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Tomonoura

Tomonoura is a town in the eastern part of Hiroshima prefecture. The town has flourished as a port town for a long time and it still has port facilities built in the Edo period. It is known as “the most relaxing port town in Japan” and also picked as a filming location for several movies including “Ponyo on the Cliff”, the Studio Ghibli movie shown in more than 60 countries in the world, and a Hollywood film "The Wolverine: SAMURAI". It has a lot of photogenic spots such as 200 years old streets, Bonnet-type buses driving along the coastal road, the beautiful scenery of the Inland Sea, and so on. These spots attract many keen photographers.

(Source: fpdress/shutterstock )

 Port Facilities of the Edo Period

Tomonoura has port facilities of the Edo period consisting of joya-to (all-night street lamp), hatoba (wharf), gangi (stair-like landing area), tadeba (old dock) and funa-bansho (old coast guard station). It is the only place in Japan that has the set of all these five intact. Gangi were stone stairs used to dock boats. Tadeba served as a dock.

(Source: ziggy_mars/shutterstock )

Fukuzen-ji Taichoro

Fukuzen-ji was established around 950. It is a historical temple used as the reception facility for the Korean Emissary. Taichoro, the reception hall was built around 1690. It stands on a hill that has a great view of the Inland Sea and the islands in it.

(Source: たまごやき、くずれた。)

Remains of Ota Residence

Ota residence is a building used as a Japanese sake brewery in the Edo period. The main building and the kitchen is open to public.  The warehouse used as a brewery of Homeishu, the specialty spirit of Tomonoura is a must see. Tomonoura has some buildings built back in the Edo period still preserved today other than the remains of Ota residence.

(Source: 弁当持参)

Tomonotsu Museum

Tomonotsu Museum has been gaining a lot of attention from art lovers since its opening in 2012.  A 150-year-old warehouse was renovated and now serves as a museum to exhibit "Outsider Art". In the past, it became a topic of conversation for its innovative exhibitions like the one of various Mona Lisa paintings painted by many artists, or the one of paintings painted by the condemned criminals.

(Source: 浜崎左髪子と広島)

Sensui-jima

Sensui-jima is just five minutes across the water from Tomonoura. It is an island full of nature that has a sea-bathing place and a camping site.  You will find  five-colored rocks, something you can see only here in Japan. The layers of strata in 5 different colors, blue, red, yellow, white and black are seen for about 1 km. It is a spiritual place where you can feel the great power of the earth.

(Source: ころのしんとの思い出とさとやんとの日常)

Specialty of Tomonoura & Homeishu

Homeishu is a medicinal liquor produced in Tomonoura in the Edo period. The liquor in which 10 kinds of herbs are immersed tastes best with ice cubes or with water in summer and with hot water in winter. Today, four breweries in Tomonoura hand down the taste of original Homeishu of the Edo period. You can also find ice cream and cakes made with homeishu sold in Tomonoura area.

(Source: Twitter)

Address
Tomochotomo, Fukuyama-shi, Hiroshima
Contact No.
+81-84-926-2649
+81-84-926-2649
Access
From JR Fukuyama station, take Tomotetsu bus bound for Tomonoura & Tomoko. Ride for 30 minutes and get off at Tomoko.
Opening Hours / Holidays
Official Website
Time Required
Admission fee

(Source: fpdress/shutterstock )

 Port Facilities of the Edo Period

Tomonoura has port facilities of the Edo period consisting of joya-to (all-night street lamp), hatoba (wharf), gangi (stair-like landing area), tadeba (old dock) and funa-bansho (old coast guard station). It is the only place in Japan that has the set of all these five intact. Gangi were stone stairs used to dock boats. Tadeba served as a dock.

(Source: ziggy_mars/shutterstock )

Fukuzen-ji Taichoro

Fukuzen-ji was established around 950. It is a historical temple used as the reception facility for the Korean Emissary. Taichoro, the reception hall was built around 1690. It stands on a hill that has a great view of the Inland Sea and the islands in it.

(Source: たまごやき、くずれた。)

Remains of Ota Residence

Ota residence is a building used as a Japanese sake brewery in the Edo period. The main building and the kitchen is open to public.  The warehouse used as a brewery of Homeishu, the specialty spirit of Tomonoura is a must see. Tomonoura has some buildings built back in the Edo period still preserved today other than the remains of Ota residence.

(Source: 弁当持参)

Tomonotsu Museum

Tomonotsu Museum has been gaining a lot of attention from art lovers since its opening in 2012.  A 150-year-old warehouse was renovated and now serves as a museum to exhibit "Outsider Art". In the past, it became a topic of conversation for its innovative exhibitions like the one of various Mona Lisa paintings painted by many artists, or the one of paintings painted by the condemned criminals.

(Source: 浜崎左髪子と広島)

Sensui-jima

Sensui-jima is just five minutes across the water from Tomonoura. It is an island full of nature that has a sea-bathing place and a camping site.  You will find  five-colored rocks, something you can see only here in Japan. The layers of strata in 5 different colors, blue, red, yellow, white and black are seen for about 1 km. It is a spiritual place where you can feel the great power of the earth.

(Source: ころのしんとの思い出とさとやんとの日常)

Specialty of Tomonoura & Homeishu

Homeishu is a medicinal liquor produced in Tomonoura in the Edo period. The liquor in which 10 kinds of herbs are immersed tastes best with ice cubes or with water in summer and with hot water in winter. Today, four breweries in Tomonoura hand down the taste of original Homeishu of the Edo period. You can also find ice cream and cakes made with homeishu sold in Tomonoura area.

(Source: Twitter)