Hofu City

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Located in the central part of the prefecture facing the Seto Inland Sea, this is a city with deep connections to the Imperial Court and the Mori family, thriving as a center of history and culture since ancient times. It is home to "Hofu Tenmangu," Japan's first Tenmangu shrine, and the "Mori Residence and Museum," which tells of the former glory of the Choshu Domain, allowing you to enjoy a variety of historical architecture. The townscape, where traditional salt-making history and modern industrial power coexist, has a unique charm. Facing the calm sea and blessed with warm weather, you can also enjoy seasonal flowers and gourmet food such as "Hofu Tenjin Hamo" (conger eel). It is a charming city that satisfies intellectual curiosity and provides comfort for travelers through its high-class historical sites and beautiful scenery.

Hofu City
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やまぐち映像図鑑 NO.180 天神鱧［防府市］ | Tenjin Conger Eel [ Hofu-city ]

やまぐち映像図鑑 NO.180 天神鱧［防府市］ | Tenjin Conger Eel [ Hofu-city ]

Yamaguchi Prefectural Tourism Federation

Hofu City

Address
11-1 Matsuzaki-cho, Hofu-shi, Yamaguchi
Website
https://visit-hofu.jp/
Operator
Hofu Convention & Visitors Bureau

Hofu City Spots List

スポット一覧
  • Santoka Museum
  • Mitajiri Salt Pan Memorial Park
  • Tonomi Funagura-dori
  • Former Mitajiri Ochaya Eiun-so
  • Mori Clan Garden
  • Teahouse Hosho-an
  • Hofu Tenmangu Shrine
Santoka Museum
Yamaguchi

Santoka Museum

This facility introduces the life and works of Santoka Taneda, a leading Japanese free-form haiku poet from Yamaguchi City. Within the modern building incorporating traditional house designs, you can deeply understand his poetic world, having lived a turbulent life while continuing to compose poems with a unique sensitivity and honest heart, through beautiful videos and exhibits. The "solitude, love for nature, and attachment to life" embedded in his verses strongly resonate with our hearts today. Located in a corner of the Yuda Onsen district, stopping by during a stroll and touching the Japanese landscapes and mental images seen by a...

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Mitajiri Salt Pan Memorial Park
Yamaguchi

Mitajiri Salt Pan Memorial Park

Located in Hofu City, this industrial park conveys the history of "Mitajiri Salt Pans," which once flourished as the number one salt production area in Japan. The traditional salt-making method from the Edo period, "Irihama-style salt pans," has been restored, and you can observe the vast salt pans where salt was actually made and salt-making tools using coal as fuel up close. The biggest attraction is the ability to actually have a "salt-making experience." Under an artisan's guidance, the experience of boiling down saltwater to complete your own pure white salt is a precious chance to learn the roots of...

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Tonomi Funagura-dori
Yamaguchi

Tonomi Funagura-dori

"Funagura-dori" in the Tonomi district of Hofu City is a historic promenade that conveys the atmosphere of a port town where lords in daimyo processions and many travelers once stopped as a key point of maritime transportation in the Seto Inland Sea. In the narrow alleys, traditional stone walls and old rows of houses remain, allowing you to feel the quiet lives of people who lived with the sea and the multilayered history. At the end of the street, the beautiful Tonomi Beach spreads out, allowing you to simultaneously enjoy nostalgic city walking and open sea views. For travelers who...

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Former Mitajiri Ochaya Eiun-so
Yamaguchi

Former Mitajiri Ochaya Eiun-so

Eiun-so in Hofu City is a historic building that was used as a villa or guest house for the Mori clan, the lords of the Choshu Domain, during the Edo period. It was also a stage for history visited by patriots of the Restoration, such as Shinsaku Takasugi, at the end of the Edo period. The building took its current form through additions and renovations in the Meiji and Taisho eras from the samurai residence style of the Edo period, and the ability to see multiple layers of history within a single building is a major attraction. Spending time looking...

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Mori Clan Garden
Yamaguchi

Mori Clan Garden

This is a vast mansion and Japanese garden built with great luxury by the former Choshu Domain Lord Mori family during the Meiji and Taisho eras. The garden, a nationally designated scenic spot, is a magnificent strolling garden centered around a pond overflowing with water, skillfully incorporating the surrounding nature to allow you to enjoy the beauty of the four seasons. Especially in autumn, the colorful leaves are spectacular, and the vibrant colors reflected in the pond are breathtaking. The museum on the grounds displays numerous precious historical materials and artworks, including National Treasures, preserved by the Mori family, making...

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Teahouse Hosho-an
Yamaguchi

Teahouse Hosho-an

Located within the grounds of Hofu Tenmangu Shrine, "Hosho-an" is a beautiful teahouse built to carry on the culture of plum blossoms and tea that Sugawara no Michizane loved. Surrounded by a scenic Japanese garden with a pond, you can enjoy authentic matcha green tea and seasonal Japanese sweets while admiring the nature of the four seasons. Spending time in this tranquil space, listening to the sound of water and the chirping of birds, is a blissful moment that makes you forget the hustle and bustle of daily life. Even if you are not familiar with the etiquette of the...

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Hofu Tenmangu Shrine
Yamaguchi

Hofu Tenmangu Shrine

This was the first Tenjin shrine created in Japan and is one of the "Three Great Tenjin Shrines of Japan," alongside Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto and Dazaifu Tenmangu in Fukuoka. It enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, and the beautiful vermilion-painted shrine building exudes an overwhelming presence. It is famous for the "Goshinko-sai" (Hadakabo Festival) in autumn, a brave festival where thousands of men carry a giant palanquin. Flowers of the four seasons bloom within the grounds, and the plum blossoms in early spring are particularly beautiful, gently welcoming visitors. By walking the historic approach and touching the...

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