The town of Minamikushiyama in the city of Unzen, due to its hilly terrain and scarcity of lowlands, has a unique scenery of terraced fields, called tanabatake, that line the hillsides. The Tanabatake Observation Deck is a popular spot for taking pictures, offering a panoramic view overlooking about 800 neatly arranged terraced fields. Designated one of Nagasaki Prefecture’s 10 best terraced fields, they boast one of the largest yields of potatoes in Japan.
The mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea, with its long hours of sunshine, was ideal for citrus cultivation, and citrus cultivation flourished on the entire slopes where sea breezes blow and sunlight pours down. Citrus varieties grown in Onomichi include lemons, satsuma mandarin, hassaku orange, Chinese citron, navels, anseikan, sumo mandarin, and Kiyomi orange. Lemon trees are planted on a sunny slope in “Lemon Valley” in Setoda-cho, Onomichi City, and their flowers bloom in early summer and the yellow lemon fruits ripen in winter and spring.
Shimabara has long been known as the City of Water and is home to many natural springs. One of the dishes utilizing the spring water is somen-nagashi (running water noodles), in which tenobe-somen (‘Hand-pulled somen’), a specialty of the area, are washed in the spring water. At somen-nagashi restaurants, water is poured in the middle of the table, and patrons enjoy the tenobe-somen after dipping them in the water. These restaurants once abounded throughout the city but are now becoming fewer and fewer. However, there are also places where you can enjoy somen-nagashi using bamboo sticks, and we encourage you to enjoy this specialty when visiting Shimabara.
“LOG” is a complex of accommodations, restaurants, and stores that was renovated and revitalized from an apartment building near Senkoji Temple. The restaurant is popular for its menu, which uses a variety of ingredients from local producers, and also hosts events where visitors can taste local vegetables and fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, as well as workshops where they can experience the traditional way of living, which places great importance on the calendar.
“Onomichi Ramen” is the original local ramen. Originating in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, it is characterized by a soy sauce-based soup with pork back fat floating in it and flat noodles. There are many ramen stores in the city, and each store has its own original flavor, making it a pleasure to compare different types of Onomichi ramen.
The “Shimanami Sea Route” connects Onomichi City and Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture. This sea route was also developed as Japan’s first bicycle path that crosses the straits. It has been selected as one of the “Seven Greatest Cycling Routes in the World” by America’s CNN, and has attracted the attention of cyclists from all over the world. With little traffic, the course is safe even for beginners and is popular as a spot to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.
Shinshu beef is a brand of beef cattle raised in Nagano Prefecture and is called “apple-fed beef” because it is raised on feed with apples added. Its meat is characterized by its tenderness, aroma, and excellent marbling. There are many restaurants in Nagano Prefecture that specialize in sukiyaki using this Shinshu beef, and people become to call it sukiyaki in Nagano Prefecture. It is a must-try when you travel to Nagano.
Minamichita is famous for its natural puffer fish, and the offshore waters of the Atsumi Peninsula have become a good fishing ground for natural puffer fish. Locals can enjoy puffer fish dishes such as tecchiri and fugu sashimi.
The islands of Minamichita have a history of flourishing as natural fishing harbors and are home to many fishermen. There are many guest houses run by fishermen on each island, where you will be treated to a variety of dishes made from fresh seafood. Why not enjoy a stay at a guest house in a harbor town where you can smell the salty sea breeze?
Himakajima Island, which is famous for the high quality octopus it produces, is known as the “octopus island” where dried octopus is actively produced, and visitors can experience the process of making dried octopus. Visitors can experience the process of removing the slime from the octopus, cutting it with a knife so that it can be easily dried, and then drying it in the sun.
