Three must visit places in Rural Japan — Yamaguchi Prefecture
I have had the pleasure of spending about 4 months living in Yamaguchi Japan, which lies between Fukuoka and Hiroshima. This region of Japan is rural and is also not at the top of the travel list when one mentions Japan. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, along with Hiroshima and Nagasaki might be the cities that pop to mind when mentioning Japan; however, take a little detour outside of these places and there is a treasure trove of sights to see, local delicacies to eat and islands to experience that are really not known in comparison to the golden road. This is swiftly becoming a point of interest as the topic of over tourism is starting to take center stage within the Japanese media as tourism has slowly begun to catch up to pre-pandemic levels at rapid pace. The slow response of the hospitality industry towards the rapid recovery of tourism numbers doesn`t help, and overcrowded streets in Shibuya and Kyoto surrounded by other tourists also doesn`t sound particularly relaxing, nor immersive.
This is where heading out towards the lesser-known prefectures and the Japanese countryside can be very refreshing. As these places are lesser known, you will most likely be the only tourist around and will be surrounded by Japanese tourists. This creates a more immersive experience and the prefecture of Yamaguchi is very large; there is a lot to see and do here, of which I would like to introduce three spots that are must visits within this amazing prefecture.
A car is a must when in the countryside of Japan. This is by no means a minus as the country roads have some of the most picturesque sceneries in the whole country and this hardly gets advertised in the bigger tourism sphere. Most of the attention is given to the shinkansen (bullet train) and public transport which is also a very cost-effective way to travel large distances. That being said, to get to most of the places tucked away into the countryside, a car is most effective as you can visit said places at your own pace. For this reason, having an international driving permit when visiting Japan is a big bonus that I would recommend when planning a long trip within the country.
These are also places of note for people who are currently residing within Japan and would like to visit someplace other than the big cities, or other popular tourist destinations within Japan. A change of pace from the rhythm of daily life in Japan is much recommended; all the difficulties of integrating within Japan`s culture can be dull. Things that we would find interesting and exciting becomes blasé and Japanese work culture can suck the joy out of everything. Taking a break and rejuvenating the love of Japan we all had when we decided to move here is a top priority in my opinion to keep life in Japan fresh and adventurous.
Tsunoshima
Tsunoshima lies on the Sea of Japan and is a very popular spot amongst locals to visit during the summer. It has some pristine beaches and the popular sea bridge that connects the island with the main island. The point of interest in this island is the Gran Vista Tsunoshima. This is a quaint café towards the western side of the island that serves really good sashimi with ice cream to finish off a good lunch. The views from the café terrace out towards the Sea of Japan is a sight to take in one bite of fresh sashimi bowl at a time. This place is highly recommended in the summer months. The Monument of happiness is a great place to take a commemorative photo to mark the trip!
A change of pace from the rhythm of daily life in Japan is much recommended; all the difficulties of integrating within Japan`s culture can be dull.
Motonosumi Inari Shrine
Nagato, Yuyatsuo
If you are looking for a seaside shrine with glorious views of the sea, while also having a quirky legend, then Motonosumi Inari Shrine is right up the alley. Getting to this shrine takes you through some windy mountainous roads that is a journey on it`s own. Once you reach the other side of the mountains, you will be greeted with a line of glistening red tori gates that would be right at home in a Hayao Miyazaki movie! For people who are not good with crowds and want an alternative to the famous Inarizaki shrine in Kyoto, this is the place to be! At the Main tori gate, you will most likely see a few people trying to toss a coin at the top of the gate. Legend has it that should you succeed in tossing the coin inside the box located a the top of the gate, good fortune and prosperity will follow! The shrine is said to have been built by a local who was greeted with images of a pure white fox in his sleep. People come here seeking good fortune, especially ladies who are expecting a baby.
Mine, Akiyoshidai
Akiyoshidai is situated in Mine, Yamaguchi and it is one of Japan`s largest natural limestone formations cave. This geo structure has some really fascinating rock formations inside it`s cavernous space that stretches for a whole kilometer. The cave is situated within the Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark centre and is home to the largest Karst plateau in Japan. A host of activities including renting bikes to explore the area is available. It is recommended to visit here during late spring/early summer for pleasant weather with blue skies and views of green rolling hills amongst this unique geological landscape.
Make sure to brush up on a little Japanese as these places more often than not don`t have a streamlined English help centre like the other popular cities in Japan therefore, understanding basic Japanese really does go a long way in making your trip a little smoother. There is still a whole host of unexplored Japan waiting for you to discover if you look below the surface of popular cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka! Here is a link to the official visit Yamaguchi website with more info on the places mentioned above and more, all in English!
