Japan (April 2019): San-in Coast
|
|
|
The San-in
coast of Japan lies on the northern side of the westernmost part of Honshu.
From west to east, the region successively covers the northern part of the
Yamaguchi prefecture, the Shimane prefecture, and the Tottori prefecture. The
name ″San-in″ refers to the northern shady side of the mountain,
while the name of ″San-yo″ of the region
to the south (where Hiroshima is located) refers to the southern sunny side of
the mountain.
Compared to
many other regions of Japan, the San-in coast is sparsely populated and
significantly less developed economically. It also receives much fewer
visitors, especially non-Japanese ones, probably because traveling there takes
time. Nevertheless, the region has played, and to some extent still plays an
important role in Japan. The silver mine of Iwami Ginzan that has been active between 1526 and 1923 was one
of the world most productive. During the late Edo and the Meiji eras the town
of Hagi contributed to the rise of the Japanese heavy
industry. New ideas taught in Hagi also led to the
fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of
power to the emperor (Meiji restoration). The region also plays an important
role in the maintenance of cultural traditions, such as the very popular Kagura dance. Its agricultural output remains high.
My trip
started in Hagi in the southwestern part of the
San-in coast and ended in Kurayoshi near its
northeastern end. I stopped in Hagi, Tsuwano, Hamada, Iwami Ginzan, Izumo, Matsue, Nishinoshima (one of the Oki islands north of Matsue), Yonago (to climb Mt. Daisen), and
Kurayoshi (to climb the modest, but religiously
significant Mt. Mitoku). Hagi
and Tsuwano are two castle towns with well-preserved
former residences and old temples. Hamada is an excellent place to attend
performances of the Iwami Kagura
dance. Iwami Ginzan is not
just a collection of mining shafts; its small old town is pretty and very well
preserved. Izumo is the site of the second most
important Shinto shrine in Japan (after the one of Ise).
Nishinoshima is a quiet, extremely beautiful island
in the Sea of Japan. Yonago is a good base to climb
Mt. Daisen, the highest mountain in the region
(1729m) and still partially snow-covered in April. Kurayoshi
has a beautiful former merchant quarter and gives access to the Nageiredo (a Buddhist hall precariously built on a cliff
below the summit of Mt. Mitoku). I entered and left
Japan in Fukuoka in Kyushu, which led me to spend a small amount of time on
Kyushu at the very beginning and end of the trip.
To see photos
of this trip click on the links below.
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
