Japan 🇯🇵 - Yamaguchi

Tips 👏

• Renting a car is essential for this itinerary as the spots are spread out and public transport is limited in these areas.
• If you visit the Akiyoshido Caves, definitely pay the extra 300 JPY for the tiny adventure tour. It is short but adds a fun climbing element and nice views.

Restaurants 🍜

• Yasutomiya: We stopped here for lunch near the caves to try the local specialty, burdock noodles. Despite average reviews online, we 100% loved it and found it to be a highlight!!
• Kadonoumi: Located right by the Tsunoshima Bridge, this place served great green tea soba noodles with a view of the bridge. Not much on the menu but great quality and great view!

Accommodation 🏠

We stayed at the Ichinomata Onsen Grand Hotel. It was a traditional experience that felt perfect for the location. We enjoyed the included Japanese dinner and breakfast, which were both generous and authentic (a bit too authentic, craving for a simple McDonald's soon after). The onsen was the real highlight, providing a relaxing soak after a long day of driving, including strong hydro-massage bamboo-based. It was a great base for exploring the area.

Getting there 🚗

We took the Shinkansen to Shin-Yamaguchi station. From there, we picked up a rental car from Toyota Rent-A-Car, which was a short walk from the station exit. The drive to the caves took about 20 minutes. Having the car was crucial for the freedom to explore the geopark and the coast at our own pace.

Duration ⏱

We spent two days and one night in the region. It felt like the perfect amount of time to see the main sights without feeling rushed, though the drive back to the hotel on the second day is a bit longer.

Akiyoshido Caves & Geopark 🦇

We picked up the car and drove straight to Akiyoshido caves. The cave system is massive and impressive. We spent about two hours walking from the lower part to the top and back, stopping at the elevator in the middle. On the way back, we did the adventure tour, which takes about 10 minutes and lets you climb on the side of the cave with flashlights, great views and very fun.

After the caves, we drove just five minutes up to the Akiyoshidai Geopark. The view from the plateau is unique, with white rocks scattered across the grass. It was a quick stop but worth it for the scenery, although it's possible to hike around.

Motonosumi Shrine & Tsunoshima Coast ⛩

The next day, we drove to Ichinomatasakura to see a quiet pond known for its submerged dead trees and large carps. Wouldn't go out of my way for it but cool to see, probably nicer in spring.

From there, we headed to the Motonosumi Shrine. Walking along the 123 red torii gates that stretch down the cliff toward the ocean was amazing and a clear must-do, even if the wind was bashing us on the cliff.

We then continued to the Tsunoshima Bridge, which is incredibly scenic. After our soba lunch overlooking the water, we drove across to the island to check out the lighthouse and various viewpoints. The coastal scenery was beautiful, even as the weather turned and we headed back to the hotel through a light snowfall.

Hope this was helpful, you can ask us any questions on Instagram.