Jump to navigation. Shimonoseki is strategically located on the southern tip of Honshu separated from the city of Kitakyushu in Kyushu by the narrow Kanmon Strait. Shimonoseki, population approximately ,, is a major fishing port famous for its fugu blowfish and is an important ferry terminal for boats to Busan in South Korea and over to Kyushu. Shimonoseki has been the scene of a number of battles throughout its history including the decisive sea Battle of Dan-no-ura in , which resulted in a victory for the Minamoto over the Taira clan and paved the way for the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate.
In samurai from the Choshu clan based in nearby Hagi closed the Kanmon Straits to foreign shipping leading to an international expedition of British, Dutch, French and US gunboats to reopen them. Shimonoseki's beautiful natural location and the spectacular Kanmon Bridge over to Kyushu are best seen from the top of the m Hinoyama , about 5km northeast from JR Shimonoseki Station.
Either hike to the summit or take the ropeway. Near the Mimosusogawa bus stop is a memorial to the Dan-no-ura battle. You can easily see the meter-tall Kaikyo Yume Tower , the tallest tower in western Honshu, from here, which also offers superb views of the harbor. Open daily, all year round, entrance is yen for adults, yen for children. Continuing along Route 9 is the Karato Ichiba Fish Market , where visitors can sample a bewildering array of seafood including whale in one of the numerous whale meat restaurants in the area, if you are so inclined.
There are buses from Shimonoseki bus station if you don't care for the walk. Right next door to Karato Fish Market is the Kaikyo-kan Aquarium Tel: 28 with dolphin and sea lion shows, penguins and vast numbers of fish on display including different varieties of fugu. The Meiji-era Former British Consulate Building Tel: 31 dating from has been preserved and has a small museum inside. Admission is free. Akama Jingu further along Route 9 towards the Kanmon Bridge is dedicated to the defeated Taira clan and the eight-year-old Emperor Antoku who drowned at the Battle of Dan-no-ura, supposedly when one of his carers jumped with him into the sea to avoid him being taken prisoner.
Another legend associated with Akama Jingu, which was actually a Buddhist temple until the Meiji era, is that of Hoichi the Earless , a ghostly tale known by many through its inclusion in Lafcadio Hearn's Kwaidan. The story is set in the cemetery of Amida-ji and there is a shrine and statue of Hoichi to the left of the main shrine. The Sentei Festival is held here in the first week of May, and includes a procession of courtesans to commemorate the Taira women who became prostitutes in order to pay for their dead relatives funeral rites.
