And on weekends and holidays, the fish market is abuzz with events!
You can eat take-out sushi and seafood dishes sitting by the sea overlooking Fukuoka. This fish market is an easy way to enjoy reasonably-priced fresh seafood, including fugu (blowfish), a specialty of Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Place your sushi order with a microphone and have it packed for take-out so you can enjoy gourmet food and shopping in this lively market.
The size of the sushi and the deep flavor of the fish will captivate your taste buds with just one bite. You won’t be able to help yourself from giving it a thumbs up and exclaiming, “this is great!”

There are stores selling rare whale bacon and fugu sashimi at great prices. You can also taste tuna steaks. For enjoying fresh sushi outside, Iki Iki Bakan Gai is a highly recommended spot in Shimonoseki. After dinner, take a stroll through the nearby trendy cafes and shrines.

Stop by Akama Shrine for a little peek into Japanese culture.
For those who visit the shrine, it is important to know that in Japan, it is common to honor your ancestors, regardless of religion.
From birth to the end of their lives, Japanese people visit different kinds of shrines to give thanks for a peaceful life and pray that such days may continue.

When you leave Akama Shrine, you can see the mountains of Fukuoka Prefecture beyond the sea. It looks like you could reach out and touch them!

The Tsunoshima Bridge, which crosses over the ocean, is famous for being the most beautiful bridge in Japan. Crossing the two-lane bridge (upper and lower) into Tsunoshima, you will find a historic lighthouse, shrines, and beaches, making it a popular tourist spot and a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
It's one of the famous local driving courses, a mecca for drivers and bikers alike! You can even rent that convertible that you’ve been longing to get behind the wheel of, and make that dream come true.

Driving along the gentle curves surrounded by nature, you can relieve yourself from work and stress as the healing nature releases you. When you see the boats floating on the clear blue sea and open the windows to feel the fresh breeze, you are already at the gateway to the island!

Climbing the steep steps of the historic lighthouse, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the ocean and of Yumezaki Myojin below. At sunset, tourists gather here to take pictures, and you’ll be able to see the Tuk Tuk that tour this small island.
Riding around the island on a rental car or motor bike sounds really nice, doesn't it? What a great way to explore!

When you come to Tsunoshima, you can’t miss out on the local delicacies!
Do you like gelato? Well, here's a healthy, locally sourced shop just a 20-minute drive away! I stopped by POPORO, where the line is long even on a weekday.
While waiting in line, I talked to people who had been there before and realized just how popular this shop is!
With no additives, the gelato from POPORO is delicious and healthy. The colors are also really beautiful, even without any extra food coloring.

There are large spaces to sit down and enjoy your gelato at POPORO, both inside and outside.
Visitors can enjoy the taste of additive-free ingredients, the warmth of the people, and a sense of spaciousness that cannot be found in large Japanese cities.

Head to a seaside shrine where Japanese culture and spectacular scenery are in harmony. Enjoy the drive through the winding roads of our provincial city! Driving along a mountain road, you suddenly come upon the sight of a series of red torii gates stretching more than 100 meters.
A torii is a type of gateway at shrines and temples that distinguish the realm of the gods from the mundane world of humans, prevent the entry of demons, and signal the entrance to the Shinto realm. How many torii are there?!

Humming to yourself in the sea breeze, you’ll pass through countless torii gates as you descend, almost like you are the main character in a movie.
Try walking down this path with someone you love!

I found myself naturally smiling as I listened to the laughter of people playing a wishing game.
What are they doing? They’re having fun with the culture of the shrine, throwing money into the box at the top of the tall torii gate!
Try throwing it while making a wish, and yours is sure to come true.
There's even an unmanned Omamori station!

I arrived at the small town of Nagato Yumoto Onsen.
I was lucky to come at a beautiful time of year, when the lingering summer heat was still intense, but the autumn leaves had already begun to turn due to the difference in temperature between morning and evening.
In Nagato Yumoto Onsen, take a stroll around the Otozure River. The town has had a renaissance that began in 2020, and delicious restaurants and fashionable stores are opening up one after another.
The 600-year-old Ontou (hot spring), stores, and bars which were made by renovating vacant houses are eye-catching. A Japanese-style ryokan, a footbath where you can casually drop in, and a hot spring facility for a moment of healing!
You can enjoy the Japanese atmosphere in a stylish venue at the same time!

You will want to take a stroll along the elegant walking trails, such as the Otozuregawa Terrace along the river, which becomes illuminated when the sun goes down!
The chirping of the birds and the sounds of the water will stay in travelers' memories forever.
The sunset seen from the stone bridge and the fish in the clear stream will bring back childhood memories of catching crawfish and killifish in a little container to play with. For children who live in the city center or are immersed in video games, this will be an opportunity to awaken their senses. The many maple trees and cherry blossoms welcome us to this beautiful hot spring resort with their seasonal blooms.

A small, dimly lit bar along the Otozure River. The atmosphere of the bar, where the bartenders with 30 years of experience welcome you, will make your nighttime in Nagato Yumoto Onsen Village even more special.

A small, dimly lit bar along the Otozure River. The atmosphere of the bar, where the bartenders with 30 years of experience welcome you, will make your nighttime in Nagato Yumoto Onsen Village even more special.
You can hear interesting stories about how to choose local sake and whiskey that even sake lovers don't know!
Like a child enjoying the world of adults, one carefully crafted cocktail or even the same kind of alcohol will give you a sense of the depth of its wide variety of flavors.
Even within the same brand, there are whiskeys with aromas such as caramel and smoke, and they are produced in different regions and at different times. It is very interesting to compare the tastes brought about through time. A small-town bar has a charm different from that of the rest of Japan...
For a special time with sake that can only be experienced in Yamaguchi Prefecture, have a walk around Nagato Yumoto Onsen and the Otozure River, drinking delicious sake and chatting away.
The starry sky on the way back is also exceptional; look up once in a while and take a trip to the stars!

Yamaguchi Prefecture offers some of Japan's most spectacular scenery throughout its driving trails.
Within the precincts of a small shrine are the mysteriously blue waters of Beppu Benten Pond. At 14 degrees Celsius, Benten Pond is so clear that its deep bottom can be seen clearly, and it has been recognized as one of the 100 best aquatic locations in Japan.
Looking at the green moss and listening to the chirping of birds, you’ll feel a sense of solemnity. Trout are farmed in the clear water at a nearby trout farm, where you can also go fishing.

How can the water be so clear and clean when it does not come from high mountains?
Legend has it that a long time ago, a chief who had cultivated land in the area but was suffering from a water shortage invoked Benzaiten (Goddess of Water) as he had been told in a dream, and water began to gush forth. The area has become a popular spot for tourists and residents alike to come for its delicious water and healing properties, with food trucks gathering there on weekends and festivals held in the fall.
If you leave without trying the clear, amazing water, you will regret it!

Akiyoshidai Nature Zoo Safari Land, a zoo in Yamaguchi Prefecture!
Akiyoshidai Nature Zoo Safari Land, located in Akiyoshidai, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is one of Japan’s largest karst plateaus and is designated as a special natural monument. You can drive around and see more than 600 animals of 60 species, including lions, zebras, and elephants, living in their natural habitat, up close. By renting a tablet guide and listening to detailed explanations, you can experience the world of wild animals as if you were in the wild.

Although you’ll pay the admission fee and enter the world of wild animals, it’ll feel like the animals are saying, "Have you come to visit me at home?" After a meal, tigers look just like babies, and are so cute that you forget that they are ferocious animals.

It is also a great place for families, because when an animal is born, they’ll show the little cutie off to everyone there! Various hands-on programs such as feeding and interacting with the animals, which can be reserved, are the best part of the safari park. Feeding the giraffes is especially impressive, as they stretch their long necks and bring their faces closer.

While at the zoo, be sure to get a close-up look at the world of animals living in their natural habitat.
An immensely powerful zoo! LET’S GO to the world of wild animals!

Head here for a spectacular view and more local city travel! Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark Centre Karstar is one of the most beautiful in Japan! The 360° panoramic view from the circular observatory is nothing short of astonishing. The largest karst plateau in Japan is so close to the sky that it seems as if clouds were pouring down. Why not try riding a bicycle to feel the fresh breeze in this 4,502-hectare national park?

The cars look like illustrated miniature cars as they drive up the winding uphill road leading to Karstar, a café next to the observatory.
Bicycle rentals are available in Karstar for visitors to tour the park surrounded by limestone formations. This mysterious and spectacular landscape was formed approximately 350 million years ago when coral reefs in the southern ocean turned into limestone. Over the years, the karst plateau as we know it today was formed, and just below the karst plateau is a cave! You can check out this kind of information and explanation at Karstar.
Mine Akiyoshidai Geopark Centre Karstar offers its own magnificent scenery in every season: spring when flowers bloom, summer when the plateau is green, autumn when the leaves turn red, and winter when frost falls.
Of course, good food is also a must. Specialties include sandwiches with venison sausage and ice cream.

Let's head down to the bus stop.
Time for a yummy snack in Yamaguchi Prefecture!

A local introduced me to this mouth-watering snack of octopus crackers with a fried egg in between!
The fried egg sandwiched between the crispy rice crackers is perfectly harmonized with the flavors of mayonnaise and a uniquely Japanese sauce! You have to try it! Don’t hesitate!
Enjoy the charm of a trip to a local city while relaxing in nature and eating rustic treats.

Located in the beautiful karst of Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the Great Limestone Cave lies 100 to 200 meters underground! The temperature is constant at 17 degrees throughout the year, making the large limestone cave easy to visit. You can use the SUNQ Pass to get here from Kyushu, so transportation is very convenient.

The largest limestone cave in Japan was discovered by a cave explorer, and only 1 kilometer of the cave is open to the public for sightseeing. Let's set off from the man-made entrance in search of the mysteries of nature!

A natural work created by time!
The widest part of the cave is 200 meters long, and the highest part reaches 80 meters, creating a mysterious world created by Mother Nature. Stones that look like praying figures, beautiful stalactites reflected in the water. Come appreciate the works of art created by nature in Akiyoshido!
Popular photo spots include the golden areas of "Hyakumaizara”, which means hundred plates and "Chimachida", which means thousands of rice paddies. Stalagmites and stalactites can be seen at the top of the caves, and it is very mysterious to see the vast plateau of Akiyoshidai right above them.

The 1-kilometer course takes about 60 minutes on average, but for an extra fee, visitors can also enjoy adventure courses, such as climbing a rock ladder or going through a hole in the rock face.
As you walk along the course, you will see an audio button at each site that provides explanations in many languages, so you can enjoy exploring the caves while learning about this mysterious natural structure! As you exit the cave, you will be mesmerized by the view of the dense forest and the emerald color of the water, soothing and relaxing in the light of the outside. On the path to the exit, handicrafts by artists and various souvenirs are available for purchase.

Kayama Park, where joggers enjoy the fresh morning air every day, has a beautiful contrast between the five-storied pagoda of Ruriko-ji Temple, a symbol of Yamaguchi and designated as a national treasure, and the pond in the park. There’s even giant carp in the pond!
The five-story pagoda's five roofs are said to represent the five foundations that form the world: earth, water, fire, wind, and sky, respectively, from the bottom. Although it appears to have five floors, the interior is just one room with a vaulted ceiling.
Japanese pagodas were made by fitting pieces of wood together like a puzzle, without using nails, to withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes. They were introduced from India to Japan and the Korean peninsula, where they have become a treasured reminder of the history of the region.

[Major renovation in Reiwa] The entire roof of the hinoki bark roof is being replaced for the first time in almost 70 years (scheduled from April 2023 to March 2026). Entry and exit of the park is possible.

There is a tourist information center and souvenir stores in the area, but Yuda Onsen, 5 km away, offers hands-on Japanese sweets making, a footbath café, and a store specializing in local sake. All these tourist spots are easily accessible.
Let's go to LAWAKU near the National Treasure Ruriko-ji Temple!

Have you ever wanted to try making famous Japanese sweets yourself? These sweets, wagashi in Japanese, look difficult to make, but I was surprised to find that I was actually able to make a chrysanthemum flower wagashi in 3 minutes by following the teacher's instructions.
This is the wagashi I made. Even the stamens of the chrysanthemum flowers look real!
At LAWAKU, you can make and enjoy the wagashi and green tea, as well as take a walk around town wearing a kimono.

Since the wagashi you make are so beautiful, you will probably want to keep them as a souvenir. In such cases, you can make wagashi with paper mâché as well, so foreign tourists can take them home a souvenir.
Enjoy the cultural experience of making your own wagashi with your own green tea! Making wagashi is not that difficult. Anyone can make wagashi at LAWAKU.

Where shall we finally unwind from our travels? This is "The footsteps of the fox", a warm footbath café where you can enjoy drinks and hot spring in the city. (The name of the restaurant is a combination of the Korean words "yow (fox)" and "palchaguk (footprint)".
Legend has it that a long time ago in Yuda Village, a priest saw a fox with a wounded foot in a pond, and when he dug deep into the pond, hot spring water gushed out. Hence the name, The footprints of the fox!

The lanterns at the entrance are truly unique! The owner told me this as I was taking pictures of the beautiful lanterns of various sizes.
In Yuda Onsen in Yamaguchi Prefecture, these chochin (paper lanterns) are used everywhere. They are Yuda Onsen's original lanterns. Yuda Onsen in Yamaguchi Prefecture is branding itself in a way that is unique to this town. The outdoor footbath with these lanterns was so nice that I had to take a lot of pictures.

You can just have a drink at the cafe, but since it's a great opportunity, why not add 200 JPY to the drink price and enjoy a warm footbath? It will make you very happy!
The cafe also offers a free yukata rental so that you can take pictures of yourself enjoying the footbath in a yukata, so you just have to go!

The café menu is also very cute. The sake from Yamaguchi Prefecture is very appealing, and the stylish and delicious-looking sweets make you want to take a picture right away.
After enjoying tea and sweets, talking with fellow travelers while soaking in the footbath is a wonderful highlight of the trip.