Things to do in

Shimane Prefecture, Chugoku Region

Spend the day with your guide exploring the highlights of the amazing city of Hiroshima. Explore the city's downtown, learn about the events of 1945, and visit the beautiful island of Miyajima. Walk around the Peace Memorial Park which is dedicated to the memories of the direct and indirect victims of the nuclear bomb attack in 1945. Continue to Genbaku Dome, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the only structure left standing in the area where the first atomic bomb exploded. Visit the Peace Memorial Museum where you will see belongings left behind by victims of the nuclear attack, artifacts from the bomb, and read testimonies from survivors. As you explore the museum you will learn about the horrors, inhumane nature, and events of the 1945 attack. Try some local foods like Hiroshima-yaki or oysters for lunch before you finish up your tour of downtown Hiroshima. Board a ferry downtown and head to Miyajima, the Island of the Gods. Marvel at the floating red torii gate in high tide and go inside the Itsukushima shrine built over the sea.

Explore Matsue and the famous Izumo Taisha Shrine in your own way with a private licensed guide. Choose the 6 or 4-hour option depending on what fits with your schedule. Let the guide know what special requests you have for the day and they will tailor your itinerary accordingly. All guides hold the nationally-licensed Tour Guide-Interpreter certification. It is issued by the Japanese government and requires a good understanding of Japanese culture and history. Matsue is the capital city of Shimane Prefecture. It sits on the southwestern portion of Japan's main island of Honshu and is the perfect spot to visit if you're looking for an off-the-beaten-track travel experience. Often overlooked by visitors in favor of more well-known destinations, the region has culture, nature, and history by the bucketload – and all without the large crowds. You can customize your itinerary according to the places you want to visit. See some suggestions below. Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine is one of the most important shrines in Japan. It is considered the oldest shrine in Japan, dating back to the early 700s. According to the myth, the gods around Japan all gathered at this shrine once a year to conduct meetings. Nowadays many visitors from all over the country come to pay a visit, hoping for good fortune when the meetings occur. Adachi Museum of Art is known all over the world for its garden boasting an uncommon beauty. In addition to the various attractions of the garden, you can see the works of master Japanese painter Taikan Yokoyama, and other masterpieces of pottery. Matsue Castle is a national treasure with over 400 years of history. You can view the surviving castle tower which is a rare sight in Japan. The area has been selected as one of the top 100 places in the country to view the cherry blossom, which occurs in the first half of April. Other popular places you could visit on this tour include the Adachi Museum of Art, Shinji Lake, Matsue Vogel Park, and Matsue Castle Town.

● Half-day course (2 hours) ●Experience Zen meditation at the historic Shounji Temple ●Meditate your mind by sitting down and copying sutras ●Enjoy things related to the Ura clan, who was the lord of the castle, such as the grave of Ura Munekatsu. ● Have tea while listening to the chief priest (Japanese only) About Tadanoumi, Takehara city, Hiroshima During the Heian period, this area was called "Nomi no Ura". In 1129, when TAIRA no Tadamori (TAIRA no Kiyomori's father) was selected as an envoy to hunt down pirates in Sanyo-do and Nankaido, this land was pacified by Tadamori. At this time, Tadamori divided his name into two, namely 'Tadanoumi' for the north shore and 'Mori' (Mori fishing port) for Omishima in the south. This is the origin of Tadanoumi. During the Kamakura period, this land was owned by the Kobayakawa clan, but at the end of the Kamakura period, it became the territory of the Ura clan, a branch family of the Kobayakawa clan. From the end of the Muromachi period to the Sengoku period, the Ura clan became the main force of the Kobayakawa Navy. The representative existence is Munekatsu Ura (Munekatsu Nomi). Munekatsu built Kagi Castle on this land as his base, and in 1581 he built Shounji Temple.

On our tour, we will stroll through the historic streets going from brewery to brewery to enjoy samples of local sake. Saijo breweries are concentrated in such a tight area because of the “shikomi mizu,” the water that is essential for producing sake. Hailed as a “miracle water” with a medium hardness suited to sake brewing, it bubbles under the ground of this area in the Saijo district. What’s more, is that apparently there are subtle differences in the water’s components according to a brewery’s location. Shikomi Mizu is an absolute must for sake. If you want to discover the true taste of sake you must visit Saijo (Hiroshima Prefecture) Our tour begins with a tasting and sake explanation at Kamotsuru. This sake brewery is representative of Hiroshima sake. Kamotsuru boasts an impressive lineup of 12 unique bottles. Visiting this spot first we will see many artifacts and learn about the brewing process. After our first brewery visit, we will head off to try a local specialty hot-pot dish made with premium sake, called Bishu Nabe, and other tasting plates made with Saijo ingredients. Learn about the history of this tasty dish at a local lunch spot. (bishu nabe must be ordered in advance so for last-minute bookings for the tour we may have an alternate lunch menu.) After lunch, stroll the picturesque streets and go brewery hopping. Tasting rooms are each unique and you can sample many kinds of sake and sake-based products. Visit a local cafe and enjoy sweets and a snack break inspired by Japanese rice wine. At each brewery will sit be able to sample different kinds of sake. If you find a type you like, the brewery shops carry a huge variety for you to purchase and take home.

Spend your day with a private, licensed guide who can share authentic insights about local culture in Onomichi. Let the guide know what you would like to experience and create your ideal itinerary. Get a glimpse of a quaint Japan of yesteryear in this old-timey seaport town. Embrace its retro-chic charm with its hills full of temples, literary sites, and cats.  Choose to visit the hilltop temple, Senkō-ji, with its commanding view of Onomichi, the Seto Inland Sea, and other islands. After visiting the temple, take a walk through Senkō-ji Park. Take the ropeway and head up to the temple and come down gradually by walking down the slope so that you can enjoy the feeling of Onomichi as the “town of slopes.” Along the way, pass Senkō-ji Shinmichi, which is a symbol of Onomichi. Old houses line this narrow hill road where the former residences of literary masters remain. Stroll down Neko no Hosomichi, a lane that stretches from the east of Ushitora Shrine to the three-floor pagoda of Tennei-ji Temple. See the adorable fukuishi-neko (lucky stone cats) scattered along the alley, and stop by the small Maneki-neko Museum. Visit the Buddhist Kōsan-ji Temple and hear the story of the Osakan industrialist who constructed it in memory of his deceased mother. Explore its wide grounds, with splendid buildings modeled after famous architecture from all over the country. Don't miss the opportunity to try the famous dish, Onomichi ramen. Get recommendations from your guide about the local ramen shops and try the light-tasting soup with seafood from the Seto Inland Sea.

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