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Also known as Chugoku , meaning "middle country", Western Honshu used to be at the centre of the Japanese nation, lying between the country's earliest settlements in Kyushu and the imperial city of Kyoto. The region is split geographically into two distinct areas, with the southern San-yo coast being blighted by heavy industry but bordering the enchanting Inland Sea, while the rugged and sparsely populated northern San'in coast boasts some delightful small towns and a generally pristine landscape. The southern coast is easy to travel around, with Shinkansen lines, good local railway services and highways, while the northern coast takes more planning to tour by public transport, but easily repays the effort. Though Chugoku is rich in history, with burial mounds on both coasts dating from the first century, it's a more contemporary event that brings most visitors to the region. Lying midway along the San-yo coast, Hiroshima , site of the world's first atom bomb and the region's largest city, is the one place you'll want to stop off en route to or from Kyushu. If you only have a few days, you should also aim to take in the old towns of Kurashiki and Matsue, as well as the island Miya-jima . In a couple of weeks, you could make a circuit of both coasts taking in most of the region's highlights. At the eastern end of the San-yo coast, Okayama has one of Japan's top gardens, Korakuen , and makes a good base for visiting the beautifully preserved Edo-era town of Kurashiki . One of the best things about travelling around Okayama-ken is a stay in its International Villas, unique to the prefecture and dotted around some of its more remote parts, generally in beautiful locations. Heading west along the coast, one of the treasures of Hiroshima-ken is the timeless fishing village of Tomo-no-Ura with its gorgeous views across the Inland Sea. The raffishly appealing port of Onomichi , just to the north, is also the jumping-off point for the laid-back island, Ikuchi-jima , home to Japan's wackiest temple complex and a lovely art museum. The one island of the Inland Sea you won't want to miss is verdant Miya-jima, just west of Hiroshima, site of the ancient shrine Itsukushima-jinja with its water-bound red torii . On the southern coast of neighbouring Yamaguchi-ken, the only prefecture to span Chugoku, pause to admire the elegant bridge Kintai-kyo at Iwakuni and the spectacular view across the narrow Kanmon Straits to Kyushu from Hino-yama in Shimonoseki , the port at the tip of Honshu. Inland, the highlights of the prefecture's small capital, Yamaguchi , are an impressive pagoda and classic Zen rock and moss garden. East along the frequently deserted San'in coast, Hagi , an old castle town and hot-bed of pre-Meiji-era revolt, boasts a lovely cluster of old samurai houses and atmospheric temples. Perhaps even more beautiful is Tsuwano , another small castle town nestling in a tranquil valley, further east in Shimane-ken. This prefecture is the heartland of Japan's eight million Shinto deities, who gather each year in October at the venerable shrine Izumo Taisha, near the appealing waterbound capital of Matsue . Roughly mid-point along the San'in coast, Matsue has the region's only original castle tower as well as some old samurai houses and interesting museums. The sand spit Amanohashidate , at the far eastern reaches of the region, marks the end of the San-in coast, and provides some of Japan's most scenic views. A regular JR Rail Pass is the most convenient way of getting around the region, but if you plan to stick only to the San-yo coast consider the cheaper JR West San-yo Area Pass , covering all Shinkansen and local rail routes between Osaka and Fukuoka. For quicker access to the region there are several airports , including two near Hiroshima, Okayama, Ube close to Shimonoseki, and Yonago near the San-in city of Matsue. If time isn't an issue, then don't miss out on a leisurely ferry ride across the Inland Sea . Renting a car is a good idea, especially if you're planning to tour the quieter San'in coast, as the fast Chugoku Expressway , which threads its way through the region's central mountainous spine, from where you can branch off to sights on either coast. If you're going to be travelling in Hiroshima-ken and Yamaguchi-ken in Western Honshu, and Ehime-ken in Shikoku , make sure you get a Seto Inland Sea Welcome Card . This free card, which lasts a year, provides discounts of up to twenty percent at over 300 hotels, restaurants and tourist facilities in these three prefectures bordering the western end of the Inland Sea. To qualify for the card you need to be an overseas visitor who has been in Japan for less than a year, or a foreign student. The cards are available from the TICs in Tokyo, Narita and Kansai International airports, as well as at the TICs and international centres in the three prefectures. You'll need to take along your passport or alien registration card, plus student ID if you're a full-time student. The card comes with a useful booklet in English, Chinese and Korean outlining all the participating organizations and businesses. As in other areas of Japan, Chugoku has it's own distinct styles of cuisine . Along the San-yo coast, fish, unsurprisingly, is the thing to eat, with oysters being especially popular around Hiroshima, and the notorious fugu (blowfish) being Shimonoseki's top dish. Hiroshima also has a special  © 2003 by Rough Guides Ltd. as trustee for its Authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved. Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd. 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way of preparing okonomiyaki , a delicious Japanese batter pancake, while both Iwakuni and Kurashiki make their own varieties of sushi. On the San'in coast, Matsue is renowned for its kyodo ryori , seven dishes made with fish and seafood from Lake Shinji-ko. It's worth a look at the plates you're eating off, too: both Hagi, at the far western end of the San-in coast, and Imbe, east of Okayama, are famous for their distinctive pottery - Hagi-yaki and Bizen-yakim respectively.
Your Tips For Western Honshu
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