Shimonoseki is where Honshu ends and the Kanmon Strait begins. Karato Market's auction floor opens to the public for sushi breakfast. This is Japan's fugu (pufferfish) capital, where the deadly delicacy is an everyday food. The undersea tunnel to Kyushu is a 15-minute walk. Dan-no-ura, where the samurai era began, happened in these waters.
What Shimonoseki is known for
Top-rated in Shimonoseki
Hagi Pottery Kilns
4.7craft
Historic pottery workshops producing prized tea wares that develop unique patina over years of use.
Former Yamamura Family Residence
4.8nature
The Former Yamamura Family Residence faces Honmachi-suji street and comprises two main houses, two storehouses, and a small tea room.
Tsunoshima Island
4.5viewpoint
Photogenic island connected by 1.7km bridge, famous for its emerald waters, white lighthouse, and coastal scenery.
Akiyoshido Cave
4.4nature
Japan's largest limestone cave, featuring spectacular underground formations, pools, and a constant 17°C temperature.
Beppu Benten Pond
4.4landmark
Mystical pond with incredibly clear, cobalt blue water.
Rurikoji Temple Five-Story Pagoda
4.4temple
1442 National Treasure pagoda ranked among Japan's three finest, in the 'Kyoto of the West.'
Unrinji (“Cat Temple”)
4.4temple
Unrinji has been a Rinzai Zen temple for over 400 years, but since the 1990s it has become equally known as Neko-dera, the Cat Temple.
Kanmon Strait
4.4landmark
Like the Suez, Panama, Magellan, and Gibraltar, the Kanmon Strait is a vital waterway that has shaped the fate of a nation.
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