Takehara Townscape Preservation Area

Takehara's preserved quarter earned it the nickname 'Little Kyoto of Aki,' and walking its narrow lanes, you'll see why. Salt production and sake brewing made this city wealthy in the Edo era, and the merchants who prospered here left behind latticed shopfronts, whitewashed walls, and heavy tile roofs that still stand today. The former Matsuzaka family residence and a local history museum are open to visitors, while the streets stay refreshingly uncrowded. From here, a short ferry ride reaches Okunoshima, where hundreds of feral rabbits roam freely across the island.