Road Trip through Chugoku and Shikoku

I spent a week driving through the Chugoku and Shikoku regions of Japan. The odometer showed a total of 1,500km when I was done.

This was my itinerary (clicking on a day will take you to the relevant section):

Day 1: Kobe > Tottori > Kaike Onsen > Sakaiminato > Matsue > Izumo

Day 2: Izumo > Omoricho > Iwami Ginzan > Yunotsu Onsen > Tsuwano

Day 3: Tsuwano > Mount Kasayama > Hagi > Motonosumi Inari > Mojiko > Yamaguchi

Day 4: Yamaguchi > Iwakuni > Matsuyama

Day 5: Matsuyama > Tokushima

Day 6: Tokushima > Naruto > Hokudan > Matsuho no Sato > Kobe

Day 1: Kobe > Tottori > Kaike Onsen > Sakaiminato > Matsue > Izumo

Setting off from Kobe, I drove straight to Tottori, 180 km away (almost 3 hours with a couple of pit stops).

Tottori prefecture is at the northern part of western Japan, straddling the Sea of Japan. It is famous for its sand dunes (Tottori Sakyu), the biggest in Japan, about 15km in length. The dunes can be accessed on foot from the visitor center, or by chair lift from a higher lookout point. I took the chair lift (300 Yen round trip). The dunes are not that impressive, but my opinion is tainted by the fact I come from Israel, where we have hundreds of kilometers of sand dunes, in all shapes and sizes. But, for Japan, this is indeed a rare landscape. The Japanese climb the dune open to the public to get a view out into the sea. They can also ride a camel for completing the “Middle East experience”.

Next to the sand dunes is Tottori Sand Museum (600 Yen), which has been around for only about 10 years. It displays large sand sculptures and is unique in the sense that every year the exhibition changes and centers on a different theme (the museum is closed from January to April, when the artists build the sculptures). The theme this year is “Nordic Countries”. The sculptures feature Nordic landscapes, animals, mythology, folk tales, famous figures, and more. Some are truly spectacular in the level of detail. The open area of the museum also offers a view of the sand dunes.

From Tottori I drove west to Kaike Onsen, a hot springs area in Yonago city. Sitting at the foot of Mount Daizen, facing Miho Bay, the water here is somewhat salty and apparently rich in sodium. I didn’t have much time to sample the water, so I paid a quick visit to a popular local bathhouse, OU Land (400 Yen basic fee). It wasn’t very crowded, just me and mostly elderly Japanese men taking their time to soak in the water. It was a refreshing stop on this long driving day.

Continuing westwards I arrived in Sakaiminato, at the tip of Miho Bay. I stopped here to walk up and down Mizuki Shigeru Road. Shigeru, a native of Sakaiminato, was one of the most famous and prolific Japanese manga (Japanese comics) authors, best known for his GeGeGe-no-Kitaro series. Shigeru passed away a few years ago, at the age of 93, and this street is lined with sculptures of his characters. The street was bustling with families and children carrying Shigeru’s books and yelping wildly every time they encounter a sculpture of a character they recognize. This being Japan, there was also much yelping done by the adults too… As anyone travelling on Japanese public transportation knows, adults are no less avid manga readers than children. The atmosphere here is joyous and festive.

To cross over from Tottori prefecture to Shimane prefecture one drives along the Eshima-Ohashi Bridge. Photos of this bridge became very popular on the internet, due to the apparently steep angle of the descent into Shimane. It looks very steep in the photos (I shot one myself…) but in reality, the angle is not that steep (about 6%). Regardless, I can now say I drove on the “roller coaster bridge”…

I made a brief stop at Matsue, to see the local castle and the surrounding moat, and take a stroll through the neighboring Samurai district. From there I drove to my destination for Shabbat, Izumo.

Day 2: Izumo > Omoricho > Iwami Ginzan > Yunotsu Onsen > Tsuwano

On Sunday morning I went to see Izumo Taisha (free), one of the grand shrines of Japan. It is truly grand, consisting of several structures and sitting on a large plot of land, complete with its own park. At the entrance to the shrine I saw the largest flag of Japan flying at the top of a huge pole. An uncharacteristic display of national pride.

From the shrine I drove a short distance to the Former Taisha Station (free). This is a train station that stopped operating in 1990, but was kept intact because of its unique architecture. It is distinctively Japanese, constructed in 1924 from wood and with a curved tiled rood, so it looks more like a shrine than a train station. A steam locomotive stands on the tracks.

Leaving Izumo, I continued west towards Omoricho and the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine. It is not possible to visit this town and the mine by car, so I left the car at the World Heritage Center, where frequent buses take you to Omoricho (200 Yen one way). From Omoricho bus station one can either walk to the mine, about 2.5 kilometers up the hill, or rent a bicycle for a couple of hours (700 Yen). Given the hot and humid weather, I opted for the bicycle… It’s a pleasant trip uphill, through the old town of Omoricho, into the forest and along the river. There is a small ticket office at the entrance to the mine, and foreigners get a special discount (200 Yen instead of 400 Yen), and then it’s into the cramped and cool (12C compared to 33C outside) mine shaft. The walk inside the shaft itself is short and rather uneventful. One has to imagine how, for centuries, people worked underground in these conditions to fully comprehend what went on here. From the mine exit it’s the same itinerary, in reverse, to the World Heritage Center.

Before returning the bicycle though, it is worth continuing downhill through the old town of Omoricho. The houses on both sides of the main road preserve the feel of pre-Meiji Japan, with several Samurai residences strung along the road. There are a few shops and eateries, but thankfully the place has not become too touristy and it is still very enjoyable.

From Omoricho I drove to Yunotsu Onsen, a sleepy hot springs town. I needed to wash off and relax inside one of the old onsens in this town. The roads are unbelievably narrow and it takes some maneuvering to get past oncoming traffic in these two-way alleyways. The public baths are very basic and it looks like nothing has changed inside them for centuries. The water in the onsen I visited (I forget the name) was extremely hot (about 45C) so it took a while for me to get used to it, and even then I managed only a short soak before jumping out.

From Yunotsu it was a 2.5 hour drive to my final destination for the day, Tsuwano. This small, remote village sits in a valley, straddling a small river. The old town is small and quiet, but it boasts a church, which seems very much out of place here if one doesn’t know the history of Christian missionaries in Japan. The town’s main attraction is the Taikodani Inari Shrine (free), which perches over the town and provides magnificent views of the valley. As is the norm with Inari shrines it is painted red, lots and lots of red, there’s a long stairway with red torii gates leading up to it and the requisite fox statues. It is one of the five biggest Inari shrines in Japan.

Day 3: Tsuwano > Mount Kasayama > Hagi > Motonosumi Inari > Mojiko > Yamaguchi

Early morning I strolled through the old town of Tsuwano, stopping by the Catholic Church dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier, one of the leading missionaries to Japan in the 16th century. It is one of two catholic churches in this small town, testimony to the spread of Christian influence in southern Japan about five centuries ago.

On my way to Hagi, I drove up Mount Kasayama, which turned out to be one of the most beautiful spots in my trip. The views from the top of this mountain, jutting out to the Sea of Japan, are beautiful. On the way down from the summit, it is worth taking a small detour (1.5km) to visit the Camellia Grove (Tsubaki Gunseirin). Entering this grove immediately cuts you off from the world, with nothing but the background chirping noise of the cicadas filling the air. There are many paths through the grove, some leading to the edge of the water.

At Hagi, I first stopped by Aibagawa, the water canal district. With a little stretch of the imagination, one can picture this old neighbourhood as a small Venice, with water canals running along the old residences. But it’s a stretch… because it is decidedly Japanese in style, and the canals are teeming with multicoloured carp (Koi).

The famous Hagi Castle is no more, but one can visit its ruins (210 Yen). These are spread over a wide area, so if walking is not an option, bicycle rentals are available. Frankly, I found the place to be somewhat underwhelming; there are not enough ruins left to picture what this formidable castle looked like before it was destroyed in the 19th century, at the end of the feudal era in Japan.

Two places of worship are worth a visit in Hagi: Shoin Shrine (Shinto) and Tokoji Temple (Zen Buddhism). The first, a relatively modern shrine (built 1955) commemorates Yoshida Shoin, a thinker who challenged Japan’s feudal system in the 19th century and was executed before witnessing the Meiji Revolution. The second is an old wooden temple from the late 17th century. At its back is an impressive graveyard of several feudal lords, the courtyard lined with hundreds of stone lanterns with long stone steps that lead to the graves.

Leaving Hagi, I followed the coastal road westwards and northwards to Motonosumi Inari Shrine. This is the first time I encountered traffic during my trip, with a long line of cars waiting to enter the small parking lot. Eventually, we were directed to a bigger parking space down the hill, and shuttle buses were arranged to take us back uphill. The popularity of this spot is justified; it is indeed a breathtaking sight. CNN Travel apparently listed it as one of the must-see spots in Japan.

A long and winding line of red torii gates, about 100m long, lead to the main shrine gate. On top of this gate is an offering box, that people try to throw money into for good luck (a formidable task, given it’s a few metres high and the wind blows strongly on this barren rocky outlet). The views both from below and from above the “tunnel” of gates is remarkable, as is the sight of the crashing waves.

From here I drove straight down south to cross the Kanmonkyo Bridge into the southern island of Kyushu. This side trip was meant to see the Mojiko area which hosts a summer festival during Obon week. Many food stands, street shows and couples strolling along the water in yukata robes.

Despite my plan to stop in Shimonoseki, I was tired so I decided to drive straight to my stop for the night, Yamaguchi. This was the first leg of my eastward-bound trip back home. But before retiring I took a dip in the famous Yuda Onsen to wash off the weariness of this long day.

Day 4: Yamaguchi > Iwakuni > Matsuyama

Yamaguchi is home to various places of worship: shrines, temples and churches. I visited four of them.

First, the Daijingu Shrine, an old (16th century) wooden shrine built to model the Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture (Japan’s most sacred shrine). The shrines here don’t look very old because, in accordance with tradition, they are destroyed and rebuilt every twenty years. Second, the Xavier Church, a modern structure that honours Saint Francis Xavier (see Tsuwano above). The church burned down in 1991, so the current structure looks completely new. Third, Rurikoji Temple, a Buddhist temple boasting one of Japan’s three 5-storied pagoda (the other two are in Kyoto and in Nara). It was built in the 15th century and is impressive to behold both from far and from near. Finally, Joeiji Temple, another Buddhist temple, famous for its expansive Zen garden which features many upright rocks.

From Yamaguchi I continued on to Iwakuni. To many foreigners living in Japan, Iwakuni is known as home of one of the largest US marine bases in the country. But for locals it is famous mostly for its uniquely-built Kintaikyo Bridge and the adjoining Iwakuni Castle (combination ticket 920 Yen).

This massive bridge is built as “waves”, some smooth stone and some stone steps. Walking along the bridge offers nice views of the Nishiki River. On the other side of the bridge lies Kikko Park, home of the former local feudal lord, Kikkawa Hiroyoshi, who started building the bridge. The park is surrounded by old samurai residences. To ascend to the castle, there is a ropeway cable car that provides beautiful views of the city. A short walk uphill leads to the castle itself, consisting of several floors and a breezy top floor offering views of the river, the bridge and the city (and the marine base in the far distance). The castle is surrounded by a forest, which provides welcome shade.

The visit to Iwakuni concluded the Chugoku part of this trip. Driving down the coast to Yanai, I boarded the car ferry to Shikoku (about 10,000 Yen for a car). The journey takes about 2.5 hours, landing at the port of Matsuhama, which is a short drive from Matsuyama City, my stop for the night.

Matsuyama boasts one of the oldest onsens (some say the oldest) in Japan: Dogo Onsen. I really wanted to sample the waters of this ancient establishment. But, this being Obon week and families from all over Japan taking their summer vacation, the lines were simply too long for me. Another time.

Day 5: Matsuyama > Tokushima

Starting early in the morning I went to see Matsuyama Castle. One can choose either a cable car or a chair lift to go up Mount Katsuyam (510 Yen round trip). From the top station one still needs to walk uphill for a while before reaching the castle grounds. I saw a young man pushing cartons of soft drinks uphill to replenish the vending machines; I felt sorry for him in this excruciatingly hot and humid weather. The castle itself (also 510 Yen) is one of Japan’s 12 “original castles”, so called because they survived the Meiji Revolution of 1868 intact. As a feudal castle, it is heavily fortified, with several defence lines before reaching the inner keep.

I didn’t have time for much more at Matsuyama, because I had to get to Tokushima, on the other side of Shikoku, before evening, to make it on time for summer festival dance there. So I took the expressway cutting through Shikoku all the way to the east. It’s a nice drive, through tunnels and bridges with magnificent views all around

Tokushima is most known for its Awa Odori dance festival, which takes place during Obon week every year. In fact, this city is so tied to the festival, that the famous dancer costume (pointed straw hat) is the symbol of the city, and all around town are statues of dancers. One can simply wander the streets and enjoy the festive atmosphere, but the crowds are numerous. So I purchased tickets to one of the outdoor stages where one can sit and watch the dances.

As luck would have it, the skies opened up in torrential rain just as the performance started. Everybody got thoroughly soaked (at one point, people put away their umbrellas as they were of no use anyway). The dancers, seemingly unperturbed, continued with their performance, the only allowance being that the drums were covered by plastic to protect them from the water. The rain made the show all the more spectacular.

Getting a hotel room in Tokushima during Awa Odori is near impossible, so I slept half an hour’s drive away, in a sleepy town called Anan.

Day 6: Tokushima > Naruto > Hokudan > Matsuo no Sato > Kobe

For the last day of my trip, I headed north towards home. Before leaving Shikoku, I visited the German House in Naruto. During World War 1, the Japanese hosted about 1,000 German POWs here (along with a smattering of other European POWs). The house turned into a museum exhibiting how the Germans made Naruto their home, printing their own magazine, setting up music bands and theatre performances, and generally blending in with the locals. When the was was over, 63 Germans decided to stay behind and make Japan their new home.

From Naruto, one crosses over to Awaji Island over a bridge. Looking down at the water, there are several whirlpools visible, a natural phenomenon occurring due to the large volume of water passing through the narrow strait.

On Awaji Island, I stopped first at Sumoto, to see the local castle ruins. The castle is no more, but the tower was reconstructed about a 100 years ago (in honour of the coronation of the Showa Emperor) and the summit offers beautiful views of the town and the sea.

From Sumoto I crossed over the island to Hokudan. This small village sits on the Nojima Fault, the one that triggered the deadly Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. The Hokudan Earthquake Memorial Park houses a small museum that tells the story of that earthquake, that took the lives of more than 6,000 people. Large areas along Rokko Mountain, including Kobe, were destroyed. There is a simulation room where one can sit in a “living room” and experience what the earthquake felt like. Unpleasant, to say the least.

Before heading home, I stopped at Matsuho no Sato, a small onsen sitting on the hilltop facing the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. This bridge, which connects Awaji Island to the mainland, is the longest suspension bridge in the world, just shy of 2 kilometres. The outdoor baths of this onsen provide a stunning view of the bridge and the endless stream of cars crossing it in both directions (despite the ridiculously high toll: 2,300 Yen). Crossing the bridge myself brought me back to Kobe, ending the trip.