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Shimonoseki

Welcome to Shimonoseki, the charming port city in Yamaguchi, Japan, where delicious fugu (pufferfish) reigns supreme! Stroll along the scenic waterfront, soak up stunning views of the Kanmon Straits, and explore the vibrant local markets. Don't miss the picturesque Akama Shrine and the thrilling Kanmon Bridge walk—this delightful destination is perfect for adventurers and foodies alike!

From the Community

Recommendations

Landmark4.1/5

Hinoyama Park

Kanmon Strait-view park above Shimonoseki, with a platform looking across to Kyushu. Trails pass old bunkers and cannon emplacements.

Landmark4.2/5

Ganryū-jima

Landmark4/5

Haikara’t Yokocho

Landmark4.1/5

Agawa Hosenguri Seaside Park

Agawa Hosenguri Seaside Park offers breathtaking coastal views, vibrant seasonal flowers, and a tranquil atmosphere, making it a perfect retreat for nature lovers and families seeking an iconic Japanese seaside experience.

Landmark4.3/5

Akama Park

Landmark4.1/5

Kaikyō Yume Tower

Landmark4.4/5

関門海峡

Landmark3.7/5

Shimonoseki City University

Culture4.3/5

Akama-jingu Shrine

Culture3.9/5

Shimonoseki City History Museum

Landmark4.2/5

Former British Consulate in Shimonoseki

Culture3.9/5

Shimonoseki City Art Museum

Landmark4/5

Shiraito Waterfall

Culture4.3/5

Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty Memorial Hall

Landmark4.5/5

Kanmon Bridge

Landmark4.1/5

Mimosusogawa Park

Landmark4.2/5

下関港国際ターミナル

Transport4.1/5

Shimonoseki Station

Landmark4.5/5

Kanmon Tunnel for Pedestrian

Transport3.9/5

Shimonoseki Station

Stays

Stay$$$$4.3/5

Dormy Inn Premium Shimonoseki

Located in Shimonoseki, Dormy Inn Premium offers affordable rooms with free internet access and hot spring baths. Rooms are air conditioned and equipped with a flat-screen TV, refrigerator and private bathroom. A hairdryer is provided. Dormy Inn Premium Shimonoseki offers an open-air bath, sauna and massage services. Guests can enjoy a Japanese and western buffet breakfast daily at the breakfast room. Dormy Inn Premium Shimonoseki is less than a 10-minute walk from JR Shimonoseki Station. It is a 5-minute walk from Shimonoseki Port International Terminal, Sea Mall Shimonoseki and Kaikyo Yume Tower.

Stay$$$$4.15/5

Shimonoseki Grand Hotel

Shimonoseki Grand Hotel in Shimonoseki offers rooms with sea or city views, air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and modern amenities including free WiFi, refrigerators, and TVs. Guests can enjoy Japanese and European cuisines at the on-site restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner. The restaurant provides a relaxing atmosphere with stunning views. The hotel features a restaurant, free WiFi, a lift, 24-hour front desk, daily housekeeping, luggage storage, and free on-site private parking. Additional amenities include air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and free toiletries. Located 46 km from Yamaguchi Ube Airport, the hotel is highly rated for its convenient location and scenic views. Guests appreciate the attentive staff and excellent service support.

Stay$$$$3.95/5

Via Inn Shimonoseki

Via Inn Shimonoseki in Shimonoseki offers air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms, featuring city views, work desks, and sofas. Each room includes a TV, electric kettle, and free toiletries. Guests enjoy free WiFi, a public bath, lift, 24-hour front desk, full-day security, and luggage storage. Additional amenities include a refrigerator, hairdryer, and carpeted floors. A complimentary Asian breakfast is served daily. The hotel also provides a public bath, offering relaxation and comfort. Located 48 km from Yamaguchi Ube Airport, the hotel is praised for its proximity to public transport options and the comfort of its bathrooms.

Stay$$$3.8/5

Shimonoseki Station West Washington Hotel Plaza

Just a 2-minute stroll from JR Shimonoseki Station, Washington Hotel Plaza features basic rooms with free wired internet and an LCD TV with a videos-on-demand system (charged). It offers a simple breakfast featuring bread and soup. Compact rooms are fitted with a wooden desk, a mini-fridge and an electric kettle. The attached bathroom comes with free toiletries. Facilities at Washington Shimonoseki Station West include drinks vending machines and a 24-hour front desk. The hotel provides laundry and ironing services, as well as luggage storage. Shimonoseki Station West Washington Hotel Plaza is a 12-minute walk from the Kaikyo Yume Tower (Strait Dream Tower), and a 12-minute drive from Ganryu-jima Island.

Stay$$3.5/5

Smile Hotel - Shimonoseki

Smile Hotel Shimonoseki in Shimonoseki offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, ensuring a pleasant stay. Each room includes a bath, bidet, hairdryer, refrigerator, work desk, free toiletries, shower, slippers, carpeted floors, TV, and electric kettle. Guests can enjoy a buffet breakfast each morning. The hotel features a restaurant, lift, 24-hour front desk, daily housekeeping service, electric vehicle charging station, full-day security, and luggage storage. Additional amenities include air-conditioning, bath, bidet, hairdryer, refrigerator, work desk, free toiletries, shower, slippers, carpeted floors, TV, and electric kettle. Located 48 km from Yamaguchi Ube Airport, the hotel is praised for its convenient location and excellent public transport options. Guests appreciate the breakfast provided by the property and the variety of nearby attractions.

Stay3.5/5

Shimonoseki Station Hotel

Stay

インジホテル下関・Injie Hotel Shimonoseki

Things To Do
Provided by

4.7/5

6 h

Shimonoseki & Moji Port Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Shimonoseki and Moji port area! Shimonoseki has prospered as a gateway to Eurasia. With a wealth of historical sites, ethnic atmosphere, beautiful scenery and Japanese cuisine, Shimonoseki will capture your heart. Shimonoseki is also surrounded on three sides by ocean, so it goes without saying that the seafood here is bar none. Be sure stop by Karato Market or any one of many restaurants to sample the seafood. Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

$162.55

4 h 20 mins

Beyond Hiroshima 【Lite】: Untold World War II Story of Kaiten

- This is a short version of the original experience - Visited Hiroshima? There's another side of WWII to be uncovered. Just 30 minutes by Shinkansen from Hiroshima, followed by a ferry ride from Tokuyama, this tour takes you to Ozushima, a peaceful island once home to a training base for the Kaiten, Japan's human torpedoes during World War II. Walk through former military sites, explore the Kaiten Memorial Museum, and read the farewell letters of young Kaiten pilots before their one-way missions. Because the museum's exhibits are almost entirely in Japanese, this English guided experience opens the door to stories and historical context that can be difficult to access independently. Led by a former international journalist, the experience offers another lens on the human stories of World War II, complementing a visit to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum.

$65.02

2 h

Sake Brewery Tour, Sake Cuisine and Pairing Experience

・Gain a deeper understanding of Nagayama Honke’s sake brewing techniques in a unique retro-modern setting. ・Savor a special, locally inspired menu while discovering the distinct flavors and aromas of each sake.

$104.03

2 h

Iwakuni Food and Drink Tour with Local Guide

Discover the food and drink scene of Iwakuni on a guided tour. Savor the flavors of the city with a local guide leading the way.

$146.30

4/5

3 h 30 mins

Guided Cycling Tour in Hagi with Sake Brewery Visit

“FURUSATO Cycling” is a new tour project designed to let you fully experience the “REAL HAGI”. Enjoy a guided cycling tour through beautiful countryside landscapes, feel the local lifestyle, and visit special places not usually open to visitors. Our first tour focuses on Japanese sake. Follow the brewing process of locally made Hagi sake, including visits to the rice fields, water source areas, a local sake brewery, and a rice polishing facility. ・Course length: Approx. 11 km ・Tour duration: 3 hours 30 minutes ・Bike brand: Giant ・Equipped with a rear mudguard, pouch, and drink holder Access to the tour location The tour starts about 30 minutes by car from central Hagi. If you plan to come without a rental car, please let us know when booking. We will be happy to assist you. After the tour, guests may visit a local sake brewery and enjoy sake tasting if interested.

$96.55

11 h

From Fukuoka: Yamaguchi Highlights and Karato Market Private Tour

This tour is conducted in your own private car. Departs from Hakata Station or Fukuoka City hotel lobby by chartered car. Due to the long travel distance, a professional driver and English-speaking guide will accompany you. At Karato Market in Shimonoseki City, located on the border between Kyushu and Yamaguchi prefectures, you will enjoy weekend-only sushi made with fresh fish landed that day. The tour will then take visitors to four scenic spots representative of Yamaguchi Prefecture created by nature. Amagase Park with a view of Kakushima Ohashi Bridge, Motonosumi Shrine with its impressive red torii gate and dynamic sea, Akiyoshidai, one of the largest karst formations in Japan, and Akiyoshido Cave with its cool year-round temperature of 17°C. This tour will take you to these unique sights.

$539.67

3 h 30 mins

Hagi Heritage Walk Tour (3.5 hours)

Explore Hagi’s UNESCO World Heritage castle town and temple districts at a relaxed pace, away from the crowds. Walk through the well-preserved streets of the former samurai town while learning about Hagi’s history, culture, and daily life. Along the way, visit historic merchant houses, admire beautiful Japanese gardens, and experience the unique atmosphere of Hagi’s many temples—including the chance to ring a temple bell. Because this is a walking tour, there is also flexibility to stop at local Hagi-yaki pottery shops and traditional stores along the way, making the experience feel personal and unhurried.

$78.67

5/5

7 h 20 mins

Beyond Hiroshima: Untold World War II Story of Kaiten (Weekends)

Visited Hiroshima? There's another side of WWII to be uncovered. Just 30 minutes by Shinkansen from Hiroshima, followed by a ferry ride from Tokuyama, this tour takes you to Ozushima, a peaceful island once home to a training base for the Kaiten, Japan's human torpedoes during World War II. Walk through former military sites, explore the Kaiten Memorial Museum, and read the farewell letters of young Kaiten pilots before their one-way missions. Because the museum's exhibits are almost entirely in Japanese, this English guided tour opens the door to stories and historical context that can be difficult to access independently. Led by a unique duo—a local university student who conceived the tour and a former international journalist—the experience offers another lens on the human stories of World War II, complementing a visit to Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Museum. Looking for a weekday option? Please see our shorter “Beyond Hiroshima Lite” experience.

$97.53

5 h 30 mins

Shogun Experience tour

Dressed in original costumes and riding a white horse as the Shogun, the procession of 20 people, including extras, will parade through the Ōdono area, which retains the historical atmosphere to this day. Afterward, the procession will move to Sansuien Garden, a National Registered Tangible Cultural Asset, where guests can enjoy Yamaguchi’s traditional performing arts and savor the Ōuchi Feast, faithfully recreated from the historical banquet. Please enjoy Yamaguchi City, which has been selected by The New York Times as one of the “52 Places to Go in 2024.”

$7,802.41

3 h

Kintai Kyo Bridge and Iwakuni Castle with Local Guide

Do you know Kintai Bridge? Located in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the bridge is widely known for its beauty, with five arches spanning a clear stream. The area was ruled by the Kikkawa clan, a samurai clan during the feudal era, who built mansions, castles, and towns all over the area, including this bridge. After crossing the beautiful bridge, visitors can enjoy the beautiful nature in the area where the mansions once stood, which has been well maintained. From there, take the ropeway to Iwakuni Castle, Kikkawa's castle on the mountain. Inside the castle, you will find swords and armor related to the Kikkawa clan, which will give you a sense of historical romance. From the top floor of the castle, you can look down on the Kintai Bridge and the city of Iwakuni and feel like a samurai. Enjoy this wonderful tour with a guide.

$156.05

30 mins

Private Photo Session with a Local Photographer in Iwakuni

Want to capture your amazing honeymoon? Family vacation while the kids are still little? Your perfect couples retreat from everyday busy life? A solo trip without asking strangers to take pictures of you? Stop searching, we got you here! We are the largest network of local vacation photographers in the world! Besides Iwakuni, we operate in over 700 destinations worldwide! We always make sure that every special moment of each client is captured well. We believe in our service and quality of our photos so much that we even offer a 100% money back satisfaction guarantee for your photo shoot. Which means, if you don’t like the result of your photo shoot, you can contact us within 7 days and claim your money back! So what are you waiting for? Become one of our hundreds of happy customers by treating yourself to this special experience! Your family and friends will love the result too!

$284.67

5/5

3 h 30 mins

Hagi Samurai Town Cycling Tour with Local Guide (3.5 hours)

Hagi is perfectly sized for exploring by bicycle. On this 3.5-hour tour, you will experience one of Japan’s most extensively preserved samurai towns (Castle town) from the Edo period (over 400 years ago)—protected across a vast area and home to sites registered as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site—along with the everyday lives of the people who have lived here for over 400 years. The approximately 11 km route is designed to avoid crowds, guiding you through traditional streets, a scenic coastline, and quiet, lesser-known spots. Along the way, you may also encounter local residents and everyday scenes of life in Hagi. This tour goes beyond typical sightseeing, offering a chance to understand how the people of Hagi continue to protect their town and carry its spirit into the future.

$85.83

4 h

Hagi Okan 4 Hours Samurai Trail E Bike Adventure

Ride through the footsteps of samurai on the historic Hagi-Okan, one of Japan’s best-preserved historic roads. Explore a beautifully preserved mountain section by electric mountain bike, riding along original stone-paved paths, forest trails, and peaceful countryside. Along the way, visit two former post towns with traditional red Sekishu-tile roofs and experience a side of rural Japan that is rarely seen by visitors. The electric mountain bikes make the journey comfortable and enjoyable for most fitness levels, while scenic stops and an experienced guide allow you to discover the history and landscapes at a relaxed pace. A support vehicle and first-aid-trained guide are also available throughout the tour, ensuring a safe and comfortable adventure.

$154.49

1 h 30 mins

Ouchi Kemari Experience

Yamaguchi City, which has been selected for the New York Times’ list of “52 places to go in 2024”, was ruled and developed by Ouchi clan during the Muromachi period (1336-1573). This activity has been arranged as Ouchi kemari based on the assumption that Ouchi might have also enjoyed kemari. Participants will wear Muromachi-style costumes and play kemari with a specially handmade mari ball.

$65.02

1 h 30 mins

Sake Reborn A Sensory Journey Through a 200 Year Old Brewery

Walk into Hatsumomidi and find yourself in a compact, modern brewery in central Shunan, where efficient equipment hums alongside a lively young team. Upstairs, in the old wooden section, the koji room quietly anchors tradition. Staff collect local water each week, an essential part of the process. As you move through the brewery, you get an up-close look at contemporary sake production, before enjoying a guided tasting of three Harada variants that highlight how different brewing methods shape flavor. Non-alcoholic options are also available for non-drinkers and guests under 20.

$52.02

8 h

Shimonoseki 8hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle

This is the ideal tour for travelers wanting to discover the highlights of Shimonoseki efficiently, in a private vehicle accompanied by a government-licensed, English-speaking guide! Shimonoseki sits at the western tip of Honshu, where the Kanmon Strait separates it from Kyushu. Sample the city's famous fugu (pufferfish) at the lively Karato Market, take in the soaring Kanmon Bridge, and visit Akama Shrine, steeped in the legends of the Heike clan. Wander the historic castle town of Chofu and Kozanji Temple, enjoy sweeping strait views from Hinoyama Observatory and the Kaikyo Yume Tower, and drive out to the brilliant turquoise waters beneath Tsunoshima Ohashi Bridge. We welcome you to come and explore the unique history, scenery and flavors of Shimonoseki with us! Note*1: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government and requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

$227.57

6 h

Shimonoseki Shore Excursion: Custom Car Tour, Licensed Guide

This tour is designed for travelers who visit Shimonoseki by cruise ship. We will pick you up at Shimonoseki Port or hotels near the port. This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Shimonoseki. Enjoy a 6-hour private tour with your own guide and vehicle, customized to your interests. From the bustling Karato Market famous for fugu and fresh sushi to the dramatic Kanmon Strait with its great bridge, the vermilion Akama Shrine, the historic castle town of Chofu, and the breathtaking views from Mount Hino, you will discover the very best of this storied port city at the western tip of Honshu. You can choose 3-4 sites from the itinerary list, and your guide will tailor the route to make the most of your limited time in port. Sit back, relax, and let your private guide handle all the logistics for a stress-free and memorable day in Shimonoseki.

$368.66

8 h

Yamaguchi Private Customizable Full Day Tour

This private and customizable tour for Yamaguchi is perfect for guests who would like to have their own itinerary planned based on their interests and preferences, allowing guests to experience the city at their own pace.

$332.25

6 h

Shimonoseki 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide and Vehicle

This is the ideal tour for travelers wanting to discover the highlights of Shimonoseki efficiently, in a private vehicle accompanied by a government-licensed, English-speaking guide! Shimonoseki sits at the western tip of Honshu, where the Kanmon Strait separates it from Kyushu. Sample the city's famous fugu (pufferfish) at the lively Karato Market, take in the soaring Kanmon Bridge, and visit Akama Shrine, steeped in the legends of the Heike clan. Wander the historic castle town of Chofu with its samurai streets and Kozanji Temple, enjoy sweeping strait views from Hinoyama Observatory and the Kaikyo Yume Tower, and drive out to the brilliant turquoise waters beneath Tsunoshima Ohashi Bridge. We welcome you to come and explore the unique history, scenery and flavors of Shimonoseki with us! Note 1: The National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government and requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

$385.89

7 h

Yamaguchi Highlights and Scenic Wonders Tour from Shimonoseki

The spectacular sight of 123 bright red torii gates at Motonosumi Shrine, stretching toward the deep blue Sea of Japan — a truly unforgettable photo opportunity. At Senzaki Kitchen, we plan to serve kawara soba, Yamaguchi Prefecture’s signature local dish. Conclude your journey at Akama Shrine, with its striking red gate and historical ties to the legendary Battle of Dan-no-ura. After a day of scenic views, cultural discoveries, and local flavors, return comfortably to the Shimonoseki Cruise Terminal with memories to treasure long after your visit.