Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [372]
Getting There & Away
It takes around an hour by bus to reach the cave from Yamaguchi (¥1130, 55 minutes, 10 daily) or Higashi-Hagi (¥1710, one hour and 10 minutes, 10.50am and 1.35pm). Buses also run from Shin-Yamaguchi (¥1140, 45 minutes, nine daily) and Shimonoseki (¥1730, two hours, eight daily). With the exception of the JR bus from Yamaguchi, all other routes are run by the Bōchō Bus Company (). There are also buses to Mine (; ¥600) on the JR Mine line, which runs north to Nagato and south to Asa. Get off at Nagato Yumoto Station for transfer by bus to Tawarayama Onsen.
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SHIMONOSEKI
0832 / pop 288,000
Shimonoseki is an important crossroads. At the extreme western tip of Honshū, it’s separated from Kyūshū by a narrow strait, famous for a decisive 12th-century clash between rival samurai clans. The expressway crosses the Kanmon-kaikyō strait on the Kanmon-bashi, while another road, the shinkansen railway line and the JR railway line all tunnel underneath. You can even walk to Kyūshū through a tunnel under the water. Shimonoseki is also an important connecting point to South Korea, with a daily ferry service to Busan. The town is famous for its seafood, particularly fugu, the potentially lethal pufferfish.
Orientation
Beside JR Shimonoseki Station is the large Sea Mall Shimonoseki shopping centre, and just east is the Kaikyō Yume Tower. The main road from the station leads to the Karato fish market, the Dan-no-ura Memorial and on to the old samurai part of town in Chōfu.
Information
There’s a tourist information office (32-8383; 4-3-1 Takezaki-chō; 9am-7pm) in JR Shimonoseki Station and another tourist office (56-3422; 1-11-1 Akine Minami-machi; 9am-7pm) in the Shin-Shimonoseki shinkansen station, two stops north of the JR station on the JR San-yō line.
Internet access and a small library are available at the International Exchange Room Global Salon (31-5770; 3-3-1 Buzenda-chō; internet access per 30min ¥100;10am-8pm, closed Mon), on the 4th floor of the International Trade Building, which is by the Kaikyō Yume Tower. There’s an internet cafe (28-1638; 1-15-33 Takezaki-chō; per 30min ¥400; 10am-10pm) on the 1st floor of Hotel 38 Shimonoseki, a two-minute walk from the station.
If you’re arriving from Korea, note that there are no currency-exchange counters in the ferry terminal. The information office in the station can give you a list of international ATMs and places where you can change money; one is the Shimonoseki Post Office (22-0957; 2-12-12 Takezaki-chō; 9am-4pm), which takes cash and travellers cheques.
Sights & Activities
KARATO ICHIBA
A highlight of any trip to Shimonoseki is an early-morning visit to the Karato Ichiba fish market (31-0001; 5-50 Karato; 4am-3pm Mon-Sat, 7am-3pm Sun; ). The market kicks off at 2am for those in the industry, but the public is welcome from 4am – the earlier you get there, the better. It’s a great opportunity to try sashimi for breakfast or lunch, and the fish doesn’t get any fresher – a fair bit of it will still be moving.
The market is in Karato, halfway between central Shimonoseki and Hino-yama. The first bus leaves from outside the station at 5.55am during the week and at 6.14 on Saturday – it costs ¥190 and takes seven minutes. The markets are occasionally closed on Wednesday.
Also in Karato, the impressive Kaikyō-kan aquarium (28-1100; 6-1 Arukapōto; admission ¥1800; 9.30am-5.30pm; ) has stacks of fish, dolphin and sea-lion shows, a blue-whale skeleton and several tanks of fugu.
The Meiji-era former British Consulate building (31-1238; 4-11 Karato; admission free; 9am-5pm) is across the road from the market. There’s a small museum inside, with the consul’s desk still in place.