Yamaguchi
Often-overlooked temple in one of Japan’s most best sightseeing towns was inspired by the story of a deeply devoted samurai cat.
Cycle on water, visit scenic sites and enjoy some of the best sushi in the country at the westernmost tip of Japan’s main island.
This is where you’ll find Japan’s largest cave, a BBQ by the sea, and a rural hotel where Russian President Putin slept in a room behind bulletproof glass.
Day two of our epic adventure includes an ancient soy sauce factory, pressed sushi, and rabbit-eared samurai helmets.
View a National Treasure, stop off at a former school for samurai sons, and stamp on a stone pavement that “sings”.
While men are understandably drawn to it, it’s women who are said to benefit the most from worshipping here.
If you have summer plans, cancel them. You’ll want to be visiting Yamaguchi Prefecture after this!
There’s more to this unusual shrine than its stunning red torii gates that lead down to the Sea of Japan.
Last week, I stopped by the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama to try its just-released Cup Noodle Ice Cream, with its chives, shrimp, and all the other fixings of instant ramen. It was definitely an interesting experience, but I did have one complaint, which is that Cup Noodle Ice Cream doesn’t actually have any noodles in it. Technically, it should be called “Cup Noodle Topping Ice Cream.”
Thankfully, it turns out there actually is a place in Japan where you can get ice cream with ramen noodles mixed in. Since I suddenly found myself with the unlikely title of RocketNews24’s resident ramen ice cream expert, I figured it was time to go another round with this unorthodox class of dessert, and to crown a winner in this battle of the ramen ice creams.
Way at the western tip of Honshu, the main island of Japan, you’ll find the town of Shimonoseki. Shimonoseki is especially famous for its always delicious, naturally poisonous, and occasionally canned blowfish, but fishermen catch all manner of tasty seafood there in the waters off the edge of Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Wherever you have boats and coastlines, you’ll also want to put a lighthouse too. But on a recent night the beacon of Shimonoseki’s Tsunoshima lighthouse wasn’t the only thing shining in the darkness, as observers also roughly a dozen mysterious-looking lights in the night sky.
On 30 November, the mayor of Yamaguchi, Sumita Watanabe, declared to Nishinippon Newspaper that his city of Yamaguchi will be renamed “Xmas City” for the entire month of December. The move is a part of a tourism campaign which involves a month-long event of festive activities.
More than simply a PR campaign, Yamaguchi actually has a valid claim as being the launching pad for Christianity in Japan and thus the “hometown” of Christmas in Japan. Yamaguchi was where Saint Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Japan, and his followers celebrated their first Christmas.
Gather around kids, it’s time to hear the story of how Christmas first came to Japan.
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