Here, 300-year-old rice warehouses, Meiji-era factories, and the homes of samurai and wealthy merchants have been preserved and converted into museums, craft shops, and art galleries of the Bikan historical area.

This textile-producing city has a small quarter of picturesque buildings around a willow-lined canal. Kurashiki is for walkers. A number of old black-tiled rice warehouses have been converted into museums, factories and the homes of samurai and wealthy merchants have been elegantly preserved as museums, craft shops and art galleries. Automobiles are not allowed in this preserved quarter.

During the Tokugawa period, Kurashiki was a farming town that produced high-quality rice. In 1889, the Kurabo Textile Company opened and the town became a center for cloth, with Keisaburo Ohara as the local textile magnate. He started gathering European art and opened the Ohara Museum of art in 1920 with works from Degas, Monet, Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, Rodin, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, and El Greco, which remain today as well as contemporary Japanese art and local crafts.

With its landmark red torii, Miyajima has been classified as one of the most scenic islands in Japan. The first shrine was founded here in 593 A.D. on land regarded as so sacred that people were forbidden to till the soil, give birth, die or be buried her

Miyajima, meaning “the Island of Shrines” is one of Japan’s holiest sites and one of Japan’s most photographed tourist attractions. Most of the island is covered with uninhabited forest where herds of tame deer roam, and has been a holy sanctuary since the 6^th century. At the center of the island is 1,739-foot Mt. Misen, where beautiful views of the islands of the Inland Sea can be seen from the summit.

Miyajima is home to Itsukushima, one of the most important Shinto shrines with the most familiar Japanese cultural icon, the red torii gate rising out of the water. They were constructed to preserver the island’s holy status because commoners were not allowed to set foot on the island and had to approach the shrine by boat. In addition, to keep the island pure, births and deaths have been prohibited. The current gate was built in 1874, is almost 53 feet tall, rests on stilts and seems to float like a large ship when the tide is in.

Next to the shrine is one of the oldest No theatres, built in 1568, it also seems to be floating on the sea. The Momiji-dani Park has numerous maple trees and is a favorite spot for viewing autumn colors. The park is full of monkeys and deer and as is usual with Japanese monkeys, they can be aggressive and like to snatch bags, purses or other items left unattended.

In memory of the 1945 atomic bomb explosion, a Peace Flame, never to be extinguished until all nuclear weapons are abolished, burns in front of the Memorial Cenotaph at Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park.

Hiroshima is located on the delta of the Ota River, which has seven channel outlets that divide the city into six islands that project into Hiroshima Bay. The city is almost all flat, slightly above sea level with its highest hills rising to 700 feet. Hiroshima was heavily damaged during World War II and was rebuilt as a “peace memorial city.” Their city government continues to advocate for no nuclear weapons and they write a letter of protest every time a nuclear weapon is detonated anywhere in the world.

The Peace Park was built to commemorate the dropping of the atomic bomb in 1945 and to promote a peaceful world. The park is located in the area around the explosion’s epicenter and features the Peace Memorial Museum, the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Memorial Cenotaph, the Statue of the A-bomb Children and the Cenotaph for Korean Victims, among many other monuments.

The Peace Memorial Museum is very graphic in its displays of the effects from the bomb on the city and its inhabitants. The Atomic Bomb Dome is one of the few buildings in the epicenter that survived the explosion and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Memorial Cenotaph for Atomic Bomb Victims contains a list of all the people who were killed by the explosion or died from the bomb’s long-term effects, like radiation cancer. The Statue of the A-Bomb Children is dedicated to Sasaki Sadako, who died of leukemia at the age of 12. She believed she would be cured if she could fold 1,000 paper cranes, the Japanese symbol of happiness and longevity. She managed to fold 1,500 cranes before she died and her classmates folded an additional 500. There began a tradition of school children from all over the country laying paper cranes around Sadako’s memorial, which continues today.

Hiroshima is not a depressing city. The citizens have recovered and built a thriving, busy, prosperous, internationally minded and attractive city.

Once Japan’s “Gateway to the West,” Nagasaki was one of the few ports open to foreign traders during Japan’s 250-year period of isolation. It also became the second city after Hiroshima to be destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II.

Nagasaki is one of Japan’s most picturesque cities, nestled in the crevices of steep hills rising from a long, narrow harbor resembling a crane in flight. Its appeal comes from its easy-going attitude and cosmopolitan culture, which is a result of over two centuries of contact with foreigners. Nagasaki was one of the first Japanese cities to take an interest in Western medicine. They also established the first railway and modern shipyard in Japan.

Thomas Glover arrived in Nagasaki in the late 1800s. He helped Nagasaki achieve many Japanese firsts – the first railroad, the first mint, the first printing press with movable type, and the construction of the first Western-style mansion in Japan. His marriage to a geisha is thought to have inspired Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly

Nagasaki was an important naval base with huge munitions factories when it was hit by an atomic bomb in 1945. Nearly 40% of the city’s houses were destroyed in the blast and resulting fire. But the city has risen again and stands with Hiroshima as a center for anti-nuclear protest and an avid ongoing campaign for world peace. Nagasaki’s Atomic Bomb Museum presents exhibits conveying the devastation caused by the bomb, events leading up to the bombing and expressions of this city’s aspiration for world peace.

About 1,000 years ago, Korea was ruled by the Shilla kings and this was their capital city. Walk around this open-air museum – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and see the temples and palaces where the Shilla kings once worshiped and ruled.

Walking around Kyongju is like experiencing a big open-air museum. As the capital of the Silla Kingdom for almost 1,000 years, Kyongju has preserved many significant and fascinating examples of Korean Buddhist art, pagodas, temples and palaces. A large number of Silla tombs, which look like stone chambers surrounded by a soil mounds, can still be found there. To see these rich historical treasures of Kyongju is like taking a step back in time, experiencing the beauty of the land, exquisite architecture and numerous relics from the Silla Kingdom. In 2000, the Kyongju Historical District, where Mt. Namsan is located, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2002, Kyongju’s relics were recognized among the world’s most treasured by the World Heritage Committee, placing many of the relics on the international Cultural Treasure list.

The city remains an important center for Korean Buddhism and many Korean families trace their origins to Kyongju. It is also known for some local specialties like Kyongju bread, a red-bean pastry first baked in 1939, and beopju, a traditional Korean liquor.

Hagi used to be the capital of the Mori daimyo (feudal lords), who played a central role in overthrowing the shogunate in the late 19th century. Visit the old samurai residential quarter or shop for local pottery that ranks among Japan’s finest.

Hagi was founded in 1604 by a warlord, Mori Terumoto. He erected a castle on the island created by the Hashimoto and the Matsumoto rivers. The town that grew around the castle developed into a samurai stronghold and played an important role in the Meiji Restoration. The castle stood until 1874 when it was pulled down as an expression of allegiance to the new Meiji government. Only parts of the walls and the former dungeon remain today.

After the Meiji Restoration many orange trees were planted and dot the district. Korean potters brought their art and flourished in Hagi. Today Hagi’s pastel-glazed pottery is ranked the second-most beautiful in the country after that of Kyoto. It is highly appreciated because its simplicity, original taste and tint of the local soil remain created by traditional workmanship. Also known is Hagi’s glass which was introduced around 1860, using European techniques.

The municipal government of Hagi, in its efforts to protect the city from excessive development has passed a city ordinance aimed at preserving their historic sites, like the Daisho Temple and the Yoshida Shrine. To enhance the natural beauty of the city they have also planted the Hagi variety of bush clover all over the city.

The city served as the feudal capital of the powerful Matsudaira clan from 1642 until 1868. The Matsudairas are responsible for Takamatsu’s most famous site, Ritsurin Koen, one of the most astounding gardens in Japan.

Takamatsu is the main railway terminal and ferry port in eastern Shikoku. It was almost completely destroyed by aerial bombing during World War II, but is now a modern and cosmopolitan city.

Takamatsu’s most famous site, Ritsurin Park, contains one of the finest traditional gardens in Japan. Covering 133 acres, it proudly displays six ponds, 13 artificial hills, pine forests and a botanical garden. Three feudal lords had a hand in constructing these beautiful gardens over the course of 100 years. The gardens were carefully designed to present gorgeous vistas throughout the seasons, from an arched red bridge in a snowy winter landscape to ponds full of purple and white irises in early summer.

Shikokumura Village is a preserved collection of the architectural embodiments of Shikoku’s past – an open-air Kabuki theatre, a vine suspension bridge, thatch-roofed farmhouses and a variety of other buildings.

A trading post from ancient times, Kobe opened its doors to foreign traders as one of Japan’s first treaty ports. Nearby is Himeji (White Egret) Castle, considered Japan’s most beautiful stronghold.

Located on the island of Honshu, between the coast and 3,055-foot Rokko Mountain, Kobe’s landmarks are the red steel Port Tower and the giant ferris wheel. During the fall season, Mt. Rokko is famous for the deep, rich colors of its forests. It is also the site of the first golf course in Japan, established in 1903.

Kobe is one of the most important seaports in Japan. It opened its doors to foreign traders in 1868 when Japan got introduced to beef and soccer in 1871, with the first cinema film shown here in 1896. In the 1960s, the demands of a growing population resulted in two artificial islands, Port Island and Rokko Island being constructed to allow the city to grow. Even though Kobe was rocked by an earthquake in 1995, and damage can still be seen today, the fact is Kobe is one of the most livable and attractive cities in Japan with its location on hills overlooking the harbor. It is famous for its Kobe beef, the Arima Onsen (hot springs), and the beautiful night view. Kobe University was founded in 1902.

Nearby Kobe is Himeji (White Egret) Castle, considered Japan’s most beautiful stronghold, it is also the largest and most elegant of the remaining medieval castles in Japan. Built in 1580, the castle’s construction consists of 400 tons of wood, 75,000 tiles and a huge number of large stones. The fortress was seen as a backdrop in the James Bond movie You Only Live Twice, and the Tom Cruise film, The Last Samurai.

This ancient castle town, ruled by the Ikeda clan, is home to Korakuen Garden, said to be one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. This 28-acre garden differs from most in Japan because of its large expanses of open grassy areas.

The city of Okayama was founded in 1889 and is a rapidly growing, bustling modern city that is a major transportation hub of the region. It is best known as the site of the Korakuen Garden, considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan and Okayama’s main attraction.

Korakuen translates to “the garden for taking pleasure later,” a reference to a famous quote of Confucius stating that a wise rule attends to his subjects’ needs first before attending to his own. Construction of this garden began in 1687 and was completed in 1700. It has an expanse of flat lawn, attractive ponds, a hill in the center, a tiny tea plantation and rice paddy, and a No stage where poetry-composing contests were once held. The garden is also famous for the red-crested white cranes kept in captivity there.