Located in western Japan, the Setouchi Region is the area around the Seto Inland Sea, which is the largest sea in Japan, surrounded by seven prefectures: Ehime, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Kagawa, Okayama, Tokushima, and Yamaguchi. It is known around the world for its beautiful scenery with calm waters and islands that look as if they are floating. The region has fostered a history and culture that has been influenced by the sea and as a result have great attractions that are appealing to any visitor.

Here is a suggested itinerary of the area to make your Japan travel more authentic.

ーItinerary Highlights ー

Day1:
Setouchi whirlpools of the Naruto Strait, an adventure around the epic ocean whirlpool
Where to stay: Takeda Castle Town Hotel EN, you will fall in love with the 400-year-old sake brewery hotel

Day2:
Takeda Castle Ruins, well known as the “Castle in the Sky”
Okayama Castle  known as the crow-castle
and Korakuen Garden  where 300 years of history come alive
Where to Stay: Setouchi Cominca Stays an entirely new holiday experience beyond the typical in distinct old-world charm
OR Ryokan Kurashiki, feel Japan's attentive OMOTENASHI

Day3:
Hiroshima & Miyajima  One of the Must-go spots in Japan, you will be electrified by the view.
Where to Stay: Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto

Day4:
Kintaikyo Bridge seasonally magnificent landscape　
Tenkoku Stamp Workshop at Sake brewery Create your own personalised Stamp 　
 

Day1. 
Depart from anywhere with a Shinkansen station and first experience an adventure of ocean whirlpools Naruto Strait Cruising in Setouchi inland. Under the Ohnaruto Bridge, which connects Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture with Naruto City, swirling as if part of a giant ocean vortex is one of Mother Nature's mysterious gems — the Naruto whirlpools. Get on the cruise and get close to the whirlpools, and you will feel the thrill of nature.
If you are hungry after the wild adventure, you can enjoy various types of food on the island. Pick your favourite food like sushi, wagyu, ramen, seafood, peculiar burgers, sweets, and many more.

Taking express buses and trains, head to Takeda Castle Town Hotel EN. It was originally a sake brewery with a history of almost 400 years. The building has been maintained 'as is' as much as possible. It has been renamed to "EN" which means connections between people in Japanese with the dream to become a place that brings people together. You can make EN with other visitors and locals at a French restaurant and a café serving local produce as a community space.


Day2.
Get up early and head to Takeda Castle Ruins (Takeda-jo-seki) to see a magnificent Castle in the sky. It is a nationally well-known castle ruin located atop a mountain in Hyogo Prefecture. It is known as “Japan's Machu Picchu”. The surrounding clouds give it the illusion of a floating castle and it is a superb view. This sea of clouds is not visible at all times of the year, only in the early mornings before 8 am between September and November, permitting. A tour bus 'Tenku-bus' takes you to the castle ruins. To see the castle in its entirety, visit Ritsuunkyo (the best viewpoint of the castle ruins) by car or walk.

After taking a breakfast break, you should head to Okayama Castle by train and shinkansen.  Okayama Castle is called 'Crow-castle' because of the jet-black walls
 and its reflection on the river is stunning. Okayama castle has just been renovated and re-opens on 1st November 2022, to preserve its history for the future. In the renewed castle, you will learn the history of Samurai and Ninja.

Take a leisurely stroll in the historic Japanese garden 'Okayama Korakuen Garden' right next to the castle to detox. The garden was built 300 years ago and is considered one of the three great gardens of Japan alongside Kenrokuen (Kanazawa) and Kairakuen (Mito). The garden is arranged with wide lawns for an open-mindedness that is not usually found in Japanese gardens. This circuit-style garden is devised so that visitors can enjoy the passing scenery while strolling atop the garden, particularly stop Yuishinzan Hill overlooking the garden as well as the nearby waterways.

After being immersed in Japanese age-old culture, there are two choices for accommodation.
If you drive, visit Setouchi Cominca Stays in Shobara city, Hiroshima, a haven of myth and old houses for healing yourself as well as a relaxing time away from everyday life. This vacation rental-style accommodation offers the luxury of an entire traditional building in the beautiful, undiscovered Setouchi.

Or an amazing dinner and relaxing time in an elegant Japanese traditional room are waiting for you at Ryokan Kurashiki located in the middle of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter right next to a canal. You will find a gentle atmosphere that reminds you of the good old days, traditional flavours and relaxing rooms that gently embrace your soul to soothe yourself after a long journey. If you still have plenty of energy, you have the option to go out and enjoy the nightlife of Kurashiki.

Day3.
On the third day, you will enjoy Atomic Bomb Dome and Miyajima and Itsukushima shrine in Hiroshima, two of Japan's most iconic tourist attractions and World Heritage Sites.Take a shinkansen from Okayama and head to Hiroshima station. The best way to look around Hiroshima city includes joining Sokoiko! Cycling tour with a friendly local guide. The guide will take you to iconic tourist spots that are not in guidebooks and are known only to locals. You will feel the history of World War II and the post-war reconstruction.

After a couple of hours of cycling, you can experience making your own Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, a savoury Japanese pancake. Okonomiyaki is Hiroshima's soul food. Located inside Hiroshima Station, the okonomiyaki experience studio "OKOSTA" is run by a leading okonomiyaki sauce brand, Otafuku Sauce. If you have dietary restrictions, don't worry! They also offer vegetarian and Muslim-friendly options.

Once you've had your fill of okonomiyaki, head to Miyajima-guchi station, just 30 minutes away from Hiroshima station by train, to see Japan's one of most spectacular scenery.  To see the amazing Itsukushima shrine floating in the sea up close, take a ferry from the Miyajima-guchi ferry pier. Ferries depart every 15 minutes during the day. If you want to enjoy an even more beautiful view of Itsukushima Shrine, wait for sunset. In the meantime, you can enjoy local oysters and sweets.
After enjoying Itsukushima Shrine at sunset, walk to the hotel you will stay the night, Miyajima Grand Hotel Arimoto, the closest accommodation to Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. The advantages of staying at this hotel are not only the view of the Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine at sunrise but also the excellent rooms, hot springs and quality dinners with fresh seafood just caught on the day from the Setouchi Inland Sea.

Day 4.
It is highly recommended to get up a bit early and go walking around Itsukushima shrine. You will enjoy detoxing with mindfulness alongside the sunrise and observing the local's everyday life. After enjoying a healthy Japanese breakfast at the hotel, it is time to head to the next adventure.

The next destination is Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Kintaikyo Bridge is a nationally designated scenic beauty and one of Japan's most famous wooden bridges.

You will see different aspects in each season.  You can enjoy the view with pink cherry blossoms in spring, colourful fireworks in summer, beautiful red and orange leave in Autumn and a white world of snow in winter here.

Another exciting experience in the area is Tenkoku Seal-engraving Stamp Workshop at Sake brewery.
Creating your own stamp and bringing it home, your family and friends will be jealous of you. At the Sakai Sake Brewery Museum “Gobashi Bunko”, visitors also can see the works of Kobayashi Undojin, a man of letters who excelled in calligraphy, painting, and Japanese seal engraving.

Visitors to the Sakai Sake Brewery Museum Gohashi Bunko can enjoy the history and culture of Iwakuni while carving seal engravings in the exhibition room that looks like a writer's study.

Getting home, you can jump on the shinkansen to anywhere from Shin Iwakuni Station.

About Setouchi, Japan
Located in western Japan, the Setouchi Region is the area around the Seto Inland Sea, which is the largest sea in Japan, surrounded by seven prefectures: Ehime, Hiroshima, Hyogo, Kagawa, Okayama, Tokushima, and Yamaguchi. It is known around the world for its beautiful scenery with no waves and islands that look as if they are floating. The region has fostered a history and culture that has been influenced by the sea and as a result have great attractions that are appealing to any visitor.