shows when its facts were last checked against official sources.

By prefecture:

HokkaidoHokkaido (60)

TohokuAomori (30)Iwate (30)Miyagi (40)Akita (30)Yamagata (30)Fukushima (30)

KantoIbaraki (30)Tochigi (30)Gunma (30)Saitama (30)Chiba (30)Tokyo (30)Kanagawa (30)

ChubuNiigata (30)Toyama (30)Ishikawa (30)Fukui (30)Yamanashi (30)Nagano (30)Gifu (30)Shizuoka (30)Aichi (30)

KansaiMie (30)Shiga (30)Kyoto (30)Osaka (30)Hyogo (30)Nara (30)Wakayama (30)

ChugokuTottori (30)Shimane (30)Okayama (30)Hiroshima (30)Yamaguchi (30)

ShikokuTokushima (30)Kagawa (30)Ehime (30)Kochi (30)

Kyushu & OkinawaFukuoka (30)Saga (30)Nagasaki (30)Kumamoto (30)Oita (30)Miyazaki (30)Kagoshima (30)Okinawa (30)

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No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiAkama Jingu ShrineA shrine dedicated to Emperor Antoku, who drowned at just 8 years old after the Battle of Dannoura. The vermilion Suitenmon gate, built to evoke the Dragon Palace, greets worshippers. The grounds hold the Amidaji mausoleum of Emperor Antoku and a treasure hall. Its predecessor, Amidaji temple, is the setting of "Mimi-nashi Hoichi" from Lafcadio Hearn's ghost stories; the Hoichi hall has a statue of Hoichi playing the biwa, next to graves of the Heike clan. On May 3 every year it is the main venue of the Sentei Festival.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMine, YamaguchiAkiyoshidai PlateauOne of the largest karst plateaus in Japan, where white limestone pokes out of grassland as far as the eye can see, like a flock of sheep; it is one of Japan's three great karsts. Under the plateau lie many huge limestone caves, including Akiyoshido. Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark has been certified as a UNESCO Global Geopark. Green in summer and silver grass shining in the autumn sunset make superb views; you can drive the Karst Road or trek Mt. Kanmuri and Choja-ga-mori.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMine, YamaguchiAkiyoshidai Safari LandA theme park where you can see animals behaving naturally, as in the wild. In the Safari Zone African elephants, tigers, lions, cheetahs and others live on a vast site, seen up close from your own car; the "feeding bus" lets you feed them from inside. In the animal contact area you can meet small animals, and events such as horse riding and feeding are held.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetMine, YamaguchiAkiyoshido CaveA limestone cave 100 m under Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park, a Special Natural Monument. The temperature inside is a constant 17 degrees C all year, cool in summer and warm in winter. With a total length of over 10 km it is among the largest in Japan; the approx. 1 km sightseeing course shows many natural forms, including the rice-terrace-like "Hyakumaizara". An adventure course (extra fee) has you climbing ladders with a flashlight.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiChofu Castle TownA castle town with a romantic historical feel, with the earthen walls and stone walls of "Furue-shoji" lane from the Edo period and the Chofu domain samurai row houses showing the life of senior retainers. Kozanji Temple, with its National Treasure Buddha hall and gate, and the Chofu Mori residence are known for autumn leaves, and cafes dot the area.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYamaguchi, YamaguchiChomonkyo GorgeOne of Yamaguchi's finest scenic spots, showing cherry blossoms in spring, fresh green in summer, autumn leaves and snow in winter. The Abu River flows along the promenade with unusual rocks, rapids and deep pools, and many fish, birds and butterflies live here. A walking path of about 5.1 km runs through the gorge, and guided walking tours are available. In autumn the leaves turn even the water red.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiDannoura Battlefield (Mimosusogawa Park)In 1185 the Battle of Dannoura, the last battle between the Genji and Heike, was fought here, at "Hayatomo no Seto", where the Kanmon Straits are narrowest and the current fastest. Nii-no-Ama, foreseeing the Heike defeat, entered the sea holding the 8-year-old Emperor Antoku; the place name Mimosusogawa is said to come from her farewell poem. The shore overlooking the battlefield is now Mimosusogawa Park, where you can enjoy the ships passing through the straits and the Kanmon Bridge up close.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiGanryujima IslandA small island about 1.6 km around in the Kanmon Straits, where Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro fought. Its official name is Funashima, but local people, thinking of the loser, came to call it Ganryujima after Kojiro's school. Statues and monuments recreating the duel stand on the island, which can be explored on foot, with a floating pier, paths and a viewing plaza. A regular boat runs daily from Karato Pier, about 10 minutes.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetHagi, YamaguchiHagi Castle TownA castle town where the old streets remain vividly: solid white-walled samurai houses, earthen walls with summer oranges peeking over, and the crank-shaped "kagi-magari" lanes. The birthplaces of figures active from the end of the Edo period into the Meiji Restoration, such as Takasugi Shinsaku and Kido Takayoshi, still stand. The streets are laid out in a grid, with old-house cafes, shops and historic sites; the townscape is registered as part of the World Heritage "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution".Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetIwakuni, YamaguchiIwakuni CastleA castle keep that was demolished under the Edo shogunate's "one castle per province" order and rebuilt in its present beautiful white-walled form. From the observation deck on the summit the view of Kintaikyo Bridge and the Iwakuni castle town below is superb, and on clear days you can see the islands of the Seto Inland Sea as far as Miyajima.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYamaguchi, YamaguchiJoeiji Temple Sesshu GardenJoeiji was built about 500 years ago by Ouchi Masahiro as a villa. Its garden is said to have been made by the ink painter Sesshu at his request, and is loved as the "Sesshu Garden". Stones arranged to evoke Mt. Fuji and the mountains of China are superb; it is a representative Zen garden and a national Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty. Sutra copying and zazen sessions are offered.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiKanmon BridgeA 1,068 m suspension bridge across the Kanmon Straits linking Honshu and Kyushu, the longest in the East when it opened in 1973. You can enjoy it from many angles: looking up from the Mekari promenade on the Kyushu side, from observation decks, or passing under the lit-up bridge on a night cruise. As an expressway it cannot be crossed on foot, but the Mekari parking area on the Kyushu side can be reached on foot.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiKanmon StraitsThe name joins the "Kan" of Bakan (today's Shimonoseki) and the "Mon" of Moji; the straits are said to have formed about 6,000 years ago when Honshu and Kyushu were separated. You can cross them overland by the Kanmon Bridge (expressway, cars only), on foot through the Kanmon Tunnel, or by train. At night the lit-up Kanmon Bridge and the night views of Shimonoseki and Moji spread out.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiKanmon Tunnel (Pedestrian Tunnel)A 780 m undersea tunnel linking Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi and Kitakyushu in Fukuoka. It has two levels: the road on top and the pedestrian walkway below, which takes about 15 minutes to walk through. Midway lies the boundary between Yamaguchi and Fukuoka prefectures, where you can take a "straddling prefectures" photo. Collect the stamps at the elevator halls on both sides and answer a questionnaire at a tourist information centre or similar, and you receive the "Kanmon TOPPA!" certificate for crossing the straits on foot.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiKarato MarketA popular market in Shimonoseki, famous for fugu, where tourists can shop too. Its highlight is the stall event "Ikiiki Bakangai", held every weekend (Friday to Sunday) and on holidays, with nigiri sushi, seafood bowls, fresh fried food and fugu soup. On fine days you can have lunch looking out over the Kanmon Straits.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetIwakuni, YamaguchiKintaikyo BridgeA beautiful wooden bridge of five arches, about 200 m long, counted among Japan's three famous bridges. First built in 1673 in the early Edo period, it is 193.3 m long and 5 m wide. About 1,500 cherry trees in spring, green in summer and autumn leaves add to the scene. Its original arch structure, built with delicate wood joinery, can be enjoyed by walking across or by looking up from a yakatabune boat. The bridge is lit up in each season, starting with the cherry blossom season.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetHofu, YamaguchiMori Garden and Mori MuseumA garden 8 minutes by car from Hofu Station, where artificial islands and bridges blend with nature, packed with the skills of Meiji and Taisho craftsmen and a national Place of Scenic Beauty. On the 25,000-tsubo grounds the former Mori family residence is open as the Mori Museum, holding cultural properties linked to the Mori clan, and from its 2nd floor you can see the islands of the Inland Sea over the garden. About 160 cherry trees bloom in late March to early April, 900 azaleas from late May, and autumn leaves from mid-November to early December.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNagato, YamaguchiMotonosumi ShrineA shrine where a line of red torii gates runs against the backdrop of the Sea of Japan, a superb view that has drawn attention worldwide. Note: at present the torii gates cannot be walked through because of repair work, and worship is suspended on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from March to November 2026.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNagato, YamaguchiNagato Yumoto OnsenSaid to have opened in the Muromachi period, the oldest hot spring in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Renewed in 2020 around the Otozure River, the town invites strolling: walk the stone-paved paths, sit on riverside terraces, cross stepping stones and snack on local food such as kawara soba and yakitori. There are cherry blossoms in spring, Genji fireflies in early summer, autumn leaves in autumn and light events in winter. "Ontou" is the symbol of the town.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNagato, YamaguchiOmijima IslandA representative scenic spot of Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park, also called the "Alps on the Sea". On its east, west and north sides the rough waves of the Sea of Japan have carved cliffs, sea arches, stone pillars and reefs over 16 km. You can see it from the sea on the Omijima sightseeing boat, or from land on the Omijima nature trail. The water is very clear, and it is also popular as a diving spot.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYamaguchi, YamaguchiRurikoji Temple Five-storied Pagoda (Kozan Park)The National Treasure Rurikoji Five-storied Pagoda, counted among Japan's three famous pagodas, is said to be the masterpiece of the Ouchi culture that flourished in Yamaguchi, where Ouchi Hiroyo, the 24th head of the Ouchi clan in the Muromachi period, built a city modelled on Kyoto. Kozan Park, which takes about an hour and a half to walk, is known for cherry blossoms, plums and autumn leaves. The re-roofing of the cypress-bark roof, the first in about 70 years, has finished and the whole pagoda can be seen again.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNagato, YamaguchiRyugu no Shiofuki (Blowhole)A blowhole where waves rush into a hole just 1 m high and 20 cm wide near the water at the foot of a cliff, and air compressed in the cavity behind shoots seawater upward. It is on a sea cliff about 500 m northwest of Tsuki village; the rougher the sea, the higher the spray, which can reach 30 m.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetNagato, YamaguchiSenjojiki HighlandA grassy plateau 333 m above sea level, with a grand panorama of islands in the Sea of Japan and the endless sea and sky below: "a great hall overlooking the Sea of Japan". Crinum lilies, azaleas, camellias and sasanqua colour the highland through the seasons, and on summer nights you can see the lights of fishing boats. It is also popular as a campsite.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiShimonoseki Aquarium KaikyokanAn aquarium with a dolphin and sea lion show and fugu exhibits unique to Shimonoseki. New areas include "Fugu-pedia" on the charms of pufferfish and "Hireashi Beach" modelled on a sea lion beach, plus a large tank recreating the currents of the Kanmon Straits and "Penguin Village", one of Japan's largest penguin exhibits. It displays a genuine full blue whale skeleton, one of only a few in the world.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetHagi, YamaguchiShoka Sonjuku AcademyA World Heritage private school where Yoshida Shoin taught, producing many leaders of the late Edo period; the building of the time survives. It began as a school in the home of Shoin's uncle Tamaki Bunnoshin, and in 1857 the 28-year-old Shoin took it over. In just over a year he trained many talents of the Meiji Restoration, such as Kusaka Genzui, Takasugi Shinsaku, Ito Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo. The wooden building stands where it did then and can be viewed from outside.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetHagi, YamaguchiSusa HornfelsA cliff on the coast of Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park, formed about 15 million years ago under the heat of magma: layers of sand and mud were intruded by hot gabbro and metamorphosed. Its striped layers of grey-white and black, about 12 m high, are among "Japan's 100 geological sites". You can walk down the path to look up at the rock from below. From May to October the Susa Bay sightseeing boat runs.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiTsunoshima Lighthouse and ParkA park at the western tip of Tsunoshima with the first Western-style lighthouse on the Sea of Japan coast. The stone lighthouse was first lit in 1876 and is still in service; it is one of only 16 lighthouses in Japan you can climb, by 105 spiral steps and a ladder, for a 360-degree view.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetShimonoseki, YamaguchiTsunoshima Ohashi BridgeTsunoshima Ohashi often appears in TV commercials and as a filming location; the superb view of white beaches and cobalt-blue sea became a talking point on social media. At 1,780 m it is one of the longest toll-free public road bridges in Japan. Cycling or walking while looking at the sea is recommended; on clear summer days in particular, the contrast of the blue sea, white road and green island is beautiful.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetIwakuni, YamaguchiUno Chiyo BirthplaceThe birthplace of Uno Chiyo, a woman writer born in Iwakuni in 1897. The house dates from the Meiji period and was restored by Uno Chiyo herself in 1974. It has been open to the public since May 2002 and displays various items related to her.Official check: 26 Sept 2026
No photo yetYanai, YamaguchiYanai White-walled TownscapeEdo-period merchant houses line both sides of a stone-paved street about 200 m long, keeping the look of a commercial town that prospered as the "storehouse of the Iwakuni domain". The local craft "Yanai goldfish lanterns" sway under the eaves; there are merchant houses that are Important Cultural Properties, facilities to try traditional crafts, and cafes.Official check: 26 Sept 2026