Yamaguchi Prefecture

Yamaguchi Prefecture stretches across the western tip of Honshu island with shorelines facing both the Sea of Japan and the Seto Inland Sea. This geographic position gives the region two very different coastal landscapes, one more rugged and windswept, the other marked by calmer waters and numerous small islands.

During the Muromachi period, the Ouchi clan established its power base in Yamaguchi and developed trade routes with Korea and China. These early connections brought continental influences in art, architecture, and crafts into the region and shaped its development over centuries.

In the city of Hagi, many former samurai residences still stand and offer a direct window into the daily life of the warrior class during the feudal era. The preserved wooden buildings with their gates and courtyards show how these families organized their homes and conducted their everyday routines centuries ago.

The Sanyo Shinkansen line connects the area to major cities and stops at several stations within the region with regular train services. For travel between smaller towns and coastal areas, regional trains and bus routes are available and often follow scenic paths through mountains and along the shore.

The Akiyoshidai plateau contains the longest limestone cave system in Japan, with underground rivers and natural formations that stretch over more than ten kilometers. Visitors can walk through lit paths inside the cave and see how water has shaped stalactites, rock pools, and carved chambers over thousands of years.