Touring the Pottery Studios of Tamba

Japan is renowned for villages producing high-quality ceramic ware all over the country, but Tamba in Hyogo Prefecture is exceptional even among them. Known as one of Japan's "Six Ancient Kilns," Tamba-yaki ceramics have been produced here for over 850 years. The traditionally rustic, handcrafted appearance of Tamba-yaki have made it a popular style among practitioners of Japanese tea ceremony, although plenty of items are made for everyday use.

Sue-no-Sato is the perfect starting point to get an immersive experience in Tamba-yaki. This comprehensive facility allows visitors to engage with Tamba ware in hands-on experiences and close observation of artisans at work at workshops around the facility. You can create items such as cups, plates, and bowls, molding the clay by hand under the guidance of skilled instructors. The facility will glaze and fire your piece and ship it to your home a few months later as a wonderful way to rekindle your memories of your trip to Hyogo Prefecture.

After making your own piece of Tamba-yaki, you'll have a greater appreciation for the many artisans working in the various workshops around the area. Take a guided pottery studio tour to be introduced to several of Tamba's unique pottery studios and meet the master artisans working there. On any given day, you might discover why Taiga Kobo's Masahiko Ichino is considered one of Japan's premier potters, with his cutting-edge artistic pieces that would be at home at any major art museum. Or meet the father-daughter potter team of Tadashi and Haruna Nishibata, where the former creates bold and unconventional pieces and the latter whimsical and playful work, often including animal designs. Finally, you can visit the Tamba Tachikui Noborigama climbing kiln, a kiln used by artisans for centuries for firing pottery, lovingly restored by the community as a reminder of the region's deep roots and respect for pottery.

Cycling Okayama's Historical Kibiji Route

In a region steeped in history, the Kibiji Cycling Route stands out as a showcase for historical sites dating back to Japan's pre-documented history and two shrines that have shaped Japanese folklore. While you can ride on your own, you'll get the whole experience with a friendly cycling guide who provides you with local insights about the history and daily life of the Kibiji area, as well as relevant explanations at each stop along the ride. This gentle 25-kilometer cycling route is suitable for riders of all physical capabilities and traverses a rural landscape full of enchanting views and friendly people.

The route begins at Okayama Station but starting from Bizen Ichinomiya Station, which is only a few stops away from Okayama Station, is highly recommended as you can return it at the end of your journey. Uedo-rent-a-cycle near the station offers bicycle rental service which can be dropped off at Araki-rent-a-cycle near the Soja Station when you complete the route.

Cycling westward from the city, you'll enjoy the peaceful views of Okayama's countryside as you travel between the area's fascinating attractions. Kibitsuhiko Shrine is a stunning example of traditional Japanese architecture, surrounded by the green forest. One enshrined god is Kibutsuhiko no Mikoto, who inspired the well-known Japanese legend, Momotaro. A little further beyond, Kibitsu Shrine's main building is a designated National Treasure built in the hiyokuirimoya-zukuri (a pair of hip-and-gable roofs) style of architecture unique to this building. This shrine, too, is connected to several Japanese legends, and the shrine offers a ceremony where the severed head of an ogre buried beneath a rice-cooking cauldron is said to tell your future.

Along the rest of the route, you can explore the ruins of Bicchu Takamatsu Castle, two kofun burial mounds dating back to the 5th century, and the elegant five-storied pagoda of Bicchu Kokubun-ji Temple. Near the end of the route, take a short detour to People's Lodge Sunroad Kibiji for a soak in a natural onsen (hot spring bath) famous for beautifying your skin.
Before dropping off your bicycle at Araki-rent-a-cycle near Soja Station and taking the train back to Okayama, be sure to enjoy treats from Soja's many bakeries, some featuring Okayama's famed fruits.

The Wooden Splendor of Kintai-kyo Bridge

The history of Iwakuni's Kintai-kyo Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture is slightly odd; it is a picture-perfect wooden bridge that has been destroyed twice by natural disasters over its centuries of history, but the local people have resisted modern concrete construction methods to prevent its destruction in the future. Visitors to this five-arched bridge can be grateful for those who upheld traditional building techniques and kept this beautiful piece of architecture as it was built in 1673 by Iwakuni Castle lord — Hiroyoshi Yoshikawa.

Between 2001 and 2004, the bridge was rebuilt using traditional construction methods to ensure its lifespan would extend far into the future. During this time, an alternative bridge was constructed alongside it, allowing visitors to observe the traditional construction process over the three-year period. The rebuilding process was so intriguing that the number of visitors coming to see the bridge being rebuilt was greater than the number of visitors before the bridge was under construction.

Thanks to the comprehensive renovation of the bridge, today's visitors can enjoy perfect views of Kintai-kyo and its legendary landscapes throughout the seasons. At various times of the year, see the bridge framed by pink cherry blossoms or brightly colored autumn leaves as the foreground for cormorant fishing on summer evenings or even blanketed by a light layer of snow in winter. And from late March through May and early August to mid-January, the nightly illumination of the bridge from dusk until 10pm is stunning.

Tomonoura: The Historic Port Town that Inspired a Studio Ghibli Film

Like the tides that led sailors here for centuries, the fortunes of Tomonoura have ebbed and flowed over time. Perfectly situated at a point where the eastern and western tides meet on the Seto Inland Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, for over a thousand years, travelers by ships would arrive here and wait for the changing tide to take them to their final destinations. Tomonoura grew rich as a trading town, with merchant ships from around Japan and even foreign ports stopping here to do business while waiting for the tides.

The town's prosperous times ended with the advent of the steam engine and land-based travel, and by the end of the 20th century, it had fallen on such hard times that the local government planned to destroy the historic harbor by building a bypass road over it. The locals fought for its preservation and eventually won with the help of an unlikely ally: an animated red fish.

The legendary Studio Ghibli director and animator Hayao Miyazaki spent two months in Tomonoura, where he lived like a local and took long walks to sketch the local scenery and atmosphere. It was here that he was inspired to write “Ponyo” — a story about a magical red fish girl who falls in love with a human boy. Miyazaki's love for Tomonoura is evident in the beauty of the film, which inspired a wave of tourism to the town that has never subsided.

Today, visitors can enjoy the landscape of this port town with architectural curiosities like the 5.5-meter tall Torodo lighthouse, the stair-like gangi boat landing, and the enormous former residence of the Ota Family, which was once the original brewer of the unique Homeishu medicinal liquor created in Tomonoura, which tastes a bit like an alcoholic craft cola.

Local residents have carefully attempted to preserve and renovate original buildings, many currently housing cafes, shops, and accommodations. The venerable Onfunayado Iroha, for example, was a historic landmark related to Japanese folk hero Ryoma Sakamoto that was renovated into an intimate accommodation and restaurant with a little design help from Hayao Miyazaki.

There are also a plethora of temples worthy of a visit, built by wealthy merchants during the town's heyday. Top of the list goes to Fukuzenji Temple, with its Taichoro reception hall that visiting envoys from Korea once declared had a view of "the most beautiful scenery east of Korea."

A 200-year-old Sake Brewery Near the Naruto Strait

It takes a powerful drink to compete with the breathtaking natural phenomenon taking place in the waters of the Naruto Strait. Here, the swirling waters create powerful whirlpools where tai (sea bream) grow strong as they navigate the turbulent waters.

Named after these majestic fish, the Naruto Tai Sake Brewery has been brewing delicious sake here for over 200 years; its former brewery is a registered Tangible Cultural Property. The current brewmaster, Motoko Matsuura, is the last generation of the founding Matsuura family and the first female brewmaster of Naruto Tai. Matsuura takes pride in the age-old process of nurturing the fermenting koji (malted rice), an important part of the sake brewing process that requires constant supervision for several days at a time.

The results of her work speak for themselves. In recent years, Naruto Tai has brought home dozens of platinum, gold, and silver awards from sake tasting competitions worldwide, including the prestigious Kura Master held annually in France. From the dry Junmai Ginjo type to the sweet and sour LED Cloudy RIN made by exposing sake to colored LED lights during the brewing process, invented in a challenge for people to use LED lights in novel ways, Naruto Tai is not afraid to push the envelope of sake brewing for the future.

Visitors can book a tour of the brewery through the website, where you will see remaining elements of the traditional structure, such as the original vats and a rare oak beam from which they suspended a rope used to lift the rice. Depending on the timing, the tour might even include a glimpse of the actual sake production process inside the modern kura. After the tour, they can enjoy a round of tasting and purchase exclusive products from their direct sales shop in the facility.

An Exclusive Stay at One of Japan's 12 Original Castles

Of the more than 100 castles remaining in Japan, only 12 have managed to retain their original keeps due to natural and human disasters. Of them, only one allows the experience of spending a night in the castle, and that is at Marugame Castle in Kagawa Prefecture. Situated on a hilltop watching over the port city of Marugame, this small castle appears impervious due to its high stone walls, which were constructed at the peak time for castle wall construction. The walls have stood in place for over 400 years and show no signs of deterioration, so it is likely they will last for centuries to come. As you climb the steep Mikaeri-zaka slope toward the castle, stop and admire the gently sloping curve of the corners that enable the towering walls to bear the weight of the stones above.

While many castle keeps have been packed full of Edo Period(1603-1868) artifacts and transformed into makeshift museums, Marugame's is refreshingly bare, the better to appreciate its construction and thoughtful restoration. The lack of clutter also enables the castle to be used for the ultimate samurai-era Japan experience: an overnight stay at the castle.

Starting with a guided rickshaw ride from Marugame Station, the staff spares no expense in making its guests feel like lords and ladies of the castle from the get-go. Check-in takes place within the dramatic interior of the Ote Ichi no Mon gate where guests will be welcomed with an exclusive taiko drum performance to begin their extraordinary journey into the castle's history. The accommodation facility is the recently restored Enjyukaku Bekkan, a villa reconstructed using materials from the original Tokyo residence of Marugame Castle's ruling Kyogoku family. After an exquisite dinner in another part of the castle grounds, guests are invited to enjoy an evening of Japanese musical performances inside the main keep while enjoying local sake, craft beer, Sanuki wine, and cocktails.

After a restful night in the villa, guests are free to wander around the Nakazu Banshoen Garden, created by one of the lords of Marugame, visiting its tea houses for breakfast and a Japanese tea ceremony at Kanchoro, Japan’s oldest surviving sencha tea house.

A night at Marugame Castle may not come cheap, but it is an experience to create a life-long memory that can only be had in Setouchi.

A Guided Tour of Dogo Onsen — One of Japan's Most Beloved Hot Springs

The Dogo Onsen Honkan, or main building, is one of Japan's most iconic public bath houses in Ehime Prefecture, if not the world. Mentioned in the Michelin Guide and an inspiration for the bath house in the Ghibli film "Spirited Away," thousands of people come to bathe here daily, and thousands more stop outside to admire the building and snap a few photos.

Yet the Dogo Onsen Honkan is a mere 130 years old, a babe compared to the entire history of the Dogo Onsen area. Legend has it that over 3,000 years ago, an injured egret dipped its leg in a pool of the area's heated waters and was instantly healed. From that point on, people flocked to Dogo Onsen for its soothing, healing waters, making it the oldest recorded onsen area in Japan.

With such a rich history, a local guide is the best way to get the most out of a tour of the Dogo Onsen area. You may be fortunate enough to get a guide like the lively octogenarian who playfully refers to herself as Kayo-chan. Kayo-chan is an expert guide not only in the Dogo Onsen area but also belongs to the exclusive club that has completed the 1,200-kilometer Ohenro Shikoku Pilgrimage over 30 times. Although she speaks little English, her energetic nature and friendliness make her a joy to be around.

Kayo-chan deftly explains both the modern and ancient history of Dogo Onsen, starting from the Botchan Train parked outside of Dogo Onsen Station. Renowned novelist Natsume Soseki mentioned this steam engine train in his partially autobiographical novel Botchan, forever endearing it to visitors to Matsuyama who take great pleasure in a nostalgic ride around the city on diesel replicas of the original. Across from the station, the Botchan Karakuri Clock is a mechanical clock that showcases characters from the novel on the hour and half hour.

Kayo-chan will also guide you to the area's three well-known public baths: the previously mentioned Honkan, the more recently constructed Tsubaki-no-Yu, and the newest Dogo Onsen Annex, Asuku-no-Yu. While each bath house has a fascinating interior design and space to relax, all three share the same healing waters Dogo Onsen is famous for.

Just beyond the hot springs districts, Kayo-chan will also lead you to Ishiteji Temple, the nearest of the 88 temples that make up the Ohenro pilgrimage. This sprawling temple contains a National Treasure (Niomon Gate) and six Important Cultural Properties, including wooden structures that have existed for over 700 years, such as the main hall, and three-storied pagoda. I was impressed by how these structures have held up over the years, especially the pagoda, a testament to the masterful engineering developed by Japanese carpenters of its long history.

Although Ishiteji Temple is considered the 51st temple of the Ohenro, it was named for Emon Saburo, whom legend says was the founder of the Ohenro pilgrimage. According to legend, Saburo accidentally offended the legendary monk Kukai, and spent four years of his life pursuing him from temple to temple to make amends. Before his death Saburo pledged to rebuild a neglected temple in his next life. He was both buried and reincarnated with a stone in his hand bearing his name, and keeping his promise, he renovated and renamed the temple Ishiteji, "Stone-Hand Temple."

With the wealth of artifacts and buildings on the grounds of Ishiteji Temple, it takes an informed guide to help a visitor make sense of it all. Fortunately, you can find all that and more in a guide like Kayo-chan, whose endless knowledge and boundless energy make exploring Dogo Onsen a joy.

These seven authentic experiences take you all over Setouchi. Yet, you've merely scratched the surface of locations and activities where you can delve into the region's uniqueness. If you're tired of the same attractions found in Japan's big cities or just crave an off-the-beaten-path experience with a local flavor, consider building your next trip to Japan around the Setouchi region.