'''Shimonoseki''' (下関) [http://www.city.shimonoseki.yamaguchi.jp/seisaku/kokusai/gaikoku/top_e.html] is a port city at the southwestern tip of the main island of Honshu in Japan.
Although it has some areas of interest in Japanese history, Shimonoseki is best known to culinary daredevils as the home of '''''fugu''''', the potentially lethal and yet utterly irresistible pufferfish.
Understand
Shimonoseki played a role in three battles that triggered major changes in Japanese history. In 1185, the '''Battle of Dan-no-ura''' took place in the Kanmon Straits, ending in a decisive victory for the Minamoto clan; the victory brought the Genpei War to a close, and with it the classical Heian period of Japanese culture. Shortly afterward, a new shogunate was established in Kamakura.
In 1863, another battle thrust Shimonoseki onto the world stage. Fueled by disgust with the terms of the treaty negotiated by the Tokugawa shogunate, which opened Japanese ports to Western nations, warriors of the Choshu domain fought on land and by sea to expel foreigners and block the passage of trade ships through the Kanmon Straits. The '''Bombardment of Shimonoseki''' continued for more than a year, until a fleet of warships from Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, and the United States (in the midst of its own civil war) forced the Choshu-han to surrender. The open defiance of the Choshu-han would serve to seriously undermine the Tokugawa shogunate, however, leading to its fall only three years later.
Although the fighting took place elsewhere, the treaty that ended the '''First Sino-Japanese War''' in 1895 was signed in Shimonoseki, marking a stage in the ascent of the newly-modernized Japanese Navy — and the nation as a major regional power.
Today, Shimonoseki has a busy international port, with frequent traffic from China and South Korea, among others. It faces Kitakyushu across the Kanmon Straits, one of the world's busiest lanes of maritime shipping.
Tourist information
<listing name="JR Shimonoseki Station" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="083-232-8383" email="" fax="" url="" hours="9AM-7PM" price=""></listing>
<listing name="JR Shin-Shimonoseki Station" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="083-256-3422" email="" fax="" url="" hours="9AM-7PM" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Former Akita Company Building" alt="" directions="" address="23-11 Nabe-cho" phone="083-231-4141" email="" fax="" url="" hours="9:30AM-5PM" price=""></listing>
Get in
By train
'''JR Shimonoseki Station''' is the next-to-last stop on the JR San'yo Main Line and the last stop on the San'in Main Line. '''Shin-Shimonoseki''', the ''shinkansen'' stop, is about seven minutes away by local trains and buses. However, only the all-stops ''Kodama'' trains stop at Shin-Shimonoseki, along with three daily ''Hikari'' trains in each direction (toward Hakata in the morning, and from Hakata in the evening).
If you're coming from a long distance, the best option is to take a ''Nozomi'' or ''Hikari'' train to Kokura on Kyushu, and then backtrack to Shimonoseki on the San'yo Main Line via Moji Station in Kitakyushu. By this route, Shimonoseki can be reached by ''Nozomi'' in about 5 1/2 hours from Tokyo and 2 1/2 hours from Osaka. However, from Hiroshima or Shin-Yamaguchi, the all-stops ''Kodama'' will be fine.
By bus
The ''Dream Fukufuku'' bus runs overnight from Tokyo and Yokohama. From Tokyo, the ride takes 15 1/2 hours and costs ¥13000 each way. Another ''Fukufuku'' departs nightly from Osaka Umeda station, running to Shimonoseki in about 10 hours at a cost of ¥9150 each way.
By ferry
'''Shimonoseki Port''' [http://www.shimonoseki-port.com/e/] (1-1 Nabe-cho) is a few minutes walk from JR Shimonoseki Station. There are high-speed ferries throughout the day from Moji Port in Kitakyushu.
Daily ferries run by '''Kampu Ferry''' [http://www.kampuferry.co.jp/] (tel. 083-224-3000) connect Shimonoseki to Busan in South Korea. Ferries leave Busan at 8PM and arrive in Shimonoseki at 8AM the next morning, and leave Shimonoseki at 7PM for an 8:30AM arrival in Busan (8AM on Monday). 2nd class one-way tickets cost ¥9000, making this the cheapest way to get from Japan to another country. Arrive a few hours early for visa inspection, though!
There are also twice-weekly ferries to and from Qingdao, China on '''Orient Ferries''' [http://www.orientferry.co.jp/] (leaves Qingdao M,Th; arrives W,Sa) and one from Suzho, China on '''Shanghai Shimonoseki Ferry''' [http://www.ssferry.co.jp/] (leaves Suzho Tu, arrives Th). A 2nd class one-way ticket costs ¥15,000.
Get around
By bus
City buses are run by '''Sanden Kotsu''' [http://www.ymg.urban.ne.jp/home/sd/], with stops that include JR Shimonoseki Station, Shin-Shimonoseki Station, and the tourist attractions in the port and Chofu areas. When you board, take a ticket from the dispenser; when the bus reaches your destination, compare the number on your ticket to the numbers at the front of the bus, and that will tell you how much to pay. Short trips will be ¥170.
In 2008, Shimonoseki was given one of London's distinctive red double-decker buses as that city phased them out. It now runs along the coast on weekends.
On foot
Almost all of the attractions in Shimonoseki are reachable on foot along Route 9, which runs parallel to the coastline. The Chofu area is a much longer walk, though.
See
Port area
Akama Jingu. -1 Amidaiji-cho. us to Akama-jingu-mae. AM-5PM. AM-5PM. ree. A shrine dedicated to the loser of the Battle of Dan-no-ura, Emperor Antoku of the Heike Clan, whose tomb is on the premises. Aside from the impressive vermillion gate, look for Hoichi Hall and the statue of ''Mimi nashi Hoichi'' (Earless Hoichi), who features in a well-known ghost story by Lafcadio Hearn.
The tiny island of '''Ganryujima''', off the southern coast of Shimonoseki, was the site of an epic samurai duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro, two master swordsmen. '''Kanko Kisen''' runs ferries from Karato Pier (ten minutes, ¥1000 round-trip).
At 268 meters high, '''Hinoyama''' naturally offers some good views of the Kanmon Straits. There's a ropeway to the peak of the mountain if you prefer not to hike (¥200/400 one-way/return), and a pleasant park at the top. And since there's not enough in the city below, you'll find a ''fugu'' restaurant [http://www.fukunoseki.com/003_hinoyama/](11AM-9PM) and souvenir shop (9AM-6PM) as well. Buses run directly to the ropeway from JR Shimonoseki Station.
Kaikyokan Aquarium. -1 Arcaport. 83-228-1100. ttp://www.kaikyokan.com/english/. :30AM-5:30PM. yen;1800 adults, ¥900 children. Dolphins, penguins, and sea lions join over 100 varieties of pufferfish, with four floors of exhibits about marine science and shows throughout the day. It's right next to the Kanmon Bridge, and buses run directly there.
Kaikyou Yume Tower. C_______^___[. -3-1 Buzenda-cho. 83-231-5600. ttp://www.kaikyomesse.jp/to_english.htm/. :30AM-9:30PM. bservation deck ¥600 adults, ¥300 children. Standing 153 meters tall, the Kaikyou Yume Tower features an observation deck in the glass sphere at the top, with panoramic views over the city and the Kanmon Straits. Internet access is available at the '''Yamaguchi International Exchange Association''' (Tu-Su 10AM-8PM). It's a short walk east from JR Shimonoseki Station.
Near the Kanmon Bridge, there is a marker for the site of the '''Battle of Dan-no-ura'''. The '''Bombardment of Shimonoseki''' is also commemorated nearby — there are a few replica cannons, positioned at the point where the allied troops came ashore. Now perfectly willing to do trade with foreign barbarians, the cannons will puff out a bit of smoke and a 'boom' in exchange for a few coins.
Shunpanro Hall. -2 Amida-dera. 83-223-7181. ttp://www.shunpanro.com/history.html. ree. The Treaty of Shimonoseki, which ended the '''First Sino-Japanese War''', was signed on this site in 1895. There is a small museum (built in 1936) dedicated to the treaty with period furniture and some relics. It's next to an expensive ''ryokan'' (see Sleep).
Sumiyoshi-jinja. Z_g____. -11-1 Ichinomiyazumi-kichi. 83-256-2656 . ttp://www.tip.ne.jp/sumiyosi/. A complex of shrines dedicated to the Shinto gods of the sea and sailing, with a main hall that has been designated a national treasure. There are displays of ancient scrolls, metalworks, and other relics. It's about a 20 minute walk from Shin-Shimonoseki Station, and can also be reached from the Ichinomiya bus stop.
Karato area
Meiji-era foreign buildings mix with with modern Japanese ferroconcrete in the Karato area, which is illuminated at night. It's just north of the wharf along Route 9.
Former Akita Company Building. __H_c_____r__ Akita Shokai. 3-11 Nabe-cho. 83-231-4141. :30AM-5PM. This European-style building originally housed the offices of a shipping company. There's a particularly nice Japanese garden on the roof; the first floor has sightseeing information and a gift shop.
Former British Consulate. u-Su 9AM-5PM. Built in 1906, with the small '''Shimonoseki Ijinkan Museum''' inside and a tea house in the back.
Nabe-cho Post Office. 2-8 Nabe-cho. Built in 1900, this is the oldest post office still in service in Japan.
Chofu area
The Mori clan lived in this well-preserved castle town and samurai quarter in the northeastern part of the city, which makes a nice, atmospheric walk at any hour. Buses run from JR Shimonoseki Station to stops for Matsubara and Joka-machi (25 minutes, ¥340). There is a Chofu station on the JR San'yo Main Line, but it's a bit of a walk from there to the attractions.
Chofu-teien. AM-5PM. yen;200. An elegant Japanese garden built for a chief retainer of the Mori clan, encircled from the outside world by trees and a small mountain.
Chofu Mori Residence. AM-5PM. yen;200. Built in 1903 by the ruling Mori family, this palatial estate and its gardens were deemed worthy of a visit by the Emperor Meiji a few years later.
Iminomiya-jinja. __{____. ree. This modest temple comes alive between August 7-13, when a festival is held in honor of the Emperor Chuhai and Empress Jingu — particularly wild at night.
Kozan-ji. __R__. Kawabuchi. 83-245-0258. :30AM-4:30PM. ree. Although it is Japan's oldest zen temple (and a national treasure), founded in 1327, Kozan-ji has been known through the years as a place for warriors to rouse themselves before battle. The ''Chofu Museum''' (Tu-Su 9AM-5PM, ¥200) is on the grounds of the temple, with displays about the Meiji Restoration.
Nogi-jinja. T______. A shrine dedicated to General Nogi Maresuke, a key leader in the '''First Sino-Japanese War''' and the Russo-Japanese War. Ashamed by the number of lives lost under his command in the latter, Nogi petitioned the Emperor Meiji for permission to commit ''seppuku''. His petition was denied; the Emperor told Nogi that "if you insist on killing yourself, let it be after I have departed from the world." When the Emperor did depart, seven years later, Nogi was still ready; he committed ''seppuku'' shortly after the funeral entourage left the palace. As a result, Nogi came to be seen as a symbol of the end of the samurai code.
Shimonoseki City Art Museum. -1 Kuromon Higashi-machi. 83-245-4131. u-Su 9:30AM-4:30PM. yen;200. Mostly exhibits of work (paintings and other media) by contemporary Japanese artists, but there are some traveling Western exhibitions and displays of Asian relics as well.
Shimonoseki Municipal Archaeological Museum. 54 Ayaragioka. R Ayaragi Station. 83-254-3061. ttp://www.koukohaku.shimonoseki.yamaguchi.jp/. u-Su 9:30AM-5PM. ree. Displays of Kofun and Yayoi-era archaeological finds (as far back as 500 B.C.), including a few outdoor mounds, pit dwellings, and tombs.
Do
Although the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp are geographically closer, many local baseball fans retain a loyalty to the '''Yokohama BayStars''', which began in 1950 as the Shimonoseki-based '''Taiyo Whales'''. If you want to impress a native, pick up a blue and white BayStars jersey with "birthplace of the team: Shimonoseki" in Japanese (___c_______n ____) on the back.
Leaving already? A pedestrian tunnel allows visitors to '''walk the Kanmon Straits''' to Moji in about fifteen minutes, with about 780 meters of the walk under the sea. Access to the tunnel is free, 6AM-10PM.
There are several hot spring resorts in Shimonoseki, but most are well off the tourist track, and will require a car or a long taxi ride to visit. However, the '''Marine Park Hot Springs''' [http://www.marinhotel.jp/marine_onsen.html] are directly next to the '''Shimonoseki Marine Hotel''' (see Sleep), not far from the city center. There are two floors with indoor and outdoor baths. Admission is ¥1000 adults, ¥500 children; hours are Tu-Su 7AM-9PM, M 3PM-9PM.
Festivals
One of Japan's largest '''fireworks festivals''' [http://www.shimonoseki21c.jp/] is held over the Kanmon Straits every year on August 13th, with over a million people in attendance and 13,000 ''hanabi'' to enjoy.
The '''Kaikyo Festival''' is held annually on May 3rd, with re-enactments of naval battles and other historical intrigues. It's held mostly in the Karato area or Ganryujima.
The '''Bakan Festival''' takes over the city in the last weekend of August, with food and night markets lining the streets between JR Shimonoseki Station and the Karato area, culminating in a group dance.
Buy
If you'd like a plush, adorable poisonous fish to bring home, visit the '''Fukufuku World''' on the fourth floor of the Kaikyo Yume Tower (see above) for the full line of ''fugu'' character goods.
Green Mall. O___[_____[__. -chome Takezaki-cho. Because of the many Korean shops and BBQ restaurants gathered here, this stretch of Takezaki-cho and its side streets are often called "Little Busan" or simply "Koreatown". Many stores will even accept Fukuoka, though.
Budget
Hinoyama Youth Hostel. -47 Mimosusogawa-cho. 83-222-3753. ttp://www.e-yh.net/shimonoseki/indexe.html. eds ¥3200; breakfast is ¥630. Dorm rooms with ''tatami'' floors, a washer & dryer, and free Internet access. By bus, exit at the Mimosusogawa stop (after passing the Kanmon Bridge) and head uphill.
Nishi Washington Hotel Plaza. -4-1 Yamato-cho. 83-261-0410. ooms from ¥5800 single, ¥14,000 twin. Clean, Western-style rooms in a business hotel outside the west exit of the station, with Internet access and a ''shabu shabu'' restaurant on the premises.
Via Inn. -2-33 Takezaki-cho. 83-222-6111. ttp://www.viainn.co.jp/. ooms from ¥5775 single, ¥10,800 double. A decent business hotel with small, pleasant rooms and internet access. It's just outside the east exit of JR Shimonoseki Station.
Mid-range
Shimonoseki Grand Hotel. 1-2 Nabe-cho. 83-231-5000. ttp://www.sgh.co.jp/. estern-style rooms from ¥9240 single and ¥16,170 double; Japanese-style suites from ¥36,960. City views are about ¥1000 cheaper than sea views. A luxury hotel in the Karato area. Most rooms have balconies, and there's a beer garden on the roof.
Shimonoseki Marine Hotel. -1 Sotoura-cho. 832-46-3111. ttp://www.marinhotel.jp/. ooms from ¥8000 off-season, ¥10,000 on; most Japanese-style, but a few are Western hybrids. A bit of extra value for being a bit out of the way, in the Chofu area. Nice Japanese-style rooms (and a few Japanese/Western hybrids), and good ''kaiseki'' dinners. It's next to the Marine Hot Spring Park, and combined admission is available.
Tokyu Inn. -4-1 Takezaki-cho. 83-233-0109. ttp://www.tokyuhotelsjapan.com/en/TI/TI_SHIMO/. ooms from ¥7000 single, ¥14,000 double. Local branch of the omnipresent business hotel chain, with nine floors of standard-issue Western-style rooms and a buffet breakfast. Rental PCs are available for ¥1000/night.
Splurge
Shunpanro Hotel. -2 Amida-dera. 83-223-7181. ttp://www.shunpanro.com/. uxury accommodations with dinner as low as ¥21,000, though usually higher; however, it will still considerably less than what the Chinese paid for their visit. Aside from the historic significance described above, the restaurant of this luxury ''ryokan'' was also the first licensed to serve ''fugu'' after the ban was lifted.
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Get out
Kitakyushu on Kyushu is a short train ride from Shimonoseki. It's also reachable via ferry and bridge. There is a tunnel for walkers at the narrowest point across the Kanmon Straits.
Hagi is one of the most beautiful castle towns in Japan.
Yamaguchi city is the prefectural capital.
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