Castles and Culture of Chugoku’s Daimyo Legacy

Himeji Castle, often called the “White Heron Castle” for its graceful, white-plastered walls, is one of Japan’s most striking and best-preserved feudal fortresses. Its historical significance earned it recognition as one of Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are several places where you can experience Himeji’s rich history and culture, including Koko-en Garden, a strolling garden with a pond, and the more than 1000 year-old Shoshazan Engyo-ji Temple.

Within Hiroshima city, visit Hiroshima Castle, which laid the foundations for the growth of this largest city in the Chugoku region. Nearby, you can also explore Shukkeien Garden, a celebrated daimyo garden that dates to the Edo period.
If you venture outside the city to visit Miyajima, an island floating in the Seto Inland Sea, you can see the famous vermillion gate of Itsukushima Shrine, which became a popular pilgrimage destination during the Edo period.

In Fukuyama, visit Fukuyama Castle and the historic Kannabe Honjin inn, both closely linked to the Fukuyama domain. Even today, the town’s samurai and merchant history is tangible in its streets and architecture.

Tomonoura’s calm port preserves traces of the active exchanges that took place in the Seto Inland Sea during the Edo period, with historic spots like Fukuzen-ji Temple’s Taichoro Hall, which once welcomed Korean envoys, and the Joyato Stone Lantern, which served as a lighthouse to guide ships into port in this thriving center of Edo maritime trade.

Continue to Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Quarter, a beautifully preserved merchant neighborhood where white-walled storehouses and canal-side streets recall the prosperity of Edo Japan. Visit the Ohara Residence and other historical buildings to get a sense of what merchant life was like up close.

Okayama Korakuen Garden, one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, was built as a retreat for the lords of Okayama. Its vast lawns, ponds, and teahouses are beautiful throughout the year, with blossoming flowers and autumn colors. The garden—along with nearby Okayama Castle and Okayama Shrine—remains a part of the area’s daimyo heritage.

Japan’s only mountaintop castle still standing with its original keep, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is nicknamed the “Castle in the Sky” both for its views and how it appears to float in the clouds. Off the mountain, nearby Raikyu-ji Temple is also worth a visit for its beautiful Edo period dry garden, and there are still samurai residences standing in what was once the castle town.

At day’s end, arrive in Matsue, a picturesque castle town known as the “City of Water,” where serene canals wind past samurai residences.

Known for its scenic canals, the castle town of Matsue is centered around Matsue Castle, a National Treasure. Much of the surrounding area has ties to the Matsue Domain’s history, too, like the Shiomi Nawate area, with its former samurai residences, and the Kanden-an tea house. Matsue is also home to the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum, dedicated to the Western of Japanese culture who lived here in Matsue.