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The Kanmon Strait and the Kanmon Bridge seen from the waterfront near Karato Market in Shimonoseki

City

Shimonoseki

Shimonoseki sits on the Kanmon Strait, a narrow channel only about 700 metres wide that separates Honshu from Kyushu. Huge ships pass close to the shore, and the city is famous for fugu, or pufferfish, which it handles more of than anywhere else in Japan. Karato Market, Akama Shrine and a tunnel you can walk under the sea are all close together.

Why visit

Shimonoseki has played a big part in Japanese history. In 1185, the Battle of Dan-no-ura was fought in the strait, ending the war between the Minamoto and Taira clans; the child emperor Antoku drowned in the waves. In 1895, the treaty that ended the First Sino-Japanese War was signed here. Today it is a lively port city with excellent seafood, and it makes a fun day trip from Fukuoka or a base for the west of the prefecture.

What to see and do

  • Karato Market: a working fish market on the waterfront. On Fridays, weekends and holidays, stalls inside sell fresh sushi and fugu to eat on the waterfront boardwalk.
  • Akama Shrine: a vermilion shrine dedicated to Emperor Antoku, with a dragon-palace gate facing the sea.
  • Kaikyokan: the city’s aquarium, with a large display of different kinds of fugu.
  • The Kanmon Tunnel: a pedestrian tunnel about 780 metres long under the strait. Walk across the line between Yamaguchi and Fukuoka prefectures on the sea bed.
  • Mojiko: a short ferry ride across the strait, a harbour of handsome early 20th-century buildings.
  • Ganryujima: the small island where the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi is said to have fought his famous duel in 1612, reached by boat from Karato.
The entrance of Karato Market in Shimonoseki with the Kanmon Bridge in the distance
Karato Market, on the Kanmon Strait.

Fugu

Shimonoseki is Japan’s fugu capital, where it is called fuku, which sounds like the word for good luck. The fish contains a deadly poison and is prepared only by licensed chefs. The season runs from autumn to early spring. Read our guide to what to eat in Yamaguchi.

Tips

  • Shinkansen stop at Shin-Shimonoseki, a short local train ride from Shimonoseki Station and the waterfront.
  • Visit Karato Market at lunchtime on a weekend for the sushi stalls, and go early to beat the queues.
  • Head north to Tsunoshima Bridge, part of Shimonoseki city, for the turquoise sea.
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