Chugoku & San'in
The San'in coast, shrine towns facing the Sea of Japan, and the quietest stretch of old Japan most itineraries skip entirely. Izumo Taisha and Matsue anchor the San'in side, Kurashiki's canal quarter and Tsuwano's torii tunnel fill in the rest — and then there are the sand dunes.
Tsuwano Travel Guide: The Little Kyoto of San'in, Its Torii Tunnel, and Carp-Filled Canals
Visit Tsuwano, the 'Little Kyoto of San'in' — the Taikodani Inari torii tunnel, carp-filled canals, a preserved samurai town, and how to get there.
Kurashiki Travel Guide: Canal Storehouses, the Ohara Museum, and a Day in Okayama's Bikan Quarter
Visit Kurashiki, Okayama — the Bikan Historical Quarter's willow canals and storehouses, the world-class Ohara Museum of Art, canal boats, and how to get there.
Matsue Travel Guide: Original Castle, World-Ranked Gardens, and Lake Shinji Sunsets
Plan a trip to Matsue, Shimane — original Matsue Castle, the world-ranked Adachi Museum garden, Lake Shinji sunsets, and how to combine it with Izumo Taisha.
