About Yamaguchi-ken

Yamaguchi-ken ("mouth of the mountains prefecture") is at the very western tip of Honshu. Being largely a rural prefecture, Yamaguchi has many beautiful coastal areas, rice fields and mountain scenes, and offers you the chance to experience a slower paced, more traditional Japanese lifestyle where Western influence is not so dominating.

A visitor, when traveling through the mountain towns and villages, can often find an old-time Japanese atmosphere. In many of these places, the people do not often come across foreigners, and often take a keen, and friendly interest.

Yamaguchi ken has many beautiful and interesting attractions for anyone visiting the area.  Yamaguchi city enjoys a rich history as the alternate capital to Kyoto during the Warring States period and is home to Ruriko-ji, a beautiful five-story pagoda. Yamaguchi City is also the location where St. Francis Xavier, the first Christian missionary to Japan, spent a lot of his time. There is a church here erected in his honor.

The historic city of Hagi is an ancient shogunate seat, filled with attractive temples and shrines, and has a ruined castle by the sea. Hagi was home to the philosopher Shoin Yoshida, whose followers helped to end Japan's feudal system. Many old streets of samurai buildings survive untouched and can be easily enjoyed on a bike ride.

A unique natural attraction in Yamaguchi-ken is Akiyoshi-dai; an area where fields of rolling green hills are broken up by peculiar limestone spires. Underneath the fields is a vast series of limestone caverns. The most famous of these caves is named Akiyoshi-do, which many tourists come to visit. In March there is an annual festival at Akiyoshi-dai where the locals come to burn the grass in the fields.

In addition to the permanent tourist attractions, Yamaguchi ken also is home to many weird and wonderful annual Japanese festivals: Hikari's plum-spitting contest, Hofu's naked man festival, O-Bon (festival of the dead) at one any one of the prefecture's temples, Aio's shrimp catching festival (caught by hand, of course!), firefly watching near Yamaguchi city, widespread potato digging and rice harvesting festivals, and countless other glimpses into traditional Japanese life that may escape you in the blur of the big city.

Yamaguchi is a great place to come and discover the quieter side of Japan, but Yamaguchi is also very well situated for travel to more up-beat areas. Hiroshima and Fukuoka are both within easy reach of Yamaguchi if you feel the need to have a livelier shopping, dining and nightlife experience. Also, with 5 bullet train stops within the prefecture, other places in Japan, such as Kyoto, Osaka or Kobe, are only a couple of hours away. In addition to that, Pusan, in South Korea, is just an 8 hour ferry from Shimonoseki or a 3 hour hydrofoil ride from Fukuoka.

Continue on for more details on the Eastern, Central, Western and Northern regions of Yamaguchi-ken.

Iwakuni – by Angela Beard

Iwakuni is a fairly quiet, small city near the border of Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures. While most of the rest of the ken will be going to Fukuoka for their big-city needs, those in Iwakuni can take a quick, cheap jaunt to Hiroshima for Mexican food, Tokyu Hands, and urban atmosphere.

My two favorite restaurants are Spice Market (mentioned below by Dee) and Granpa, a downtown bakery right next to the movie theater on 188. Granpa has a cheap lunch set and a menu of pasta and salad, all delicious. They also have pastries of course, which are fabulous. Just a block up from Granpa is Anderson's, another bakery which keeps more convenient hours. Joyfull, a 24-hour diner, is off 188 a little bit west of Minami-Iwakuni station. At the base of the Kintai Bridge (on the castle side) there is an ice cream shop that sells wasabi, tomato, cabbage, broccoli, and dozens more exotic ice cream flavors. I highly recommend the wasabi ice cream.

Iwakuni has a Marine Corps base near its south side. It's easy to find if you're curious, and easy to avoid if you're not. I have to say, it's pretty surreal and memorable to walk into a scuzzy American dive bar right in the middle of Japan, but be sure to bring a little extra common sense and resilience if you're female...you might experience everything from overattentive flattery to mortal offense. You'll also see Marines and their families strolling around downtown Iwakuni (especially on weekends), so you might not get as many awed stares from the Japanese as you were hoping. If you venture into other parts of town, however, the staring will go right back to expected levels.

The Futaba bookstore, off Route 2 near Marifu JHS, is open 24-hours and rents a good selection of videos, including Sex and the City. Iwakuni has a Uniqlo off 188, which sells inexpensive clothes that have mass appeal. In particular, I was able to get a ton of dress shirts in lots of different colors for cheap. Nearby Hiroshima has a Gap, which was the only place I could find pants that fit me and didn't have tapered ankles or high waists (I'm a size 8, so even if you're in decent shape, be careful about assuming that clothes will fit here). There is a huge store that sells shoes and CDs up the street from YouMe Town, and they have a good selection. Finally, the Central Iwakuni Library (across the street from Nafco in the Minami-Iwakuni neighborhood) has an amazing selection of English books. They have everything from coffee table books to classics to crime novels. A library card is free, so I urge you to take advantage of it. English books usually cost no less than Y3000 and that's not counting the trip to Hiroshima you would have to take in order to buy one.

As for nightlife...I did most of my going-out in other cities, so please refer to Dee's listings below. I do recommend Molly Malone's in Hiroshima...it's an Irish pub with Guinness and Boddington's on tap, amazing food, and an incredible St. Patrick's Day party.

More information on Iwakuni from previous Iwakuni JET, Dee Murphy.

Sights
Kintai: a beautiful area to the south of the city. The impressive Kintaikyo Bridge spans the Nishiki River. Made of wood and without a single nail, the basis of its five arches are said to house the bodies of five virgins. The young maidens were apparently buried alive as sacrifices for the good fortune and prosperity of the townspeople. The bridge is best viewed during April, Hanami (flower viewing) season. In summer it is possible to swim in the river near the bridge, although it is dangerous when the water level is high! Cormorant Fishing (birds tied to a wooden boat with a wire loop around their necks, catch fish by lantern light!) can also be viewed from the bridge during the summer months. To cross the bridge costs a couple hundred yen (free after 5 p.m.). Alternatively you can walk 200 m to the nearest road bridge and walk across for free.

Iwakuni Koen: Across the river is the pretty, peaceful Iwakuni Park. In amongst the shrines and Japanese gardens is a tranquil, little, traditional tea house and several excellent ice cream parlors.

Iwakuni Jo: Picturesquely situated at the top of Shiroyama, Iwakuni Castle commands a great view over Iwakuni city. The castle can be reached by ropeway from Iwakuni koen or on foot. The hike through the woods takes about 25 minutes from the park to the castle. The view is well worth the effort, but you might want to save your pennies by skipping a visit inside the castle. It houses only a pretty uninspiring collection of samurai armor and weaponry.
* Getting there: Buses, including the occasionally beautifully furnished old-fashioned style tourist bus, leave Iwakuni station every half and hour for Kintaikyo. It takes approx. 20 minutes and it costs 240 yen.

Nearby Sights
Miyajima Island: One of the three most highly rated tourist attractions in Japan. A must see and one of my favorite places in Japan. This tiny island is home to the famous floating tori and has numerous hiking trails, parks, and temples. There is a ropeway at the top of the mountain in the center of the island. Here monkeys run free and there is a fantastic view over Hiroshima Bay and the surrounding islands. Miyajima is only a 20 minute train ride and then 15 minutes on a ferry from Iwakuni Station (around 500 yen - includes ferry ticket).

Hiroshima: the city of the A-Bomb. The Peace Museum (a memorial ceremony is held there every year on August 6th to remember the 230,000 victims of the bomb), spectacular gardens and great shops and nightlife. Hiroshima also has a castle, but itâs fairly mediocre. Kembys is the best bar in town. It is spacious with two floors, pool tables, a relaxed atmosphere and it often has live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. Best of all, it has no cover charge. Hiroshima is about 45 minutes by train from Iwakuni Station.

Entertainment
Central Iwakuni
- Rock 666: beer and cocktails every night of the week. The food's not bad either. It's small, but the barmen are wicked and there is usually no cover. Occasionally 50s swing dancing breaks out on the dance floor. There are also often live bands on weekends, but this means a cover of 1500 yen.
- K-House: near the station, it’s a good place for a quiet beer and some excellent bar food.
- The Gold Tooth: small reggae and R&B bar with cheap cocktails. Near Deo Deo.
- Shake and Shake: The biggest club in town with the highest cover 2000-3000 yen. Live bands on the weekends.
- Dina Live House: Located on the 3rd floor of a building in the main bar district. Here, Elvis lives on a Saturday night! A nice bar, room to dance and a good atmosphere. Often a small cover.
- The Beer Gardens: Eat all you can and drink all you can for 3000 yen. There's one on the 9th floor of the brand new Iwakuni Business Hotel, and the another one on the rooftop of the Iwakuni Kinsui Hotel. Great in the summer for a party.

FOUR CORNERS
-Four corners is the name of the bar and club district near base. Basically, if you do not like marines, don't go. However, if you take your sense of humor and your chastity belt with you, and down several large cans of Chu-Hi (Japanese vodka) beforehand, it can prove to be great fun! (Maybe not a fun place for the boys though.) WARNING: It is especially dangerous for male AETs to wear leather trousers and dance on stage in the Four Corners area.
- Terrys: I can’t really remember what it’s like, as I got arrested and barred in my first week for breaking the toilet! Its big, not very beautiful, and the nearest Iâve felt to being in a Vietnam war movie. Very 50s, there are dollar bills everywhere on the walls and they play Jimmy Buffet too often, but itâs got a great selection of interesting shots and the tables also double as rather pornographic video games. What can I say?! Check it out for yourself.
- Lee's: Where the officers hang out. A small 2nd floor bar. Karaoke available.
- New Manhattan's: Challenge Jimmy the barman to make any cocktail in the world! He swears he knows them all!! A quieter bar off the main drag on 188.
- The Underground: Despite its name, this cheesy club is situated on the 2nd floor and plays the latest tunes from the States. All night dancing and free entry. They even give out free glow in the dark bracelets here! Yeah, baby, yeah!
- CRC (Club Rhythm Company): A new club, cover varies between 500 and 1500 yen. It is conveniently located next to, The Iwakuni Assembly of God, should you feel the need to confess any outrageous sins in the morning!
- New Sorrento's: Tres tacky, it's mirror ball city. Cover is 1500 yen with 2 drinks. Even has Mama-sans to fill up your drinks. Decent size dance floor though.

[Please note, these club/bar listings are quite old now, and so may be a little out of date. If you are in Iwakuni and see that some of our information is wrong, please let us know, and we will update the listings.]

Yanai - by Kathryn Roberts

Yanai is a small pretty city midway between Iwakuni and Tokuyama. It has enough shops and restaurants to make it a fun and varied place to be but also enough rice fields and narrow lanes to give it country charm. Its main attractions are a good party venue (Gotcha), and beautiful historic samurai White Walled Street.

Yanai is on the San-yo train line on the South-East of Yamaguchi. Hiroshima is a one hour, thirty minutes bus/train ride away. The closest shinkansen station is Tokuyama. The city has a nice beach and Oshima island is close by.

Yanai’s White Walled Street is a good photo opportunity and there are plenty of nice souvenirs including the goldfish lanterns that adorn the city at festival times. The stores still have lattice doors and white walls to remind people of the prosperity of the town The Sagawa Shoyu Brewery is also worth a visit. Here soy sauce is still made in the traditional methods and a large warehouse is open to the public where you can witness this process. Close to White Wall Street is Sunbeam, which is Yanai's concert hall. Sunbeam is a very modern venue where you can often enjoy traditional Japanese performing arts. There are also some nice temples in this area close to the tourist information centre (green roofed building, has a English map of Yanai.).

Restaurants: There are a variety of good restaurants in Yanai. Western chains include Macdonalds and KFC. Highly recommended are Taiwanya (Chinese food, very friendly atmosphere) Daifuku (great family yakiniku) Jolly Pasta (relaxed Japanese take on Italian food) and Gotcha,which has a small but varied menu of English and Asian dishes (including fish and chips!) There is also a good pizza delivery service Chicago Pizza which is quite expensive, but delicious. Only Gotcha provides an English menu but staff are generally helpful and accommodating elsewhere.

Nightlife: On the Road is a very foreigner friendly small karaoke place where you pay a flat fee for all you can drink and sing with snacks. (about 3,500yen) The owner Ken-chan speaks English and is very nice. Gotcha is a trendy relaxed bar open everyday except Tuesday which has a rare western style pay method (ie you pay by the drink at the bar lie a pub) and very friendly staff and locals. Dance parties are hosted often and beer and great cocktails start from 700yen. There are also a variety of Japanese style izakayas and hostess bars around the area close to the river (5 minutes from the station) There are two decent Karaoke places also, ‘Party’ coming most recommended with its own join-on restaurant and beer garden. There is also a beer garden in the Cruise Hotel which has an all you can drink option.

Shopping: Yanai boasts a good 100yen shop, Mr Max, (household department store) and YouMeTown (clothes, accessories, toys.) There is also a small selection of clothes and shoe shops including a hip-hop specialists MadDope and Wickedywack. The quality of supermarkets is particularly good, with Aruk boasting taco kits and western cheese. There is a new retail park with a Max Value on the outskirts of Yanai heading towards Obatake.

Oshima - by Artenze Hall

Oshima island is popular for its oranges and sashimi. It has many fishing ports around the entire island. It's own Jamaican restaurant which is more like a Jamaican style cafe, in the old town of Kuka. The towns of the island merged in October 2004 into one becoming Suo-Oshima, but everyone still calls the towns by their original names.

Kuka is about 15 minutes away from Oshima bridge. Beaches populate the entire island (both private and public beaches). Public beaches are in Kuka, Tachibana and Towa, these are the most populated beaches. The beach in Towa is a resort beach and hotel, which becomes crowded and expensive immediately before Golden Week until the end of summer, there is also a beer garden and plenty of camping areas near this resort. There is a ferry at Ihota port that goes to Matsuyama and only takes about 1 hour. Ihota port is about 40 mintues away from the bridge. Close to this same port is the salvaged wreckage of a Japanese ship on display in addition to a Museum. At the entrance of this museum is the name of each sailor who died, written on grains of rice.

Oshima town also has a museum dedicated to people who left Oshima, when there was very little work here, to go to Hawaii to work. One ALT from Hawaii found her family's name in a book there. For those of you who do not know, many people from Kyushu, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima left Japan to work in Hawaii as field hands (mainly cultivating sugar). Oshima town also has an observatory immediately after making a left after Oshima bridge. Near the 7 Eleven in Oshima town there is an indoor swimming pool and a sports recreational gym that also has a soccer arena in another building.

Kuka has the a "Human station" which is really like a sports center with a tennis and soccer area. It also has a Visitor's center here and small cottages to stay for big and small groups with barbecuing areas. This area also has an onsen with different types of aromas. I am told this is the best onsen in Oshima. There is also a restaurant further up the main road of the hill with a very nice atmosphere. Lastly, Kuka has a small waterfall going towards the mountain called Enmei no taki. The water from here is potable and is supposed to give you long life if you drink from it. This waterfall is a bit inconspicuous. There is only one sign written in Roman letters which leads to this fall but the other signs are in Kanji.

Tachibana has a wind park in which people wind surf and there is also a place to stay overnight in the wind park center. The annual English camp also commences here. It is also very close to the beach. It also has an onsen with a sauna in the Agenosho area. This onsen is probably the most popular one, but not the best. Tachibana also has a boat that goes to Ukashima and Ukashima is connected by bridge to another island. These islands are all part of Oshima island.

Towa is the biggest town on the island but the least populated. It was once in the Guiness Book for having the highest number of the oldest living people. It has the only athletic center on the island. The athletic center has a gym, and mini workout area with exercise bikes and nautilus, showers, etc. Behind the gym is a track and field. This center is near Michi no Eki, which has a flea market every Sunday, a restaurant and Omiyagi shop. Directly across from the athletic center is a izakaiya which specializes in fresh seafood. Kei is th owner and the people here are very friendly. As stated before about 15 minutes away from here is Ihota port which has a ferry that goes to Matsuyama. There is also a boat which goes to Nasakejima-a very small island (that is part of Oshima island) which boasts of great fishing. Mutsu Park which has the Mutsu museum of the partially salvaged wreckage of a Japanese ship and a Japanese plane on just off of the main road. It also has a type of fish aquarium in the park area. There is a smaller island called Okikamuro, which is connected by a bridge in this town. Okikamuro is now famous for NHK filiming part of a TV Drama which airs June 25 at 7:30 (shameless plug here).

Oshima island is very beautiful and has many cherry blossoms on route 437 in the direction of Kuka, cherry blossoms line the road. At night the sky is so clear and the stars so luminous that you don't need electricity to light your way, especially when there is a full moon. The people of Oshima are also very friendly. Oshima is about a 2 hour drive from Hiroshima and by train about 1.5 hours. Beginning with Golden Week and ending with Obon, Oshima tends to get a bit crowded it is best to come or leave during the early morning (before 9 am) or in the late evening after 7pm. Oshima is a great place to be especially when you are tired of the city life. I love the starry nights the best. For those who like camping who can resist sleeping under the stars.

Tabuse - by Aaron Wark

Tabuse- come for the rice fields, stay for the Orange Shower. Tabuse, it just rolls off the tongue. Tabuse, simultaneously unmistakable and completely indistinct. Tabuse, the name resonates profoundly throughout the halls of history and courtyards of culture, a town of epic importance and astonishing depth. The true heart of Japan lies hidden here, waiting to be uncovered by you.

Contemplating Tabuse's profound resonation is perhaps the perfect way to begin your journey in to this wonderful seaside, mountain, rice-paddied metropolis. Think of a symbol crash in a small public bathroom, that's what it's like. Have you ever read the classic Ernest Hemmingway novel "A Farewell to Arms"? Oh you have? That's great, that helps a lot. Tabuse is like "A Farewell to Arms" without the World War I carnage, ambulances, love, Italy, and rowboats but with an added 7-11, some snakes, two bakeries and a bank that is never open. If you don't like Hemmingway, you wouldn't like Tabuse. If you don't like Tabuse, Hemmingway wouldn't like you. This is all true, all of it, so come and discover Tabuse for yourself. Yokoso. If you do come to discover Tabuse, and surely some of you will be foolish enough to do so, then here is a quick guide to the hot spots and cultural highlights:

Tabuse is conveniently located on the Sanyo train line and even has a direct highway bus to Hiroshima which leaves from the farmer's market parking lot every day. There is parking across from city hall and in the parking lot of the Maxx Valu strip mall. Orange Shower is the best restaurant in town. Not only does it have the best name, it also has good food (except for the fried chicken), a friendly atmosphere, and a convenient location near the station. The must-eat menu item is the "shogayaki teishoku", the sizzling pork and ginger set. It's a big portion, delicious, and probably the best thing you can find to eat in Tabuse. There is an okonomiyaki restaurant across from Orange Shower and it's all right if you like that sort of thing. There is also a 7-11. There are two bakeries in Tabuse; Little Mermaid and Les Angeles. Little Mermaid is a chain and has nice desserts but Les Angeles has friendly independent ownership and offers more sturdy fare like French bread and garlic toast bread chips (excellent) in addition to a few dependable desserts. There are three supermarkets in Tabuse, all in close proximity to each other but only two are worth mentioning. There's Maxx Valu, which is large and boasts a wide selection of products, and then there's Pikurosu which has a real butcher and better meat selection than Maxx Valu but is smaller in overall size. Maxx Valu always plays the Maxx Valu theme song over the speakers, Pikurosu always plays American hip-hop. Near Pikurosu is a new ramen restaurant that has really nice noodles, thick and thin are available, and a light broth that's a good change from most of the heavier stuff you'll find at the other ramen restaurants in town.

The Tabuse river bank is sometimes overgrown with weeds, but not always, and during cherry blossom season, it's the perfect place to have a flower viewing party. Watch out for snakes, there are at least 4 snakes in Tabuse and probably more in the mountains. That's pretty much it for central Tabuse but there is supposed to be a nice tofu restaurant near the sea, on the way to Hikari. If all else fails, go to Yanai.

Kuga - by Ffion Heledd

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while, why not pop down to Kuga? Although there are 10,000 people in the town, they are mostly commuters so you won't find the banging nightlife of the bigger cities here. However, it's a great place for spending a relaxing Saturday, strolling around the rice fields and bumping into some great characters.

One of Kuga's claims to fame is the Kurakake Battle which took place Kurakake Castle in 1555. Although there are no fighting samurai popping up behind bushes these days, you can take a nice stroll up Kurakake Mountain. The walk up is not too strenuous and once you've made it to the top, you'll be treated to an amazing view of the stunning surrounding countryside.

I said that there were no fierce fighting samurai in Kuga these days• Well, that's not strictly true. Every November, the Kurakake Matsuri (festival) is staged in Kuga, to commemorate the aforementioned Kurakake battle. The men of the town dress up as samurai and parade through the streets. It really is quite a sight, and everyone in the town turns out for it. Having completed their parade, the men descend on the Town Square, and the display culminates in a re-inaction of the famous battle. It's always a fun weekend, and apart from the samurai procession, there are also displays by various community societies, such as the disco dancers, traditional dancers, and the fabulous and wonderful taiko team (not that I'm biased or anything!!)

Another little known fact about Kuga is that there is a big performance of Kagura dancing each spring. The dance originated from an offering of a devil's mask to a local shrine, and was performed to pacify God's anger and to protect the town from famine and plagues. The Kagura Preservation Society help to uphold the tradition, by performing at the shrine during the cherry blossom season and it's quite a spectacular sight.

I guess that the main attraction of Kuga to most JETs is the restaurant called ‘Sanzoku', situated on a hillside overlooking the town. This is a pretty cool place, and serves the best char-grilled chicken on a stick EVER. Many a night has been spent gorging on their huge rice-balls and knocking back the beers. As you drive up to Sanzoku, you're greeted by the sights of hundreds of lanterns twinkling on the side of the hill, and once you're out of the car, you can wonder around the little stalls that sell confectionery and gifts, or try your hand at walloping the taiko before eventually being seated. In winter, you can snuggle under the kotatsu and sip warm sake while watching the snow fall around you, and in summer, you can spend a pleasant evening eating outside, near the stream or the small waterfall.

Sanzoku is definitely on the ‘spectacular' end of things, but if you fancy something a little simpler and down to earth, then read on• A little known fact is that Kuga has the best Okonomiyaki-ya in the ken. I swear it's true! The little run-down shed, which I often saw on my way to the elementary school, actually turned out to be Kuga's best kept secret. (The best way to find out about this is to become friendly with the next JET in Kuga, as you'd never find it yourself.) Happy walking and eating!

Hikari - by Ellen Waters

Hikari is situated on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, about half way between Tokuyama and Yanai and is easily accessible by three train stations within town along the Sanyo line; Hikari, Shimata and Iwata. In October 2004, Hikari city merged with its neighbouring town, Yamato, to form an even larger city. As a result, the town is lucky enough to have mountains (large hills), beaches and plenty of rice fields in the surrounding area making it a picturesque spot for sightseeing and travel.

Hikari boasts two fabulous beaches, Nijigahama and Murozumi. Both beaches are worth a visit any time of the year, though of course both pulse with visitors late into the night during summer. Summer sees people gathering for a swim, picnic, bbq, dance and even fireworks any night of the week. Nijigahama beach is about 5 minutes walk from Hikari station. It is conveniently close to a 7/11 for lunch supplies or drinks. If you happen to visit on a Saturday or Sunday, there is a quaint sandwich van parked near the beach, selling great sandwiches, most featuring bacon and mayonnaise. Right beside the sandwich van is a little ice creamery, selling great soft cream, perfect for a hot summer day.

On the edge of Hikari, in the small area of Shiota, is Mt Iwaki. Mt Iwaki is the largest of the mountains (hills) in the area. You can hike to the top from several locations. Be warned though, take a lot of water and go with someone experienced. At the top of the mountain is a shrine dating from the 15th century. There are other historical sights to see if you take the time to walk the crown of the mountain. At several places, there are fabulous look-outs to the surrounding area. You can even see all the way to the Seto Inland Sea.

Hikari is quite a large city and therefore, plays host to many good restaurants. It doesn’t take long to work out the favourites and alternate between those. You can choose between every variety of Japanese cuisine, Chinese, Italian, Indian and Korean. Of course you can find the usual fast food restaurants too. The local McDonalds is tucked away in the Jusco shopping centre (Jusco is a great supermarket), though many JETs find themselves converted to the Japanese equivalent, Mos Burger. Mos Burger is located in the middle of town on the main road (Route 188). Another cheap, Japanese alternative is Coco Curry (Coco Ichiban) serving many varieties of Japanese style curry. If your taste buds are hankering for something a little more up market you could try any one of the Yaki Niku restaurants (Korean BBQ). Eating yourself silly with a group and drinking beer will usually set you back about 2000 yen. Nestled away in Shimata is a popular Ramen restaurant (Chinese noodle dish) that has great gyoza (Chinese dumplings). There are many other Ramen restaurants throughout town. My favourite restaurant, on the upmarket side, is Chidori Dining. Chidori Dining is located in front of Kanmuriyama Sougou Park and serves fabulous pizza and Japanese/Italian pastas. The park behind the restaurant is also well worth a look. On the cost effective side, my all-time favourite, comfort food is Omuraisu. The Omelette Rice restaurant is hidden away in Tsukari and is only accessible by car but has about 50 versions of the Japanese omelette wrapped around rice.

Hikari has plenty of day-to-day kinds of shops. A draw card for many JETs in the surrounding area is the UniQlo (cheap, foreign friendly clothing). Right next door to UniQlo is a fabulous 100yen store, a supermarket and a Juntendo (hardware and housey stuff). Near the station is a great stationery store. You can start collecting innumerable pens, books and stickers, each one debatably cuter than the last you bought. Right next to Aruk Supermarket is a small group of shops called ‘Best’. Here you can buy a lovely souvenir or sit down for a great coffee at ‘Coffee boy’. For more active people, Hikari has several gyms, tennis courts, swimming pools, a golf driving range and of course great areas to hike. If you are into Karaoke (or have never tried it), Hikari has several places to choose from. Yellow Box is quite popular and is found just opposite Hikari Shiminkan. Every town has far too many festivals to count. Some of Hikari’s festivals worth mentioning are the Plum Blossom Festival in February, Murozumi Festival in May and the Hikari Festival, also in May. The fourth Sunday, every month, a great flea market is held in Murozumi. The flea market is a good place to pick up a bargain or souvenir. A silk kimono can be bought for as little as 1000 yen.

Further a field, in the surrounding area, is a great onsen (Japanese style hot spring). It is about 20 minutes drive from central Hikari. A further 20 minute drive and you’ll find yourself at the famed San Zoku. San Zoku is a Yaki Tori (chicken on a stick) style restaurant that everyone should visit at least once (though once could never be enough). Not too far away by bus or train is Hiroshima. Hiroshima is a great place to visit for historical reasons, baseball, museums, a night out partying or just a place to shop. Hikari is a wonderful place to live or visit. It is also a great launching place for exploring further a field. So whether you are a new JET, a recontractor or someone planning a visit, I am sure you will enjoy your stay and take away many wonderful memories.

Kudamatsu - by Neal Wells

Well, the first thing that must be said about Kudamatsu is that is it undoubtedly the cultural and entertainment hotbed of Yamaguchi, and that it has been my distinct pleasure to live here for the past year. The second thing that must be said is that only one of the previous statements is true. Kind of a cheesy start, but I couldn’t come up with anything else.

Lets get the obvious things out of the way first shall we. The Kud is pretty small, about fifty thousand people. Its only distinctive landmark is The Mall, which is the place to go if you are in junior high school and want to strut your stuff. The street on which The Mall resides will henceforth be known as ‘The street from which all my references are based’, conveniently condensed to MStreet. I’m sure it has a real name, I just don’t know it; neither does anyone else I’ve discovered. Notably, The Mall has The Dan (a nonsensical English, if expensive, T-shirt treasure trove) and Seiyu, a decent department store. It’s a good spot to pick up cheap undershirts, if you are too embarrassed to get them from the 100 yen shop. Speaking of which, the king of all 100 yen shops is Daiso, which is along MStreet going west from The Mall reached by hanging a Larry at the MINI dealership.

Hanging a ringo at the same dealership will take you to Mariza, the best damn Italian restaurant this side of a Hiroshima. A bold claim perhaps, but I’ve gotta pump this town up somehow. The one area in which Kudamatsu is hurting big time is restaurants. Other than Mariza, there is another Italian place along MStreet, for an undetermined distance, from The Mall in the opposite direction. Beside MovieX (which is beside The Mall) is Mos Burger and beside that is a pretty good okonomiyaki restaurant. There is a kaiten sushi place in The Mall but it’s quite bad. There is a delightful little warren of hostess bars and shady karaoke bars South-West of the train station though. With that tactful lead-in, lets talk places to drink. In term of places that actually appeal to foreigners, and not the aforementioned south side haunts, there aren’t any of those either. One exception is an Izikaiya on the second floor across from Mr. Max on MStreet East of The Mall. Take my advice, invest 190 yen and 8 minutes of your time, and go to Tokuyama.

If you want to come to Kudamatsu for its natural beauty, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that Lake Bisen (Bisen ko), while not spectacular, is a very nice place to walk or ride your bike. The bad news is, shockingly, that there isn’t really anything else. If sports and recreation is your thing then you’ll be tickled pink by the bowling lanes and ice rink (one of the only ones in the Yamaguchi I think) here in the Kud. So I realize, after giving this piece a much needed perusal, that it may seem somewhat sarcastic and not all that positive. I figure it’s tough but fair. There’s not a lot here, but there are a few things that people do come here for. Specifically, The Mall, MovieX and Mariza. Other than M cubed there isn’t a lot, but Kudamatsu is next door to both Hikari and Tokuyama; both of which combine to provide the things Kudamatsu lacks.

Tokuyama - by Jimmy Doyle, Amy Pittendreich & Leon Bell

Tokuyama (a.k.a. Shunan City) is nestled in between Kudamatsu and Shinnanyo. It lies on the south-eastern side of Yamaguchi Prefecture on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. It is approximately a two-hour train ride away from Hiroshima City and a one and a half hour train ride away from Yamaguchi City. Tokuyama Station is the main station and also hosts a shinkansen stop as well. The overabundance of smokestacks and factories in the Tokuyama area can, at first sight, be overwhelming but with time, it is possible to come to love this interesting and quaint little city!

To the right of the train station is the Ginza shopping area. Here you can find department stores, as well as specialty shops, that while not always cheap are well worth a look for the occasional bargain. There are many cute boutique-type shops for trendy clothes at gut wrenching prices in the centre area. There is also Uniqlo (next to Tsutaya Video along Route 2) for your basic clothing needs. SHOCK is also further along Route 2 before Kudamatsu and offers cheap clothes for cheap prices. My favorite place to shop for clothes is HARD-OFF, which is a second hand shop. HARD-OFF is also along Route 2 near Tsutaya.

There are many options for your dining pleasure in Tokuyama :
Indian – Ganesh
Italian – Jolly Pasta, Fraccaso, Pietro, Banana Leaf, Marino Café, Bistro Bongo
Okinawan – Daruma (ダルマ)
Yakitori / Izakaya – Daikichi (大吉), Ogiya, Wara Wara (わらわら), Murasaki (村崎)
Yaki-Niku – Gyukaku (牛角), Karubi Dairiku (カルビ大陸)
Chinese – Shanghai Kitchen, Tonko (敦煌)
Fish & Chips – Ell’s Ditch
Okonimiyaki – Teppachi, Yasu-Q
Steak – Jolly Ox
Oden – Densuke (でんすけ)
Beer Garden – Kintetsu rooftop, La Biere rooftop
Indonesian – Cote Cote Bali
Sushi – Akiyama

Keep in mind restaurants and nightspots in Tokuyama seem to have a high turnover rate, so this information could quickly become irrelevant. There are many small little places all over the city just waiting to be discovered!

As for nightlife in Tokuyama :
Tiki-Ta – holds a lot of events including live bands, hip-hop parties, BMX riding, dance shows, etc. It is a cool place to hold a party.
T’s Blue – small, intimate, and cozy. Terry, the bar owner, is cool and relaxed. It is a good chill place with cheap drinks.
Ell’s Ditch – this is a great place to have a pint and listen to Irish music. Isobe is the bar owner and Aoki is his sidekick. They’re cool guys and there is satellite TV in the pub, so if you’re into watching sport matches you’ll be in luck at Ell’s Ditch.
Q-Bar – this place is bi-polar. I’ve gone to some great parties here…and I’ve gone to parties that absolutely suck. Anyways, check out their place for events going on.
Marino Café – a restaurant and a nice place to sit at the bar and have a glass of wine (or whatever you fancy drinking)
Boogie House – this is a live house. I’ve only been a couple of times, but it has a good chill atmosphere with live music (acoustic and folk-type stuff).
Suzy Wongs – new bar, with a dancefloor and a great atmosphere.
Shidax – karaoke! If I could take one thing from Japan to keep forever, it would definitely be a karaoke room. Shidax has been my saviour and motivation for surviving in Tokuyama for three years. Shidax is always the answer to a lifeless night!

Places of culture and scenery around Tokuyama :

Mt.Taika is in the east of Tokuyama City. It is not hard to climb the mountain. If it is a fine day, you can see Kyushu and Shikoku. The scenery from the top is really beautiful, day or night.

Eigenzan Park is a park founded on the theme of “water.” There are many places, which have different features in the park, and it has a swimming pool. On top of the mountain, there is a Dutch windmill called “Yume Fusha” (Dream Windmill), one of the biggest windmills in Japan.

In Tokuyama zoo there are 650 animals. There are 145 different kinds of animals in it. Pandas and a forest elephant are the most popular among them. The zoo is also well known for the beauty of cherry blossoms in the spring.

And finally! Something not usually mentioned in any report on Tokuyama is a small island, 40 minutes by ferry, called Otsushima. This island was a base for the suicide submarines (Kaiten) in WWII. There is a Kaiten museum with a full sized replica that is well worth a look. Perhaps the biggest appeal of Otsushima is its feeling of peace and quiet. There are a few fishing villages dotted around the island where the most activity you will see is one of the island cats trying to escape from an unused crab pot that is has managed to get caught in. Otsushima is a great place for hiking, cycling, camping, and, of course, fishing - check it out when you need to take a break from the fast pace of Japan.

Hofu – by Stephen Goobie

Welcome to Hofu. Home sweet Hofu. Well maybe not quite home, but this city of 130,000 "genki" citizens is big enough to keep one from going too crazy (though you may need some medication), yet small enough so that people still stare at you like they don't have eyelids. It's a typical small Japanese city: lots of cement, plenty of glittering pachinko and love hotel signs, cluttered car dealers, fast food joints, and badly planned suburban sprawl. It also features a Japanese Self Defense Force base and lots of noisy propellor planes buzzing the skies. But most of all, Hofu is SATY, the department store by the station. On any given day lots of suspicious, half-crazed people loiter around the station, making weird sounds and staring at foreigners. The city is nearly surrounded by mountains and rice fields: from Migita's rocky slopes in the north to Ohira's ropeway in the east and on the southern seaside an island mountain. The cemented Saba River cuts through the city from further inland toward Tokuji town and flows to the cemented Seto Sea. East of Hofu Station is a bustling "entertainment district" where the naughty and drunk feed their sinful habits. It can be hard to meet people your own age in Hofu--better than more rural locales of course, but everyone seems to be in high school or over forty or just dresses funny. The most famous sight is Hofu Tenmangu Shrine, the goal for hoards of half-naked men in the Half-Naked Man Festival in November--but much better and far more peaceful than this is the lonely and beautiful Amida Temple, halfway up Ohira Mountain. For locations ask at the Info desk in Hofu Station.

Here are some more gritty details:

S H O P P I N G
Three words: go to Fukuoka.
No time? Like I said, there is SATY right behind the station. You'll see lots and lots of students there (and they'll see you too, I bet!). On the 1st floor is a big grocery store, food court, camera shops, liquor store, etc. On the second floor are MYCAL cinema, a great place to see overpriced movies; and lots of various clothing outlets. On the third floor is a bookstore, CD shop, appliance area, and an video arcade as well as a 100 yen store for those of you who like cheap crap. The fourth floor hides our evil enemies from NOVA. Further north is YOUME TOWN, the same kind of thing as SATY minus the theatre. NAFCO is a good place to buy anything from bleach to toothpaste (don't mix those up!) to curtains to chairs. Also has cheap photo developing. It has two locations, but is the more easily reached one is west of the station near the train line. The Ginza arcade--yawn!--toward Tenmangu has almost nothing in it of interest except an newly renovated INTERNET CAFƒ. And last, the SOUVENIR SHOP across the street from Tenmangu is a good place to find sweets and nicknacks to send home to family. The people there are friendly. Once a year there is a big flea market "downtown".

G R O C E R Y S T O R E S
Your best bet for variety is SATY, although it is expensive. Cheaper is the new MAXVALUE in southern Hofu by the sports centre, or Y-VALUE with locations by NAFCO and in the Migita area.

R E S T A U R A N T S
Hofu has all the regular fast food outlets: HOKKAHOKKATEI (3 or 4 locations), NAGASAKI Champon (3), YOSHINOYA beef bowls, MOS BURGER, MACDONALDS (2), KINRYU Ramen, KOKO ICHIBAN Curry Rice and other cheap places. The best ramen place is called RAMEN SHOP, and is in southern Hofu. On Thursday evenings a bowl is only 200 yen, or 300 yen for two bowls. The owner is friendly to foreigners and may give you free things like gyoza or share a beer with you. He's an arm wrestling champ! HAKATA RAMEN is only open at night but is fairly good, if you don't mind eating with drunks and perverts.

Hungry for dead cow? By the station with the flaming torches is KARUBI, a good yakiniku restaurant featuring a salad bar. But the star feature in Hofu's yakiniku repetoire is surely SHORAKU, a small Korean place. I was here once and a cockroach crawled into the fire and died! That said, the meat and bibimbap here is delicious, and the kimchi is homemade and very spicy. Follow the train line east until you see a red canopy over a door and smell smoke. The mama-san and her daughter there are very friendly and speak some English, especially the daughter. There is also GYUMARU north-west of the station.

A good smokey, rowdy izakaya is MURASAKI, west of the station past the police box and a shoe store. The menu is good and prices reasonable. It can accommodate a fair-sized crowd of drunken foreigners.

Do you like CHINESE? Make a reservation at the restaurant by Tenmangu. Some Chinese people work there and the atmosphere is cool. A cheaper, more Japanese alternative is in southern Hofu.

Got a date? TOMATO is a small place near the RAMEN SHOP, quaint and with a variety of dishes, Italian and Japanese all mixed together. Free ice cream/dessert for the ladies, I think. As well, there is an expensive Italian joint called ROMA near the entertainment district and an Italian man works there.

Those hungry for some okonomiyaki can hop behind SATY to TAMPOPO. It's cheap and the woman there is nice.

And lastly, don't forget the food court in SATY.

B A R S
Yes, if it isn't enough that you can shop, eat, and be stared at in Hofu, well, you can drink too! Basically just head east to the entertainment district and follow the funny-walking people. Check out ORPLID in the 808 Building. It is good for a drink and snacks with lots of friends (or with only one) and has modern music (sometimes live). From time to time there are hoppin' events here. Same with AVALON. There is a small jazz bar named BIRDLAND to the east. Near the station and Nagasaki Champon is INDIAN OCEAN BAR. Like a cramped nuclear bunker in the basement, the owner speaks some English and is very toastily laid back. Usually it is just you, the bartender and some smoke, but sometimes there are loud live rock concerts here. Many people come. It is hot. The bathroom is really clean! Back in the entertainment area BAGUS is a genuinely cool place. It's small, but the dreadlock-haired owner cooks up Indonesia/Bali/Thai/Vietnam/Jamaica-style food in the cool reggae background. And last, if you are looking for something a little more Phillipean-style, try the bar ANGELIQUE for the company of some friendly but not too attractive Phillipeno girls. Yeah. The (ex-?) owner speaks english. You may meet some mofia.

K A R A O K E
Can you sing? Does it matter? Near TenTenMaru Sushi shop look for a big KING KONG face coming out of the building's wall. Not bad prices, if there are lots of people. But perhaps the best place to display your drunken vocal talents is KIRARA, located in the darkness along the Saba River. The microphones and music selection is good.

S P O R T S
There are a few fitness centres around. The big green-roof SPORTS CENTER in southern Hofu is a massive complex. Here you can do Karate, Judo, Aikido, Kendo, Archery and other martial arts. There are baseball fields, running tracks, swimming pools, and basketball arena.

H E Y, I T I S J A P A N, A F T E R A L L!
For you tourists out there, your first stop (and last?) will be to Hofu's acclaimed TENMANGU SHRINE, one of the three top Tenmangu shrines in Japan. The big veranda will give you a nice view of the city. The shrine maidens ("miko-san") are really nice. If Hofu has an event, it is held at Tenmangu. The biggest two of these are the Half-Naked Man Festival (HADAKABO) and New Year's. On Saturday in November thousands of men dressed in diapers and bandaids (okay, that's what it looks like!) brave the autumn chill and thunder around the city, heaving portable shrines and stopping to slam back cups of sake. They converge on Tenmangu to throw their portables into the main shrine. If you are lucky you may see someone get hurt in the rush, but in recent years things have been more tame. It all depends on liquor intake and the presense of mofia members. As for New Year's, you better get there at 11 pm to line up or you may not get to pray until 1 am! Thousands of young punks and freaks and normal folk crowd up the cold stone steps. Watch out for flying coins! Also recommended is SETSUBUN Festival in February and the DANCE FESTIVAL in early August. Out with the devil, in with good luck! If you are wondering what happened to the top of Tenmangu Mountain, if was burnt by a misplaced firework in 2001. Now that was exciting.

There are a few other minor temples and shrines around Tenmangu, including one west with an eerie green statue of Kanmon. Next head east to MORI GARDEN for a quick look (not free, of course) at a Japanese garden with a pleasant pond and stone bridge. It is expensive to get into MORI MANSION so it is probably not worth it.

Much further east, but do-able on a bicycle with gears--as you will be going uphill--is AMIDA TEMPLE. This quiet complex is built on the side of Ohira Mountain. It is very quiet and peaceful, and boasts some nice scenery amongst the bamboo trees. You can walk around in the main building and look at the interesting picture stories on the ceiling and walls. As well, there are some Buddha statues and a big bell to gong. Come in autumn to see tree colours or in June to see the blooming hydraenia flowers during the AJISAI festival. As well, if you prefer a more peaceful New Year's Amida Temple is a nice alternative to Tenmangu. A bus runs from Hofu station to Amida Temple. Don't miss the last one back.

There is a ROPEWAY to the top of Ohira Mountain. It is very popular on New Year's Eve. Show up at about 5 am and walk up the mountain with hoards of people to see--if you are lucky--the first sunrise of the new year, rising over the Seto Sea. Or the first clouds of the new year, lounging like lazy fat people over the Seto Sea. It is very cold waiting at the top, but fun.

Any mountain climbers out there? Tackle the rocks of Migita-dake for a good workout. There are numerous trails, some rock carvings and a spooky temple. Migita is great, as it the small mountain on the otherside of the road.

If you don't like the disgusting pollution of Tonomi's beaches, try the disgusting pollution of the beach on Mukou Island. At least there is some sand to run on and the pleasant sound of surf. The small beach is isolated on the far side of the jungle-like fishing island. Come at night for a good view of the stars.

There is other stuff in Hofu like a rock garden with a HARAKIRI room (samurai suicide room) and some old salt factory, but really that's about it. You can discover the rest for yourself. So why not visit Hofu? If you come from a small village in Japan, you'll love it! If you don't, well, er, um, aw hell--you'll love it too! Maybe.

[Please note, these club/bar listings are quite old now, and so may be a little out of date. If you are in Hofu and see that some of our information is wrong, please let us know, and we will update the listings.]

Yamaguchi – by Tori Bentley

Yamaguchi city is right smack-bang in the middle of the ken. It’s connected to nowhere decent by the utterly useless Yamaguchi line that runs from Tsuwano (in Shimane Prefecture to Shin-Yamaguchi). To get to most places in the prefecture you need to go to Shin-Yamaguchi and get on the Sanyo line for the east coast. We also have buses to Hagi, Tokuyama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Shimonoseki, Tokyo, Osaka etc so it could be worse.

Shops:
We have a few international bits and bobs, a Muji being the most exciting of those. There is a hairdresser here that will cut your hair for free on a Wednesday or Thursday evening if you are foreign which is pretty cool but time consuming. We’ve got Yuda-Onsen which is not only great for onsening but also drinking and general debauchery, sorted. Other shop