Hagi
Advertisement
By plane
Hagi-Iwami Airport (IWJ) has one flight per day from Haneda (Tokyo) and Itami (Osaka) on ANA. Shuttle buses run from the airport to the city . Yamaguchi Ube Airport (UBJ) in Ube is the prefecture's largest airport, with regular flights to Haneda Airport in Tokyo on JAL and ANA . From Ube, take a bus to Shin-Yamaguchi Station in Yamaguchi and connect via bus from there .
By bus
The main bus station is the Hagi Bus Center, which is located in the city center. Buses run from Hiroshima, Umeda and Abeno-bashi in Osaka by Kintetsu (10 hours), and Shinagawa in Tokyo by Keikyu.
By train
The closest Shinkansen station is Shin-Yamaguchi. Most Hikari and some Nozomi trains stop there. From Shin-Yamaguchi, the "Hagi-go" bus will, appropriately enough, go to Hagi. It's run by Chugoku JR Bus.
Hagi Castle
Hagi Castle served as the political center of the Choshu-han for over 250 years, only to be dismantled when the Choshu took the lead in modernizing Japan. Stone walls, the moat, and gardens mark the remains of the castle today. Admission includes the Mori House, which is just south of the park. ¥210 adults, ¥100 children.
Shoin Shrine
A Meiji-era shrine dedicated to Yoshida Shoin, a young samurai who taught many of the students that went on to become major statesmen in Meiji Japan. Yoshida himself would not see it, though chafing under the policy of sakoku, he tried to persuade Commodore Perry to smuggle him out of Japan, was imprisoned, and was later executed after plotting against the shogunate. Within the grounds of the shrine, his school Shoka-sonjuku is preserved. There is also a hall dedicated to his life story.
Shizuki Park
Surrounding the castle ruins, this park is a popular spot for cherry blossom parties in the spring. Also here are a small shrine, a teahouse, the Jozangama pottery kiln and a hiking path leading up to the peak of Mt. Shizuki.
Hagi Museum
Built in 2004, this museum has exhibitions about samurai Yoshida Shoin and Takasugi Shinsaku. ¥500 adults, ¥300 students, ¥100 children.
Tokoji
This is the family shrine of the Mori clan. The beautiful gate, belfry, and temple buildings show Chinese influence; behind the temple are the graves of several Mori warlords and 500 stone lanterns to mark their power. It's a short walk east of Shoin Shrine. ¥300.
Information not available