Numerous temples and shrines attest to the region’s long history, including Manpukuji—a Chinese-style Zen temple founded by the monk Ingen, who is often called the father of sencha. With generations of tea culture everywhere in evidence, a walk through Uji’s landscape can aptly be called “a walk through 800 years of tea history.” Across the Uji region, the history and culture of tea production have shaped the natural setting. The land is divided into tea fields, tea factories, and wholesaler districts, each with a distinctive character. The fields themselves form sweeping, verdant vistas that curve across the foothills.
Sometimes referred to as a porridge, zosui is a rice soup that is typically made with vegetables, meat and other ingredients. In Nishi-Awa, zosui is made with buckwheat seeds instead of rice. This innovation is said to have come from samurai defeated in the Genpei War who fled to Nishi-Awa and longed for Kyoto and the meals with rice they’d left behind.
A specialty of the area is dekomawashi, a skewer of potato, konnyaku, and hard-pressed tofu that is roasted in the fireplace. Foods made from wild game are also common. As part of your trip to Nishi-Awa, sit at the hearth of a charming traditional home and enjoy local foods over a friendly chat with locals, an experience nourishing for both the body and the mind.
‘Ayu Zoni’, which uses natural ayu caught in the ‘Takatsu River’, is a local dish that is eaten at many homes during the New Year. It is written in an ancient document that this ayu was served as a cuisine for entertainment for lord Masuda, who served during the Warring States period, and can be eaten with a reproduction dish as a ‘medieval food’.
Ochiai, Sarukai, and Nishinosho are among the Nishi-Awa villages that climb up the mountainsides. Renowned Japanologist Alex Kerr describes how this area was considered special, not unlike a Shangri-La, even hundreds of years ago.
Located in the Nishi-Chugoku Mountains National Monument, ‘Hikimikyo’ shows a variety of beautiful valleys, such as many strange rocks and waterfalls.
Speak with local mountain villagers and learn how they live in harmony with nature. Stay in a farmhouse or other traditional home to experience local customs and foods firsthand. Take in the surrounding nature with a trek through sacred Mount Tsurugi.
The Takatsu River is a clear, transparent stream. You can enjoy kayaking in the clearest water in Japan. You can choose from single-seater or two-seater kayaks according to your preference.
In December of 2018, the newly renovated Lantern Onomichi Garden (LOG) opened to visitors. Located on Mount Senko not far from Senko-ji Temple, this former apartment complex offers guest lodgings, a garden, and singular shopping and dining experiences. At the LOG restaurant, seasonal freshness is the focal point of every dish, and each meal is made with ingredients that conjure an image of the locals who produced them. The facility also holds frequent workshops and public events with themes that highlight regional foods, local traditions, and the wisdom of living in accordance with the seasons.
The visual appeal of Onomichi has been likened to “a miniature garden straight from the middle ages.” It is a city where historic temples and shrines—some containing national treasures—line the winding streets, and whose higher slopes give views that look out across the sprawling coastal landscape. Notable artistic figures have also found Onomichi’s scenery captivating: novelist Shiga Naoya (1883-1971) stayed at a residence not far from the LOG, and director Ozu Yasujiro’s 1953 masterpiece Tokyo Story begins here. In fact, the town’s aspect has changed very little from the views recorded in the film’s opening scene.
