Back to our Ryokan after a very fulfilling day we
soaked in the hot bath, donned a yukata
(kimono) and flip flops (provided for each guest)
and then made our way to the dining room
where we sat cross legged at a table about 2 ½
feet off the ground and savoured the flavour of
delicious sashimi, rice, grilled fish, steamed
vegetables and miso soup, along with Sapporo
beer. A Japanese businessman at the table
next to us heard me speaking English and
invited himself to our table. He bought a round
of beer and in a hilarious, somewhat inebriated
state, engaged me in teaching him about
Toronto and Canada. One of those memorable
encounters.
Scenery along the narrow roads in Hagi
are the only ones on the planet appreciating
this cave right now”. In the park, aside from the
cave, there many walking trails on the plateau,
so the visit was an adventure both above and
beneath the ground.
After returning to Yamaguchi City, we spent the
following day exploring the Rurikoji Temple with
its five-storied pagoda, the Joeiji Zen Temple
and garden, and the modern Xavier Memorial
Church, dedicated to the visit of St Francis
Xavier to the city in 1551.
Statue on Ganryujima Island depicting the
historic duel between Musashi (L) and Sasaki
After an equally delectable breakfast the next
morning, we headed out to Akiyoshidai National
Park. As we approached the park the
landscape turned from an almost scrub brush
appearance to karst (limestone) outcroppings
and spires, and we also passed fields that
showed the results of yama-yaki—the tradition
of setting fires to re-energize the soil and
stimulate crop growth.
Yamaguchi prefecture is one of those off–thebeaten-track destinations for most North
American tourists who tend to favour the TokyoKyoto corridor when they visit Japan. But
sometimes getting off the track is the best way
to learn and understand a country. The
‘Entrance to the Mountain Forest’ provides
insight into Japan’s history, traditions, natural
attractions, crafts and small towns.
The main attraction in the park is Akiyoshido,
the largest limestone cave in Japan. While only
one of the nine kilometers of the cave was open
to the public, it’s still a fascinating journey into
the centre of the earth to see the cave
formations, including the ubiquitous stalactites
and stalagmites. We are the only visitors in the
cave and we do one of those “there are 6 billion
people in the world and at this point in time we
The Five-Storey Pagoda at the
Rurikoji Temple