I have never been to the southern regions of Japan, so recently I went on a familiarisation trip organised by the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) to Chugoku and Shikoku with a couple of bloggers from home accompanied by a tour guide, Miko-san who was born and bred in Shikoku. Why the two regions? I read that Chugoku and Shikoku are two fascinating regions known for their historical sites.

CHUGOKU

The Chugoku Region makes up the western part of Japan’s main island Honshu. The Chugoku region is best known for its two top prefectures; Okayama and Hiroshima. Okayama has a wealth of fantastic attractions such as historical gardens and original castles, while Hiroshima boasts some of the World Heritage sites, shrines, museums, and many more.

SHIKOKU

Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshu and east of the island of Kyushu. The Shikoku region is best known for its two top prefectures; Ehime and Kagawa. Ehime is famous for its historic Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle, while Kagawa is well known for its udon noodles, which are named after the prefecture’s old name Sanuki.

This is our map. If you see the map, we basically make one big round around the two regions. From Okayama, we went to Kagawa, then Ehime and Hiroshima before making our way back to Shin-Osaka riding on the shinkansen.

So, I flew seven hours to Kansai, Japan with the two bloggers, Pojie and Faizal, on the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline, AirAsia X. A sensational premium flex perks aboard their Airbus A330-300, ready to explore Chugoku and Shikoku.

OKAYAMA PREFECTURE

From Kansai airport, we took a ride on the Limited Haruka Express to Shin-Osaka Station before travelling like thunder on the Nozomi Shinkansen to Okayama Station. It was a fast 50 minutes ride!

Okayama Station is one of the major intersections of railways in the Chugoku region. All trains connecting Honshu and Shikoku via the Great Seto Bridge originate and terminate here.

We checked in the best and convenient hotel; Hotel Granvia Okayama, which is directly connected to the

JR Okayama Station. Hotel Granvia Okayama is a Muslim-friendly hotel that provides Muslim guests with prayer mats and qibla compasses. In addition, the hotel has a prayer room on the 2nd floor which can fit up to eight people to pray.

My room was on the 14th floor, spacious and bright with windows overlooking Okayama Station on the left, bus platform in the middle and buildings lining Shiyakusho-suji Avenue on the left.

Dinner that evening was spent at the Olivier Restaurant. The restaurant served Halal-certified meat, non-pork and non-alcoholic menu. I enjoyed the delicious menu of Scallops with Lemon Coulis Sauce, mushroom soup, Lamb Chops with Checca Sauce, Mango Sherbet. Only sounds of satisfaction heard from Pojie and Faizal as they savoured each and every dish. I gave the food five stars and I bet they did too.

Hotel Granvia Okayama also serves vegetarian food and bears two peach mark logos. In Okayama, Muslims can look for the Peach Mark logo and find facilities that cater for halal or pork-free food. The Okayama health tourism association, which was jointly set up by the municipalities of Okayama, Maniwa and Kibichuo, as well as a regional tourist association, has started to grant the certification to accommodation facilities, restaurants, cafes and other places that Muslims can easily identify.

Peach Mark I bearing a pink peach is for facilities providing food that contains nothing from a pig, while also boasting English menus for Muslims. Peach Mark II, featuring a pink peach and a yellow peach, has all the criteria from Peach Mark I but adds a written explanation about the raw ingredients in the products. Eateries that use meat certified as halal, or offer vegetarian meals, are more likely to be certified with Peach Mark II.

Okayama Health Tourism has published a guidebook that features certified facilities to promote the Peach Mark logo recognition. You can look for the guidebook at any tourism spot in Okayama or go to www.okayamahealthtourism.com. You can find a lot of Muslim-friendly hotels and food outlets on this website.

The best way to truly explore Okayama is by car, so together with Satoko-san and Takaaki-san from Okayama Health Tourism, as well as Ikeda-san from JNTO, we set out on our rambling green countryside adventure. I love road trips. There is nothing better than immersing myself with the green landscapes en route south-west to Kamiichi, Akaiwa. It was a 30 minutes drive and I breathed-in everything around me; the shapes of Japanese houses, the wildflowers by the roadside, people cycling to work, serene paddy fields and many more. It was very refreshing.

Okayama produces the largest volume of Shimizu Hakuto white peaches and since it is summer, the peaches are ready to be picked. In Akaiwa, we went to Tomomien Farm to pick peaches. Admission fee is ¥1800 (Pick two peaches + eat TWO PEACHES). I had my first real taste of Shimizu Hakuto, and oh the taste is the sweetest!

Next, we went to Okayama Korakuen Garden. We were blessed with rain on our visit, but that did not stop us from enjoying the garden.

Korakuen Garden is one of the three great gardens of Japan with more than 300 years of history. It was built in 1700 by Ikeda Tsunamasa, lord of Okayama. The garden reached its modern form in 1863. The garden was designed in the Kaiyu (scenic promenade) style which presents the visitor with a new view at every turn of the path which connects the lawns, ponds, hills, tea houses, and streams.

In the close proximity, there’s the Okayama Castle. The main tower of Okayama Castle was completed in 1597, destroyed in 1945 and replicated in concrete in 1966. Two of the watchtowers survived the bombing of 1945 and are now listed by the National Agency for Cultural Affairs as Important Cultural Properties. Okayama Castle has a black exterior, earning it the nickname Crow Castle or “castle of the blackbird”.

Our first lunch was spent dining at Shikisai Restaurant located in the outer garden of Korakuen. We enjoyed Okayama local traditional called Matsuri-zushi. Matsuri means festival and the sushi is colourfully decorated with a lot of fresh fish and seasonal vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms and lotus root, scalloped Kinshi as well as other seafood like shrimp and octopus in a bowl. On the side, there was soba noodle in seaweed hot broth, a piece of duck meat with pickles and dessert. It was truly a gem meal. Shikisai has the Peach Mark I logo and a temporary prayer room.

From Korakuen Garden, it was time to explore the more historical area in Okayama. We went to Kurashiki Bikan. The old merchant quarter or known as Bikan historical area contains many fine examples of 17th-century wooden warehouses (Kura) painted white with traditional black tiles, along with a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi. The area has no electric poles in order to make it more closely resemble the look of the Meiji period.

Kurashiki is the home of Japan’s first museum for Western art, the Ohara Museum of Art. Established in 1930 by Magosaburo Ohara, it contains paintings by El Greco, Monet, Matisse, Gauguin, and Renoir. The collection also presents fine examples of Asian and contemporary art.

From Kurashiki, we took the train back to Okayama Station and then travelled to Takamatsu on a Marine Liner.

KAGAWA PREFECTURE

The Marine Liner links Okayama with Takamatsu, the capital city of Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, via the Seto Ohashi Bridges. Seto Ohashi Bridges consists of six long-span bridges (Shimotsui-Seto Bridge, Hitsuishijima Bridge, Iwakurojima Bridge, Yoshima Bridge, Kita Bisan-Seto Bridge, and Minami Bisan- Seto Bridge) which cross the 9.4 kilometres straits.

Operating at a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), our journey on the Marine Liner took approximately 55–60 minutes to Takamatsu Station. The area around Takamatsu Station is a major shopping and entertainment district. The station building has a convenience store, a souvenir store selling local products, a bakery and Udon restaurant as well as coin lockers and tourist information.

Within a walking distance from the station, there is the Maritime Plaza Shopping Mall, JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu and the Sun Port Takamatsu Symbol Tower. The 30-storey Symbol Tower, the highest building on Shikoku, has an observation deck (open 10am-8pm) with excellent views of the Inland Sea and Takamatsu city below, plus extensive shopping and restaurant options. Takamatsu Castle is a 10-minute walk.

Our accommodation for the night was JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu. JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu features rooms with panoramic sea and city views, a minute stroll from JR Takamatsu Station. The hotel is also in front of a ferry terminal, which by the way, was also the view from my room on the 8th floor. Facilities at the Takamatsu Clement include a business centre, a souvenir shop and a flower shop. Dry cleaning service and luggage storage are available. Bar Astro offers original and popular cocktails, as well as snacks, with panoramic views from the 21st floor.

Dinner that night was at a Tempura restaurant at Daikumachi area which was 5 minutes walk from the hotel, 2 minutes ride on an old train and 10 minutes walk. The Tempura restaurant, Tengin Imajimmachimise serves only Tempura. Basically, Tempura is Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep-fried. The dish was influenced by fritter-cooking techniques introduced by Portuguese residing in Nagasaki in the 16th century, and the name “tempura” relates to that origin. Bismillahirahmanirrahim.

After dinner, we enjoyed strolling the streets back to the hotel.

After packing our bags the next morning, we had a new ride on a small coach bus (driven by Katsuyuki Miyatake-san) and it was time to visit Ritsurin Garden which nestled peacefully amidst the beautiful greenery of Mt. Shiun (Purple Cloud Mountain) as a backdrop. Ritsurin Garden is a daimyo (feudal lord) garden, which was completed in 1745 over a period of one hundred years. Designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty, this spacious garden features 6 ponds and 13 landscaped hills.

When entering the garden, we were greeted by Japanese black pine trees lining the entrance walkway. I was so amazed at their wavy form (as if they are dancing), that I had to come up with a haiku:

Ritsurin’s gnarl beasts
having the time of their lives —
getting in the swing.
-Emila

While strolling I enjoyed the changing landscapes. It is said that the variety of scenery has the attraction of “ippo ikkei” or a change in scenery with every step. In the garden, there are buildings, such as Kikugetsu-tei teahouse, where matcha (powdered green tea) is served while viewing the picturesque landscape. Breathtaking moss-covered trees, lazy rivers and ponds and complete peace made this visit a luxurious outing.

After having a quiet outing, Miko-san said the next one would be fast-paced; making udon! When we entered Nakano Udon school located in Nakatado, I saw a lot of tambourines in a box on a table. I was wondering what tambourine got to do with udon. Only after being in the class making the udon, while doing the dough thread, I know why. We were required to dance to the beat of the music and use the tambourine while threading! O what a fun!

At Nakano Udon School, we enjoyed making our own Sanuki udon noodles and learned the process from A to Z. The instructor, Toshio Noto-san taught us in detail how to make udon the kneading of the dough. The dough is then rolled out with a special rolling pin, boiled, and eaten – all the steps are covered! Apparently, before we got to eat our own udon, we were presented with the completion certificate and a rolling pin. We are all now Certified Udon Masters.

We had the honour to boil our own udon and later ate it with dishes such as tempura and chirashi-zushi. The fee is ¥1300 yen per person for a group of 15-500 people, ¥1500 yen per person for a group of 2-14 people (tax not included). We finished our udon lunch with a sense of pride and satisfaction.

After our stomachs were full, we went to Konpira (Kotohira-gu). This shrine is dedicated to sailors who have lost their lives at sea and is notable for its that visitors are required to climb in order to reach the shrine.

Miyatake-san drove us up until Kamitsubaki Restaurant (a Shiseido Parlour). From there we climbed less than 30 steps (I think) to the Omote-shoin (formal drawing room). Omote-shoin was used as a venue for rites and for receiving worshippers. Do you want to know how many steps from the foot of the mountain to the main shrine? 1,368 stone steps! Sadly, we had to pass the climb as we had to rush to Matsuyama Castle before it closes for the day at 5.30pm.

So from Nakatado, off we went to Matsuyama City in the Ehime Prefecture. The traffic was quite bad and we got stuck  in the jam for almost for 3 hours on the highway. Miko-san said the plan had to change. We would visit Matsuyama Castle the next day.

EHIME PREFECTURE

Ehime Prefecture is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. Ehime faces the Seto Inland Sea to the north and is bordered by Kagawa and Tokushima in the east and Kochi in the south. The prefecture includes both high mountains in the inland region and a long coastline, with many islands in the Seto Inland Sea.

Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture is located on the northeastern portion of the D?go Plain. Its name means “pine mountain”. The city was founded on December 15, 1889. The city is known for its hot springs (onsen), among the oldest in Japan, and is home to the Dogo Onsen Honkan, a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894.

By the time we arrived in Matsuyama city, it was almost 5.30pm. Since Matsuyama is home to Dogo Onsen Honkan, we had the pleasure of staying at Dogo Grand Hotel that hotel offers spacious ryokan accommodation that can fit two to five guests. Amenities include the usual plus a yukata and a pair of clogs.

“Please wear the yukata and clog, we can walk the street on it,” said Miko-san. “Emila, I help you with the obi,” she added. After getting ourselves in the yukata, we went to the reception to take a basket each. The basket is for us to put the towel. But since we already taken our bath in our room, we just carry it and put our camera and wallet.

We walk along Dogo Arcade wearing yukata to experience the true charm of this onsen town. Dogo Arcade is lined with shops and restaurants. We enjoyed browsing the for souvenirs – bamboo ware, Tobeyaki ceramics, Hime Daruma dolls, even the food products that derived from citrus, fruits of Matsuyama. Other than that there were many shops selling Botchan-Dango. This three-coloured confectionery is mentioned in Soseki Natsume’s novel Botchan, set in Matsuyama. Small balls of dumpling are coated with bean paste coloured with adzuki beans, egg yolk and matcha for natural colouring.

At the end of the arcade, there’s the Dogo Onsen Honkan. It is Japan’s oldest hot spring with a history going back about 3,000 years. It has been awarded three stars by the Michelin Green Guide Japan, and it’s the first public bathhouse to be designated an important national cultural property. The current building is a three-storey wooden structure rebuilt in 1894. Bathers can choose from four courses in the Kami no Yu and Tama no Yu baths. For a fee, you can also visit the Yushinden, Japan’s only bathroom for the use of the Imperial family. A time-keeping drum in the Shinrokaku at the top of the bathhouse marks the time at 6:00, 12:00 and 18:00.

We then walked to the other side of the L-shaped arcade and found Botchan Karakuri Clock. The Botchan Karakuri Clock was built in the Hojoen plaza in front of Dogo Onsen Station to mark the 100th anniversary of Dogo Onsen Honkan. On the hour between 8:00 and 22:00, the Karakuri Clock comes to life, presenting characters and scenes from Soseki Natsume’s novel Botchan set in Matsuyama and Dogo. The clock is modelled on the Shinrokaku of Dogo Onsen Honkan.

I had a great night. Never had I thought to walk in Japan wearing yukata and clog.

Early morning the next day, we made our way to Matsuyama Castle. It was raining and we took the cable car up to the castle area. Alternatively, there are lift chairs but due to rain the service was suspended until the rain stops.

Matsuyama Castle is one of only twelve surviving castle towers built during or before the Edo period. Construction started in 1602, and it took a quarter of a century to complete. Located in the centre of the city, the top of the castle tower overlooks the Matsuyama plain and the Seto Inland Sea. The defensive walls include sections that climb up the hill in the manner of Japanese castles built in Korea. The entire area of the castle park within the moat is a national historic site, and 21 buildings are designated important national cultural properties. In 2014, it came second in a ranking of the most satisfying Japanese castles to visit. It’s also famous for its cherry blossoms.

HIROSHIMA PREFECTURE

Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chugoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima with a population of around 2.8 million.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word “Hiroshima” was that it was the site of the first atomic bomb in history.

Hiroshima boasts two UNESCO World Heritage sites: The Atomic Dome in Hiroshima, one of the few remnants of pre-war Hiroshima following the atomic bombing in 1945 and The Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, famed for filling with water and appearing to “float” during high tide.

From Matsuyama, we went straight to Hatsukaichi to catch a ferry to Miyajima Island to see the floating Otorii and the shrine. It was a 20 minutes ferry ride and it was raining. It was here when I could not take walking in rain-soaked shoes, so I bought a pair of Japanese slippers.

Miyajima Island or Itsukushima is an island in the western part of the Inland Sea of Japan, located in the northwest of Hiroshima Bay. The island is one of Hayashi Gaho’s Three Views of Japan specified in 1643. Itsukushima is part of the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. The island was part of the former town of Miyajima before the 2005 merger with Hatsukaichi.

According to historical records, Itsukushima shrine was established during the reign of Empress Suiko. The warrior-courtier Taira no Kiyomori gave the shrine its present form.

Itsukushima has a number of temples, including Toyokuni Shrine with a five-storied pagoda, and Daiganji Temple – one of the three most famous Benzaiten temples of Japan. The island is also famous for its upper hillside cherry blossoms and maple leaf autumn foliage.

Itsukushima is mountainous and sparsely settled. It has an elementary school and a middle school. There are no traffic signals. It is rural and mountainous and has a human population of about 2000. Because the island is seen as sacred, trees may not be cut for lumber.

Deer and monkeys roam freely. Deer are thought of as sacred in the native Shinto religion because they are considered messengers of the gods. They walk the streets of the city, not afraid of the tourists. There are no cities, only small towns with simple houses and privately owned shops. The Islanders work hard to preserve the forests and respect nature.

Momiji cakes filled with azuki jam or custard (this is something like dorayaki with maple leaf shape), are popular souvenirs. Other than that Miyajima is famous for its oyster dishes.

Talk about oyster, we had a great oyster lunch at Mametanuki Restaurant. We had Kakifry set meal which is Fried Oysters Meal (¥1,700). It is a classic set meal set with miso soup made by using fish soup stock for the salad with Hiroshima prefecture’s large grain flour, salted Kuwata rice, carefully selected delicious pickles and fresh vegetables.

After having tea and a taste of Momiji cake, we went to the ferry terminal to catch a ferry ride back to Miyamaguchi. From there, we departed with Ikeda-san who had to catch a train back to Tokyo.

Later, Miyatake-san drove us to our next stay, Hotel Granvia Hiroshima and we departed with him as his task was completed. When I walked to the reception area I saw many origami cranes hanging in the middle of the lobby. Cranes are a symbol of peace. Indeed in Hiroshima, paper cranes and crane sculptures can be found all over Hiroshima. I have some origami cranes too in my journal, had one in my pocket and one in my backpack.

Hotel Granvia Hiroshima is a beautiful hotel in a great central location to city trains, taxis and buses out front. Rooms are nice and clean with stylish decor. On level 10 there is a terrace where we can have a nice view of the night skyscrapers and lights without the distraction of the city down below.

For the first time after few days, we just went to have some biryani at Namaste Restaurant at Danbaraminami Minami-ku, just near the hotel. Now, instead of Miko-san teaching us how to eat Japanese food, we taught her how to eat the hot and spicy biryani. Apparently, she had it before and love the taste.

Other than Namaste, Hiroshima has a few halal restaurants where visitors can dine. Some of the best halal restaurants in Hiroshima include Warung Matahari and Cafe Teratai. There is also Turkish food available.

There are a couple of mosques in Hiroshima. The mosques in Hiroshima include the Hiroshima Islamic Centre and the Hiroshima Kasumi Minami-kuMushalla.

The next morning, also the last day of our stay in Japan, we took a bus ride to the Peace Memorial Park. The Main Building is currently closed for comprehensive renovations until it will be opened again to the public in spring 2019.

We browsed through the east building area that houses the permanent exhibition that includes Introductory Exhibit, Hiroshima before the bombing, a digital diorama of the bombing, A Lost Way of Life, and many more.

“War is the work of man.
War is destruction of human life.
War is death.
To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future.
To remember Hiroshima is to abhor nuclear war.
To remember Hiroshima is to commit oneself to peace.”

10:30 a.m., 25 February 1981
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
His Holiness Pope John Paul II

And with the quotes, I concluded my Chugoku and Shikoku trip.

While there are many options and destinations within the country, it is difficult to experience the two regions on one visit alone and apparently, there are more on the list but within 5 days, I can only visit some of the places suggested.

If you are planning to go, take your time when travelling through these two regions. Although it’s possible to drive the length of southern Japan in five days, do take more than that to traverse and explore the regions, on foot, by cycling or even catch the many options of train rides.

I am planning to come back and explore more and that will be more on Japanese art because, in Chugoku and Shikoku, I saw that there is no shortage of art places to visit and see.

Arigato, Japan, until we meet again!