Step Into the History of the Edo Period and the Meiji Restoration! 10 Popular Tourist Spots in Hagi

Hagi is relatively hot in summer even by Japanese standards, while winters are very cold.
For that reason, autumn is the best season to visit, thanks to its stable weather and comfortable sightseeing conditions.
There are many famous autumn foliage spots, with the best viewing season arriving from early to mid-November, when colorful leaves brighten the sightseeing spots.
Nagatokyo Gorge, where red leaves reflect vividly on the water, and Hagi’s historic temples and gardens dressed in autumn colors are especially worth seeing.

Access from Tokyo and Osaka to Hagi is summarized in the table below for your reference.
Both routes take around 3 hours. From Yamaguchi Ube Airport, the gateway to Yamaguchi, it takes Approx. 1 hour 40 minutes by connecting buses, or Approx. 75 minutes by taxi.

This private school was run in the late Edo period by Yoshida Shoin, who was born and raised in Hagi. It is said to have been named Shokasonjuku because the surrounding area was called Matsumoto Village.
Shoin accepted students regardless of status or class, and although he taught for only a little over a year, he produced many outstanding figures who later played active roles in the Meiji Restoration and the new Meiji government, including Kusaka Genzui and Takasugi Shinsaku.
Preserved just as it was at the end of the Edo period, this historic building is a small one-story wooden structure with a tiled roof, consisting of a main 8-tatami room, an added 4.5-tatami room, two 3-tatami rooms, a dirt floor space, and a mezzanine level.

Covering a total area of Approx. 200,000 square meters, Hagi Castle Ruins, Shizuki Park stands on the site where Hagi Castle, once ruled by the Mori clan, used to be. The park was developed when Shizukiyama Shrine, dedicated to successive feudal lords, was established on the site of the former main bailey.
Built in 1604 by Mori Terumoto, Hagi Castle was once a large-scale castle complex with a main bailey, second bailey, third bailey, and more, but much of it was dismantled during the Meiji period. Today, some stone walls and parts of the moat remain in the park, and the site is designated as a National Historic Site.

Built in 1935 on the site of Meirinkan, the educational institution of the Hagi Domain that produced many leaders of the Meiji Restoration, this is one of the largest wooden school buildings in Japan. The main building is also designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan, and it still strongly preserves the atmosphere of learning from that time.
The main building houses exhibition rooms and a tourist information center, where you can learn deeply about the history and culture of the Hagi area and Yamaguchi Prefecture. There are also unique exhibits, including restored classrooms, the principal’s office, and a look into the attic that reveals the structure of the building from that era.

The Hagi Reverberatory Furnace is the remains of a Western-style furnace for melting metal, located in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
It was built in 1856 by the Hagi Domain, which aimed to manufacture iron cannons in preparation for threats from abroad. Today, only the Approx. 10-meter-high brick chimney remains.
Only three reverberatory furnaces still exist in Japan: Nirayama (Shizuoka Prefecture), the former Shuseikan (Kagoshima Prefecture), and this one in Hagi. As a historic structure, it was also registered in 2015 as part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.

A sightseeing boat that lets you tour Hagi from the water, where old streets and historic sites still remain so well that you can walk the town with an old map.
Hagi is also a water city set between two rivers, so you can enjoy scenic views from the water as well.
The Approx. 40-minute boat trip starts from Shizukibashi Bridge beside the Hagi Castle ruins and proceeds through Hagi Castle Town and the Horiuchi Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, both registered as World Cultural Heritage sites.

Since Mori Terumoto built Hagi Castle in 1604, Hagi prospered for 260 years as a castle town with an income of 360,000 koku.
The beautiful streets lined with white walls, namako walls, and black board fences preserve the street layout of the Edo period so well that people say “maps from the Edo period can still be used today,” leaving the atmosphere of that era strongly intact.

Nagatokyo Gorge is a 12-kilometer ravine along the Abu River that stretches across Hagi City and Yamaguchi City.
This beautiful gorge is designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty and has also been selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Natural Spots to Preserve for the 21st Century. Its greatest appeal is the chance to enjoy seasonal nature throughout the year.
In spring, you can see wild cherry blossoms, in summer clear streams and fresh greenery, in fall colorful leaves, and in winter snowy scenery.
The autumn foliage is especially famous, with vivid colors covering the area from early to mid-November.
If you want to explore Nagatokyo Gorge, the Approx. 5.1-kilometer walking trail is recommended, with steep cliffs and deep pools scattered along both banks and plenty of sights to enjoy. Take your time and stroll at a relaxed pace, stopping at rest areas and teahouses along the way.

Kikugahama Beach is located within Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park, facing the Sea of Japan.
This scenic spot features about 1 kilometer of beautiful white sand and green pine trees, with sweeping views of the Hagi Castle ruins, Mt. Shizuki, a nationally designated Natural Monument, islands floating offshore, and the small volcano Mt. Kasayama, which rises 112 meters above sea level.
The especially beautiful view of the setting sun and the silhouettes of the surrounding islands has earned it a place among Japan’s 100 Best Sunset Spots.
The water is also clean and highly transparent, so the beach is crowded with swimmers in summer.

Ebisugahana Shipyard is a valuable archaeological site from the late Edo period, designated as a National Historic Site.
It symbolizes the history of technological innovation in the late Edo period, when Western-style sailing ships were built here using two different technologies: Russian and Dutch methods.
The stone breakwater from that time still remains in its original form, making this a popular place where visitors can experience both its historical value and Japan’s path toward becoming a modern nation.

Located next to Hagi Fishing Port, Roadside Station Hagi Seamart is home to 17 shops where you can enjoy Yamaguchi’s food culture, including fresh fish stores selling seasonal local ingredients, restaurants serving dishes made with seasonal local seafood, and shops offering Hagi souvenirs.
Even just looking at the displays of freshly landed seafood and local farm produce is fun.
At the three seafood restaurants inside the facility, you can enjoy flavors unique to Hagi, including sushi, seafood rice bowls, tempura, and local sweets.
The takeout seafood sushi packs are also popular, and enjoying one outside while taking in the spectacular Sea of Japan view is highly recommended.
You can also buy local Hagi sweets such as steamship-shaped steamed buns and “Shoin Sensei Kindan no Daifuku Mochi,” which comes with a bookmark explaining words by Yoshida Shoin.
Come and enjoy the delicious food culture nurtured by Hagi.

A hot spring ryokan in Hagi facing Kikugahama Beach, a beautiful white-sand, pine-lined shore selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Sunset Spots.
From the open-air bath guest rooms and tea lounge, you can enjoy scenic views of the Sea of Japan and Mt. Shizuki.
The hot spring baths use the inn’s own source and include four open-air baths such as a ceramic bath, four semi-open-air baths, and three indoor baths, for a total of 11 tubs. Since the men’s and women’s baths are switched daily, guests can enjoy all of them.

Resort Hotel Mihagi is located along scenic Kikugahama Beach, about 1 hour 30 minutes by bus from Shin-Yamaguchi Station.
Its greatest charm is the spectacular sunset over the Sea of Japan, which you can enjoy from the guest rooms and open-air bath.
The natural hot spring water is drawn from the hotel’s own source 1,500 meters underground, and soaking in the fresh bath while slowly watching the sunset is sure to soothe both body and mind.
There is also a private bath, making it possible to enjoy a luxurious moment in a private setting.
Another nice point is that you can choose between guest rooms with sweeping views of Kikugahama Beach and rooms overlooking the atmospheric castle town.
The hotel’s creative kaiseki cuisine, prepared with a focus on seasonal ingredients, is also one of its highlights.

Hotel Hagi Komachi is located in western Hagi and is known for its setting with spectacular views of the Sea of Japan.
Its standout feature is the open-air bath with the sea and sky stretching right out in front of you.
Soaking in the natural hot spring while taking in the open view, the scent of the sea, and the sound of the waves will gently melt away your travel fatigue.
The large public bath, which features massive natural rocks from the Sea of Japan, also lets you feel the grandeur of the sea even while indoors.
Private baths are also recommended for those who want to enjoy the hot spring at a relaxed pace, alone or with family.
Most guest rooms overlook the Sea of Japan, and there is also a panoramic relaxation room with large windows offering sweeping sea views, so you can enjoy spectacular scenery from many spots throughout the property.
In addition, the hotel offers a full range of facilities beyond views and hot springs, including an entertainment room, game area, esthetic room, and tea lounge.
Another feature is its creative kaiseki cuisine, which blends Japanese and Western styles and uses plenty of ingredients from Yamaguchi Prefecture.