Tsuwano — Little Kyoto of San'in
A mountain castle town so perfectly preserved it earned the nickname 'Little Kyoto'. A shallow channel beside the main street teems with thousands of wild koi carp — fed by locals for generations.
Half day
Free
Town always accessible; SL Yamaguchi steam train: weekend service from Shin-Yamaguchi
April–November
Bus from Tsuwano station (served from Ogori Shinkansen)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
The koi channel along Tonomachi Street has carp so dense you can't see the bottom
- 2
Taikodani Inari Shrine's 1,174 torii gates rival Fushimi Inari with a fraction of the crowds
- 3
SL Yamaguchi steam locomotive connects to Yamaguchi city on weekends
Local Tips
Tsuwano's carp-filled streams, whitewashed samurai residences, and the Washibara Hachimangu shrine with a genuine mounted archery course (yabusame) make it one of San'in's most rewarding towns. The SL Yamaguchi steam train (weekend only from Shin-Yamaguchi) is one of Japan's finest heritage rail experiences. The Inari Shrine thousand-torii path behind the town is quieter than Fushimi Inari and genuinely atmospheric.
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