Activities & Events Calendar

Omijima Island is located in the midst of the clear ocean waters of Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park. With the open ocean waters off the rocky coast of Funabashi (on the west side), and the white beaches of Shizu-ura, from which a beautiful world of seaweed extends, diving and snorkeling can be enjoyed year-round on Omijima Island. Additionally, because of the island's unusual shape, divers have only to go underwater a little ways to enjoy some incredible sea life. Beginners and children as young as fourth grade (elementary school) may also participate (with some conditions).

In the peak of the cherry blossom season along the Nishiki River, the "Sakura-bune" springtime pleasure boats will come out. There are about 20 pleasure boats, which will be in operation every day during the cherry blossom-viewing season, and on weekends and national holidays during other seasons.※image…first picture：Iwakuni CIty Tourism Promotion Deparment、second to third picture Yamaguchi Prefectural Tourism Federation

This is one of Yamaguchi Prefecture's famous cherry blossom-viewing spots, and every year it sees many visitors from across the prefecture and beyond. The temple grounds will be colored with the blossoms of about 120 trees: Yoshino cherries, weeping cherries, and yae-zakura cherries. The best spot to view the cherry blossoms at Tainei-ji Temple is along the temple road from in front of Tainei-ji's Main Hall to Toyokawa Inari Shrine. Enjoy the gentle spring sunlight and the temple path covered in blooming flowers with a nice walk. The blossoms are wonderful in full bloom, of course, but they are also beautiful fluttering away in the breeze. Come snap a shot of these dancing blossoms near the historical relics and locations of three Shakyamuni Buddha statues, a statue of the 16 arhats, and the reflecting pond in which samurai Ouchi Yoshitaka saw his reflection for the last time, and the stone on which he placed his helmet there. During the cherry blossom bloom (around early April), there will also be a nighttime light-up of the cherry blossoms, from sunset to 11:30 p.m. Come enjoy the cherry blossoms as the spring nights begin to warm up.

The Kawachi Wisteria Garden was selected in an online feature by CNN as one of the "31 Most Beautiful Places in Japan." Every year during Golden week, when the wisteria burst into bloom, it's a popular spot with visitors from across and outside of Japan. There are a total of 22 different varieties of wisteria, including Noda Japanese wisteria, kunibeni (lipstick) wisteria, purple-red, red, white, yae (multi-layered), long, medium, and short. In the gentle spring sunlight, you'll be surrounded by the elegant fragrance of the wisteria that extend into the garden. One of its highlights are the two wisteria tunnels close to the garden entrance. There is a smaller tunnel of 80 meters, and a larger one of 110 meters, and each elegant light purple and white arcade is likely to draw gasps from visitors. We recommend taking some commemorative photos here. The wisteria trellis extends for about 3,300 square meters. The Kawachi Wisteria Garden is in fact a private garden, created by its passionate owner. He began cultivating the land in 1968, and after dedicating a great effort over a number of years, he opened the garden in 1977. Looking around at all of the branches heavily-laden with wisteria, one can see all the love he put into cultivating them. This Golden Week, we encourage you to include the wisteria bloom at the Kawachi Wisteria Garden in your schedule as your travel.