Top Yamaguchi Prefecture How to Get Around

Cycle through Hagi's beautiful countryside to experience local life and savor scenery suited best for a slow ride. This private guided tour focuses on Japanese rice wine "sake." Learn about the brewing process, see where the rice and water are collected, and visit a local sake brewery and rice polishing facility. After the tour, guests may enjoy sake tasting at the brewery.

Discover a charming rural village known for its adorable red-tiled roofs — a rare sight even in Japan and a potential highlight of your trip. Leave Hagi’s famous samurai district behind and step into authentic countryside life. Stroll at a relaxed pace through a small local community, passing rice fields, farms, temples, and shrines. At Seiraiji Temple, which overlooks the village, you will have the special opportunity to ring the temple bell. You may even have the chance to meet friendly locals and experience everyday rural Japan. After the walk, enjoy lunch at a traditional Japanese house restaurant, featuring local ingredients and views of the beautiful countryside.

Dressed in original costumes and riding a white horse as the Shogun, the procession of 20 people, including extras, will parade through the Ōdono area, which retains the historical atmosphere to this day. Afterward, the procession will move to Sansuien Garden, a National Registered Tangible Cultural Asset, where guests can enjoy Yamaguchi’s traditional performing arts and savor the Ōuchi Feast, faithfully recreated from the historical banquet. Please enjoy Yamaguchi City, which has been selected by The New York Times as one of the “52 Places to Go in 2024.”

Stroll through the Fujikawachi Tea Fields with local tea farmers who cultivate the tea, as they share insights into the history of the plantation and tea-growing techniques. You'll also learn about the efforts involved in maintaining this vast tea estate and the current state of the tea industry. At the Ube Green Tea Center, the facility director will personally brew three varieties of "Yamaguchi Tea" and explain their unique characteristics. This is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of Yamaguchi Tea.

Yamaguchi City, which has been selected for the New York Times’ list of “52 places to go in 2024”, was ruled and developed by Ouchi clan during the Muromachi period (1336-1573). This activity has been arranged as Ouchi kemari based on the assumption that Ouchi might have also enjoyed kemari. Participants will wear Muromachi-style costumes and play kemari with a specially handmade mari ball.

The spectacular sight of 123 bright red torii gates at Motonosumi Shrine, stretching toward the deep blue Sea of Japan — a truly unforgettable photo opportunity. At Senzaki Kitchen, we plan to serve kawara soba, Yamaguchi Prefecture’s signature local dish. Conclude your journey at Akama Shrine, with its striking red gate and historical ties to the legendary Battle of Dan-no-ura. After a day of scenic views, cultural discoveries, and local flavors, return comfortably to the Shimonoseki Cruise Terminal with memories to treasure long after your visit.

This tour is designed for travelers who visit Shimonoseki by cruise ship. We will pick you up at Shimonoseki Port or hotels near the port. This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Shimonoseki. Enjoy a 6-hour private tour with your own guide and vehicle, customized to your interests. From the bustling Karato Market famous for fugu and fresh sushi to the dramatic Kanmon Strait with its great bridge, the vermilion Akama Shrine, the historic castle town of Chofu, and the breathtaking views from Mount Hino, you will discover the very best of this storied port city at the western tip of Honshu. You can choose 2-3 sites from the itinerary list, and your guide will tailor the route to make the most of your limited time in port. Sit back, relax, and let your private guide handle all the logistics for a stress-free and memorable day in Shimonoseki.

Do you know Kintai Bridge? Located in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the bridge is widely known for its beauty, with five arches spanning a clear stream. The area was ruled by the Kikkawa clan, a samurai clan during the feudal era, who built mansions, castles, and towns all over the area, including this bridge. After crossing the beautiful bridge, visitors can enjoy the beautiful nature in the area where the mansions once stood, which has been well maintained. From there, take the ropeway to Iwakuni Castle, Kikkawa's castle on the mountain. Inside the castle, you will find swords and armor related to the Kikkawa clan, which will give you a sense of historical romance. From the top floor of the castle, you can look down on the Kintai Bridge and the city of Iwakuni and feel like a samurai. Enjoy this wonderful tour with a guide.

Step onto Ozushima, an island shaped by history and reached by a short ferry ride from Tokuyama Station on the Shinkansen, just 30 minutes from Hiroshima. Explore the legacy of the Kaiten, Japan's human torpedoes of World War II, through a tour designed and led by a local university student deeply engaged in preserving this history. As a site connected to wartime tragedy, the experience reflects what is often described as dark tourism, inviting visitors to engage thoughtfully with difficult history and remembrance. Over lunch, learn about a renowned spatial design duo who relocated to the island and are dedicated to its revitalization. Enjoy a traditional “kamishibai” storytelling session, led by a local resident, Chieko Matsumoto. This is not only a historical tour, but also a rare opportunity to connect wartime memory with the people shaping the island's future.

Discover the food and drink scene of Iwakuni on a guided tour. Savor the flavors of the city with a local guide leading the way.

Hagi is perfectly sized for exploring by bicycle. On this 3.5-hour tour, you will experience one of Japan’s most extensively preserved samurai towns (Castle town) from the Edo period (over 400 years ago)—protected across a vast area and home to sites registered as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site—along with the everyday lives of the people who have lived here for over 400 years. The approximately 11 km route is designed to avoid crowds, guiding you through traditional streets, a scenic coastline, and quiet, lesser-known spots. Along the way, you may also encounter local residents and everyday scenes of life in Hagi. This tour goes beyond typical sightseeing, offering a chance to understand how the people of Hagi continue to protect their town and carry its spirit into the future.

This private and customizable tour for Yamaguchi is perfect for guests who would like to have their own itinerary planned based on their interests and preferences, allowing guests to experience the city at their own pace.

This tour is conducted in your own private car. Departs from Hakata Station or Fukuoka City hotel lobby by chartered car. Due to the long travel distance, a professional driver and English-speaking guide will accompany you. At Karato Market in Shimonoseki City, located on the border between Kyushu and Yamaguchi prefectures, you will enjoy weekend-only sushi made with fresh fish landed that day. The tour will then take visitors to four scenic spots representative of Yamaguchi Prefecture created by nature. Amagase Park with a view of Kakushima Ohashi Bridge, Motonosumi Shrine with its impressive red torii gate and dynamic sea, Akiyoshidai, one of the largest karst formations in Japan, and Akiyoshido Cave with its cool year-round temperature of 17°C. This tour will take you to these unique sights.

・Gain a deeper understanding of Nagayama Honke’s sake brewing techniques in a unique retro-modern setting. ・Savor a special, locally inspired menu while discovering the distinct flavors and aromas of each sake.