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Last updated: June 26, 2003
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Yamato-cho
by Bethany Ericson
Located along the main, Sanyo train line in the southwestern part
of Yamaguchi ken lies the little-known town of Yamato. While every town
in Japan can create some sort of "claim to fameä - Yamato has a pretty
good one - itâs birthplace of the first Prime Minister of Japan, Hirofumi
Ito. Mr. Itoâs face donned the 1000 yen note up until the late 1980s,
and as a result, you will find many replicas of the bill throughout the town.
While I donât find the house and the museum too earth shattering,
the location is rather nice and thereâs a little park attached to it
where you put your face in the place of Mr. Itoâs on the 1000 yen note.
Across the street from the museum is a cafŽ serving up pretty good omuraisu
(omelette rice).
In addition to Mr. Itoâs birthplace, there are a few other tourist
attractions to be found in Yamato. The most well-known of which is Mt.
Iwaki. While it may appear to be just another mountain, actually, at the
top of the mountain is a shrine dating from the 15th century. There are
other, smaller sights to see as well if you wander around on the trails for
awhile, and you can find a pretty good lookout over the surrounding areas
- all the way down to the Seto Inland Sea. Thereâs a campsite at the
top, should you want to stay the night.
For me, however, the best thing about the town is simply the countryside.
The town consists mostly of rice fields. We donât have a convenient
store, we donât have many big buildings (although we do have a pretty
good sized hospital), we donât have a print club machine or a game
center, and we don't have any restaurants to brag about. But the town is
a great place to come if you like to run or to cycle. There are endless
little roads where you can explore and roam without being bothered by traffic
or pollution.
In addition, if the above mentioned things aren't enough to warrant
a visit from you, we do have another asset which draws people here from
further afield - we have great tennis courts available at a good price.
For only ?250 /court/hr. you can enjoy tennis in a beautiful setting.
You won't find that too many other places in Yamaguchi.
So, whether you come to Yamato to play tennis, to run or bike in the
countryside, to camp on top of a mountain, or to visit the historic sites
of former Prime Minister Ito's birthplace and the Iwaki Shrine, I hope that
you will enjoy your visit!
YANAI
by Deborah Moore
My first impressions of Yanai: a small country town surrounded by mountains,
with a population of 35,000 people, the majority of which were elderly farmers.
A town that could boast having all the necessities in life, except an
overly active and demanding night life.
After living here for almost two years, I can honestly say that living
in a country city such as Yanai, has indeed been a great way to experience
the life, cultures, and hospitality of the Japanese people. Living in such
a small city has given me the opportunity to become friends with many of
the people in the local community.
Yanai is no way isolated compared to some of the smaller towns and
villages in Yamaguchi ken. It is only 30 minutes by train to Tokuyama or
Iwakuni and it takes just over an hour to get to Hiroshima.
Since my arrival two years ago, a new mall area has been built near
the station. There are a variety of specialty shops, a huge supermarket
and believe it or not, McDonalds and KFC. There is also another small shopping
center in Yanai called You Me Town. There are quite a few good restaurants
in Yanai and our favorites are: Taiwanya - a type of Japanese/Chinese restaurant
and the owners here are extremely hospitable; Moranbon - a great place for
all you can eat and drink yakiniku; Sazan - a family restaurant with a great
variety of traditional Japanese meals; and Olive Tree - the Japanese version
of an Italian Restaurant. There are many "red lantern" places to get ramen,
udon, tempura, yakitori, sushi, etc. There is also a Mr. Donut in You Me
Town and a few fairly reasonable coffee shops.
The main source of entertainment in Yanai after dark is either Karaoke
or bowling. There are a number of small bars and pubs, but we usually choose
to hold our own drinking party at someone's apartment. There are quite
a few video stores and more than one good bottle store which sells a good
variety of imported drinks.
The beach in Yanai is fairly new and takes approximately 20 minutes
to bike to. It is peaceful, the water is warm and it has a beautiful view
(spoiled slightly by a power station off to the side of the beach) out to
Oshima. It is at least as nice as Hikari's beach and a little quieter.
Yanai's claim to fame and main tourist attraction is White Wall Street.
The stores still have lattice doors and white walls to remind people of
the prosperity of the town. In the 18th century, Yanai was known throughout
western Japan for its production of rapeseed oil. In the White Wall district,
amongst other places, you can visit the various buildings of a museum which
includes the warehouse where the rapeseed oil was produced. The Sagawa Shoyu
Brewery is also worth a visit. Here soy sauce is still made in the traditional
methods and a large warehouse is open to the public where you can witness
this process. Close to White Wall Street is Sunbeam, which is Yanai's concert
hall. Sunbeam is a very modern venue where you can often enjoy traditional
Japanese performing arts.
Kuga-cho
by: Ffion Heledd
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a while,
why not pop down to Kuga? Although there are 10,000 people in the town,
they are mostly commuters so you won't find the banging nightlife of the bigger
cities here. However, it's a great place for spending a relaxing Saturday,
strolling around the rice fields and bumping into some great characters.
One of Kuga's claims to fame is the Kurakake Battle which took place
Kurakake Castle in 1555. Although there are no fighting samurai popping
up behind bushes these days, you can take a nice stroll up Kurakake Mountain.
The walk up is not too strenuous and once you've made it to the top, you'll
be treated to an amazing view of the stunning surrounding countryside.
I said that there were no fierce fighting samurai in Kuga these days·
Well, that's not strictly true. Every November, the Kurakake Matsuri (festival)
is staged in Kuga, to commemorate the aforementioned Kurakake battle. The
men of the town dress up as samurai and parade through the streets. It really
is quite a sight, and everyone in the town turns out for it. Having completed
their parade, the men descend on the Town Square, and the display culminates
in a re-inaction of the famous battle. It's always a fun weekend, and apart
from the samurai procession, there are also displays by various community
societies, such as the disco dancers, traditional dancers, and the fabulous
and wonderful taiko team (not that I'm biased or anything!!)
Another little known fact about Kuga is that there is a big performance
of Kagura dancing each spring. The dance originated from an offering of
a devil's mask to a local shrine, and was performed to pacify God's anger
and to protect the town from famine and plagues. The Kagura Preservation
Society help to uphold the tradition, by performing at the shrine during
the cherry blossom season and it's quite a spectacular sight.
I guess that the main attraction of Kuga to most JETs is the restaurant
called ÎSanzoku', situated on a hillside overlooking the town. This
is a pretty cool place, and serves the best char-grilled chicken on a stick
EVER. Many a night has been spent gorging on their huge rice-balls and knocking
back the beers. As you drive up to Sanzoku, you're greeted by the sights
of hundreds of lanterns twinkling on the side of the hill, and once you're
out of the car, you can wonder around the little stalls that sell confectionery
and gifts, or try your hand at walloping the taiko before eventually being
seated. In winter, you can snuggle under the kotatsu and sip warm sake
while watching the snow fall around you, and in summer, you can spend a
pleasant evening eating outside, near the stream or the small waterfall.
Sanzoku is definitely on the Îspectacular' end of things, but
if you fancy something a little simpler and down to earth, then read on·
A little known fact is that Kuga has the best Okonomiyaki-ya in the ken.
I swear it's true! The little run-down shed, which I often saw on my way
to the elementary school, actually turned out to be Kuga's best kept secret.
(The best way to find out about this is to become friendly with the next
JET in Kuga, as you'd never find it yourself.) Happy walking and eating!
Oshima-gun (Kuka-cho, Towa-cho, Tachibana-cho)
by: Richard Ivory
Oshima is the third largest island in the Inland Sea of Japan. As
you cross Oshima bridge you are greeted by Mt. Iyino, which rises majestically
before your eyes. From the top of Mt. Iyino you can take in the tranquil
and peaceful seascape spread out before you. You can watch many boats fishing
for sea bream on the Obatake straight as well as catch a spectacular view
of the blazing sun dipping into the ocean.
As you travel along the west coast of Oshima (turn right after the
bridge) you will find Saicho-ji temple. In this temple, there is a seated
wooden statue of Buddha. It is 9 feet 28 inches (3 meters) tall. It is named
"Himi no Daibutsu" and is designed as a national cultural treasure.
There are four towns in Oshima county. Kuka is located in northern
Oshima. In Kuka you will find the oldest stone bath in western Japan. It
is a kind of sauna, said to be beneficial to your health. It was mainly
used during the Edo period from the 17th to the 19th century. Many Buddhist
statues are located near the stone bath. It is believed that they were donated
by people thankful for their recovery from illness. The two most notable
being located in the bamboo thicket. The faithful pray to them in hopes of
being hale and hearty in their remaining years. One is the "Bokehuji," a
Kannon worshipped to prevent feeble mindedness, and the other, "Yomeirazu,"
to avoid dependence on wives and children in old age.
The Cultural Experience Centre exhibits more than 2,700 items, such
as tools, household goods as well as other artifacts used by craftspeople.
There are also exhibitions of local art and crafts at the centre.
Mt.Dake standing at 2,030 ft, is located at the border between Kuka-cho
and Tachibana-cho. At the top of the mountain is a forest garden for the
preservation and conservation of flora and fauna. You can enjoy the great
outdoors by camping and hiking in the area. Halfway up the mountain is the
Obishi Kannon representing the Goddess of Mercy.
Next to the temple is a very large rock with a naturally inscribed
line forming a belt around it. This is known as the "iwata-obi," an obstetric
binder. Women come here to pray for an easy delivery. There are other interesting
rocks like this in Tachibana-cho. At the end of the Ryuzaki is the "Ganmon,"
an enormous rock whose center has been hollowed out by wave erosion. Further
along the coast you will find "Tataiwa," or standing rock. It is about 132
ft. in height.
Towa-cho is located on the east end of the island. Off the coast of
Towa near Ihota port lies the remains of the battleship "Mutsu." The ship
sank due to a mysterious explosion in 1943. The "Mutsu Memorial Hall" was
built in the Southern Seto Beach Park. A number of articles salvaged from
the wreckage are on display in this hall.
Next to the hall is an interesting small aquarium. Although the selection
is limited, you are given the opportunity to touch various creatures of
the local sea in the wadding pool. If you are unfamiliar with the local marine
life then it is worth a look.
The greatest attraction of Oshima is its natural features. Many events
and festivals are held here throughout the year where you can experience
the rich natural environment. Spring is Cherry Blossom season. In Seto Park,
near the bridge, you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing while enjoying a BBQ
under the beautiful blossoms. In Towa-cho the cherry trees extend for several
kilometers and form a tunnel called "the 1000 cherry blossoms of Gojyo."
You can also enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival on the Inland Sea. You can
cruise around Oshima while partying on a ship and enjoying the colorful scenery.
Tachibana-cho is also a mecca for hang gliding and para-sailing. From
the top of Mt. Dake hang gliders and para sailors soar over the mountains
and ocean. At Tachibana wind park in Agenosho, you can take lessons and
learn hang gliding or para sailing if you have an interest or ... the courage.
There is a national hang gliding event in Oshima every summer. The event
features trial flights, fun parties, and an exciting contest among the participants.
In the summer the best remedy for the sweltering heat is the sea.
Oshima has a vast number of beaches at your disposal. The best beach is
Katazoe Beach in Towa-cho. The beach extends for over a kilometer and includes
tennis courts, and all purpose field, Onsen, hotel, several restaurants
as well as yakiniku. Buses for groups can be arranged to the hotel, and camping
areas are also available. Jet skiing and wind surfing are also very popular
throughout most of the year.
Oshima is also noted for it's mandarin oranges. In the fall, many
mandarin groves are open to the public. Feel free to come down and have
a mandarin picking party. The oranges are sweet and delicious and the surrounding
majestic and peaceful.
Mine
by Jamie Okimoto
Mine.. Mine.. Mine.. what can I say about Mine City? Mine is a quiet
and very cute city with a population of about 19,000 wonderful people.
It is most famous for its cement factory, marble and interesting(?) fossils.
Now doesn't that make you want to head on out to Mine?
Seriously· why should you come to Mine? Well·. There
are two yummy and pretty famous Italian restaurants, La Moda and Ancora
(both on the same street); the famous Mine Circuit (famous race car drivers
actually race here); Nu Jirando Mura (New Zealand Village) complete with
a fur eating sheep dog - honto honto!!; and Safari Land (you can actually
drive your car among the animals).
Mine does have its own train station right smack dab in the middle
of the Mine Sen between Asa and Nagato, so if you ever have the urge to
eat oishii Italian food or see a famous racer· come and visit beautiful
Mine!
Asa
by: Zoe Arnold
Historically the guy who made Asa's fortune (Netaro) spent most of
his life asleep, the town saw this as a good thing and decided to continue
where he left off!
Small, quiet, rural.
Some would (and do) say the best thing about it is the Shinkansen,
which makes it easy to get out of. I must protest.
When you're tired of the bright lights, deafened by the traffic and
sick, to the back teeth, of all the staring. Come and have a break. No
bright lights. In fact the drains are more dangerous round here than in
the smoke due to not being able to see them when it's dark and you're pissed.
Little traffic. Except Route 2 where you can stand on the side of
the road and breathe in the fumes from the passing lorries and trucks.
However, in general the biggest amount of traffic you get is the school
kids and their bicycles at the beginning and end of the day.
No staring? OK, I lied. But it's very friendly. In Asa you'll hear
the phrase 'Come to my house' on a regular basis.
You'll end up here at one time or another whether you want to or not
because it's a main station for changing trains. If you feel like it, leave
the station and walk across the road to Nitanda where Miyuki (spent 1 year
in Australia, speaks great English), will translate the menu and pour a
decent beer. In fact the menu now has garlic bread and pasta as well as
the usual Japanese fare. On a warm, barmy night you can sit out on the
roof and watch the bullet trains whizz by and listen to J-pop. If she's
not there (she has one day off a month!), next door are the two ladies of
Yayoi. No English but they giggle a lot and make you feel very welcome.
We also have a Ramen and Pizza CafŽ. A strange combination you might
think but it does mean that most tastes are catered for under one roof.
Actually the food there is really good. Nagasaki Charmen has an outlet
here, as does Joyfull and Hokka Hokka Tei. And there's Crossroads, a funny
little shack next to the main road going to Onoda. The food's not that great
but he has a big collection of jazz albums (real albums!) and there's live
jazz on a regular basis. There's also a lot of small eateries, including
one of the best sushi places in the area (Idi Fune). Ask me about my visit
there, it was an, uhh, experience. We get coach loads (well, minibus loads)
coming to sample their wares.
It has lovely mountains surrounding the town and a river runs through
it, which you can cycle along. There are quite a few shrines, especially
up Mt Matsutake. The main one in the town puts on a tombola and free sake
and sets out food stalls for New Year. And of course there are a couple
of festivals during the year where Miyuki always dances.
It may not be Tokyo (thank god) but to us, it's home.
Aio Town
By Stephen Rawles
Aio-cho is located in a very scenic area of Yamaguchi, and feels unlike
Japan at all in many ways, if you think of Japan as an overcrowded, heavily
concreted, high-paced society. Life out in Aio is very tranquil, there
is plenty of open space and greenery and I seem to be the fasting moving
particle on my mama chari. Aio is a resort town, which Japanese living in
those overcrowded, heavily concreted, high-paced cities escape to during
the summer months.
First arriving mid summer at my aparto, I felt more like I was settling
into a holiday batch for some rest and relaxation than starting a work contract.
Aio is located on a hand-shaped peninsula between Ube to the west, and
Hofu to the right. First trying to find it on a map before I arrived, I
identified it as, "that bit on the map where nothing at all is written."
It is about 15 minutes drive south of Ogori. The population is slowly declining
(as are the school rolls) and is currently about 8,200. I am the only white
face in town, however there are a few Brazilian Japanese living in Aio. Aio
has had an AET since 1990. Originally they taught only at the Junior High
for four days a week (with one office day at the BOE) but from 2000, the AET
has been teaching 3 days at the JH, and one day each at the 2 primary schools
in Aio: Ohmi Primary, and Aio Primary. Currently the rolls of all three schools
total about 600 students. There is no senior high in the town.
There is NO train station here and the buses stop running at around
6 p.m. I have thus far survived by cycling to Daido station, the nearest
station. This takes around 30 minutes. Daido is located to the northeast
of Aio, towards Hofu. West of Daido, there is another station called Yotsutsuji,
but it is a little further. West of Yotsutsuji is Ogori station, but it is
further again, taking most part of an hour to cycle. (I have only done that
once.) There are three roads into and out of Aio, route 25 that goes straight
up to Ogori, route 194? that heads for Yotsutsuji and the road that heads
east up to Daido.
Aio has been quite a centre for Buddhism. In 1783, a guy called Shokai
came across from Henmyoin in Shikoku with some sacred writings and got real
busy supervising the building of shrines and temples and roadside images
and stuff. Consequently Aio is loaded with religious sites. So much so that
someone numbered off 88 of them as the "88 religious sites of Aio," even
though some of them are actually in Futajima town, to the north. The numbering
is very erratic though, so it's not possible to follow it sequentially. There
are signposts all over Aio saying things like, "Number 27 this way, Number
82 that way." There are a few worth seeing. Sho-Hachiman-gu is impressive.
The temple was established back in 814, but the current main building was
built in 1740. Look for site number 1, and you'll find it, even though "religious
site Number 1" refers to a smaller building on the grounds. Akazaki is an
interesting Shinto shrine, but is not numbered in the 88. There are some
other interesting ones but while I know where they are, I can't remember
their numbers. On the 3rd, 4th and 5th of May, pilgrims do a circuit of some
of them to mark the death of a saint called Koubou, and staff hand out rice
snacks and sweets to visiting kids and gaijins.
Believe it or not, shrimp are Aio's claim to fame, also tomatoes, onions,
cabbages, strawberries, wheat and rice. Fishing is also a big industry,
as any visit to the waterfront area will demonstrate. Apart from the numerous
fishing boats, there are often anglers trying their luck in the heavily
over-fished waters of the inland sea. Not surprisingly, every time I've asked
what they've caught, it's been "nothing yet." However, standing around holding
a rod seems to be a popular pastime. People come from far and wide to
eat our delicious shrimp at one of four restaurants, including the famous
Aio-So Resort. Aio-So is a restaurant, function space, onsen and accommodation
resort located up on a hill on the middle finger of the Aio "hand." It commands
great views of the Seto Inland Sea, and is of most use to me as an onsen
(costs 650 yen), the other functions being out of my price league. Two other
restaurants, Nagafuji's and Hanamizuki are both owned by the same people,
and serve very ornately prepared delicacies where the price is inversely
proportional to the quantity served. For a decent feed, Miki's shokudo is
my favourite. Actually it is about the only alternative.
Every September, Aio hosts the world championships of shrimp catching.
Last year this was held on Shirikawa beach. The town makes efforts to attract
foreigners to compete also, as these are world championships we're talking
about here. About 20m offshore, a net is set up to hold in the shrimp (well,
prawns actually). At the signal, everyone rushes in to grab the startled
crustaceans out of the sea by hand. The winner usually gets about 70. I managed
1, straight off and then nothing. There are about 4000 competitors, after
all and so you have to be quick. Last year about 30 AETs took part.
Aio has a history museum of sorts, right behind the Town Office. The
building was the town's junior high school, but now houses a library on
the ground floor and old agricultural implements on the upper floors. Across
the road from the Town Office, there is what the locals call the community
center, which functions as a daycare center for kids to go to after school.
From the community center there is a four-kilometer-long hiking trail that
runs along the peaks of a series of connected hills. It's complete with
works of art and scenic overlooks positioned all along the trail. It has
some great picnic spots. The trail finishes at Aio-So Resort. Another great
scenic & picnic spot is the Aio Lighthouse. You park part way up the
hill and hike the rest of the way.
Every first and third Tuesday night, Aio's International Circle meets.
The members are mostly old folk interested in other cultures and travel.
Sometimes we also help organize local events.
Aio is popular in summer for it's beaches. The shorter beach to the
west is called Shirikawa. The larger, prettier beach is called Chudo. It
is 1.5km long and has a curved shape. If you come by car, parking is free.
The smaller beach is off the same road, directly below Aio-So on the mountain,
and parking is free but limited. I have been enjoying swimming in late May,
in this fine weather before the rainy season starts. As no Japanese seem
to swim this early, I've had the beach to myself. You can barbecue and camp
on both beaches as far as I know. Since there is no train station here our
beaches tend to be a little less crowded, a plus. However, there are buses
that run to Aio from Ogori or from Daido. Swimming at beaches only lasts
until around August 15th, when the jellyfish arrive, and take it from me,
swimming after that and getting stung can be painful.
Aio is perhaps like many small costal towns in the prefecture, but
luckily being close to Ogori means that it is handy to good public transport.
In the immortal words of Forrest, "That's all I have to say about that."
Abu-town
by: Nathan Hall
"How will you keep 'em down on the farm once they've
seen the farm?"
Conveniently next to Hagi, this town provides a quiet escape from
the hustle and bustle of the big city. A recluse's dream, a foreigner
in Abu is 20 kilometers from any other foreigners. Abu affords both hiking
in Nago, and swimming in the quiet and gentle Kiyogahama beach where "surfers"
frequent year round. Uta has a majestic, haunting seaside shrine where
the god is corroded by years of corrosion from salt spray. There is also
a straw horse there, which is a good luck charm, if I understood that drunken
madman correctly. In the mountain village of Fukuga, you get the fresh
produce, and there is some excellent cycling as well. Nightlife is "nai"
to use the parlance of our times, except for a couple of snack bars. Paddock
has a hostess with rather interesting teeth.
In Abu, one might see tanuki (the "raccoon dog" hybrid) running along
the roads in the winter, and there was a bear sighting recently, as well
as rumors of hammerhead sharks in recent years. Naturally the sharks were
not in the town itself. I did once however catch a fleeting glimpse of
a man walking towards the port with out a stitch of clothing from the waist
down; he was no doubt taking advantage of the liberating ventilation that
nature affords in the summer
In the steamy summer nights, you can hear the cicadas and frogs singing
their sexy serenades under the milky moon and crabs scuttle through the
back roads circling around the rice paddies, and under the tires of passing
cars. Cockroaches creep along the waterfront pier cleaning up the remains
of the daily catch.
Hikari - The City of Light
By Eleanor Macdonald
Hikari is situated on the Seto Inland Sea coast, about halfway between
Tokuyama and Yanai and is easily accessible by train on the Sanyo line.
Hikari`s best feature is by far itÕs beaches, where people come from
far and wide to lounge around and soak up the sun or have a BBQ and some
beers. As such, one of the major highlights of the social calendar has got
to be the Hikari beach parties, held whenever the mood strikes at the convenient
Nijigahama beach. At these times, the beach becomes the focus for eating,
drinking, dancing and such until the small hours. Other events in Hikari
include the International Festival (August), the Hikari Festival (May),
the Plum Blossom Festival (Spring) and Plum Spitting Contest (June), all
of which are good for socialising and trying the local festival foods.
The Plum Blossom Festival and the Plum Spitting Contest both take place
at Kanmuiyama Sougou Park, a beautiful new park with a large water garden,
hundreds of plum trees and spectacular views of the Seto Inland Sea.
Restaurant-wise, Hikari is big enough to have a pretty good range on offer.
Within walking distance of the station, there is a great beer garden where
you can eat and drink all you want for a couple of thousand yen, 2 great
ramen bars (Chinese noodle restaurants), a yakiniku restaurant (Korean BBQ),
a Chinese restaurant and a lively izakaya, which is conveniently situated
under the popular second party venue, Jack and BettyÕ's karaoke bar.
Further out from the station (best accessed by car, but can be done by
bike or bus) there is an extensive range of places to choose from that I
am still exploring. There is the usual range of chain restaurants: Joyfull,
Jolly Pasta etc., plus a McDonald`s and a Mos Burger if you are really hankering
for some western food. If you are looking for real food though, my personal
favourites are: Chidori Dining, an Italian restaurant near the Kanmuriyama
Sougou Park that serves genuine Italian food (no fish egg spaghetti here!),
the Boat House, which is a funky little Japanese come western restaurant
near Murozumi beach, Murasaki izakaya (near Aruk) for cheap but tasty food
and beer, and Yellow Box (opposite Hikari shiminkan) for the best karaoke
in town. My absolute favourite eatery though is a tiny but beautiful tofu
restaurant off route 188 towards Tabuse, which is nestled up in the hills
overlooking the sea. They make their own delicious tofu in every shape
and form, and afterwards you can browse some of the local pottery makerÕs
shops that are also scattered in the hills.
Shopping-wise, next to the station there is a Marukyu (supermarket) and
a 7-11 for all important beach munchy food and BBQ ingredients. Further
out from the station, the highlights include a Jusco (department store and
supermarket, which also houses the McDonald`s) 2 Max Valu`s (large, cheap
supermarkets), a Best and a DeoDeo (Electrical Stores), a UniQlo (cheap
foreign-friendly clothing), a Nafco (furniture and hardware), a 100 yen
store and several video rental and book/CD stores. For the more active among
us there are also two gyms, two swimming pools, a golf driving range and
a sports park that includes facilities for baseball, football (soccer), softball,
basketball, volleyball and badminton.
For live pictures of Hikari's Nijigahama Beach, Murozumi Beach, Shimata
River, Mitsui River and Kanmuriyama Sougou Park, please go to http://www.city.hikari.yamaguchi.jp/kankou/camera/camera_about.html
and click on Eye Live. For people who donÕt read Japanese--the
page you are then taken to has grey buttons beneath the Eye Live
symbol, that allow you to switch between those five views of Hikari. The
cameras are real time so you can check out the weather or how busy each place
is! You can even move the cameras too! If you click on the grey button
at the bottom of the page, it reveals more buttons. The two upper ones
allow you to move the camera left and right. The height of Japanese technology!
Click here to go back to
the YamaguchiKen Info. page
Map