Sakaiminato, Japan
Sakaiminato, Japan
Description
Wedged between sea, sky and mountains, this small fishing port has been esteemed for centuries for its superb seafood. Here, the Sea of Japan yields up both crab and hon-maguro, the prized Bluefin tuna esteemed by gourmets around the world. Sakaiminato is also your gateway to a very ancient region of Honshu. West of the city lies Izumo-taisha, one of the oldest and holiest shrines in Shinto. This area is dotted with burial mounds from Japan's Bronze Age. The town of Matsue boasts the celebrated "Black Castle," a six-story, black-walled castle that home to a clan of the mighty Tokugawa dynasty that ruled Japan for over 250 years. And to the east rises the great snow-capped summit of Mt. Daisen, considered one of the four most scenic mountains in all Japan.
Also a common sight ashore are the Yokai - approximately 100 bronze statues of supernatural characters as imagined by famed manga comic author Shigeru Mizuki, who was born in Sakaiminato. The Yokai have become synonymous with the town and delight visitors at every turn.
Points of Interest
- Izumo Grand Shrine
- Hinomisaki Shrine and Light house
- Matsue Castle
- Okuizumo Tatara & Katana Museum
- Adachi Museum of Art
- Tottori Flower Road (Hanakairo)
- Mizuki Shigeru Museum
- Yushien Garden
More about Sakaiminato, Japan Points of Interest
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Izumo Grand Shrine -
One of the oldest and most important Shinto temples in Japan, Izumo is mentioned in two oldest written accounts of early 8th century chronicles of ancient Japan.
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Hinomisaki Shrine and Light house -
The shrine's elegant, vermilion buildings boast fine carvings of dragons, tigers and cranes while the lighthouse is the tallest stone masonry lighthouse in Japan.
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Matsue Castle -
One of the oldest surviving castles in Japan, Matsue is called the "plover". With the black wooden walls of its six-story donjon, it's one of the few black castles in Japan.
- Okuizumo Tatara & Katana Museum -
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Adachi Museum of Art -
Founded in 1970, the Museum features a collection of modern Japanese painting and one of the finest gardens in Japan.
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Tottori Flower Road (Hanakairo) -
The 124-acre Tottori-Hanakairo Flower Park is one of the largest flower garden in all Japan.
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Mizuki Shigeru Museum -
The Museum commemorates this Sakaiminato native son, the celebrated manga artist whose Yokai characters line a city street.
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Yushien Garden -
This classic Japanese circuit garden on Daikon-shima island features peonies, pine trees, koi ponds, waterfalls and streams.