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Daishoin Temple (大照院), constructed in 1656, is the Mori Clan family temple. The Mori Clan governed Hagi during the Edo Period (1603-1868). Daishoin Temple belongs to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism.  Visitors can see a small Zen garden behind the large wooden main hall.

In the woods behind the temple is an impressive burial site of the Mori lords. Half of the lords are buried here, at Daishoin Temple, with the other half buried at Tokoji Temple.  The first lord and odd numbered successors are laid to rest at Daishoin Temple.  Visitors are greeted by the hundreds of stone lanterns (donated) which line the pathway to the graveyard.  Led by the light from the stone lanterns and being surrounded by the woods, the atmosphere at the burial site is both peaceful and spiritual.

NOTE:   There is construction being done to renovate the main hall of Daishoin Temple. Renovation works are expected to continue until 2015. Visitors are still allowed in the temple and can observe the main hall from a makeshift corridor which surrounds the site.
The burial site is not affected by this construction

Access Information:
Daishoin Temple stands south of the city center in a somewhat rural environment.
**By bus:  take either the West Loop or East Loop of the "Maru Bus" and disembark at the Daishoin Iriguchi bus stop. From there, it is a five minute walk to the temple.
**By bicycle, it is a 5-10 minute from Hagi Station.
Hours: 8:00 to 17:00 (last entry until 16:30)
Closed: Opened all year round
Admission: 200 yen

Hagi Castle (萩城), built in 1604, was the ruling home for the Mori Clan, one of the most powerful clans in Japan.  At the end of the feudal era (second half of the 19th century), the castle was destroyed.  Only its moats and walls remain today.

The castle ruins are located in the Shizuki Park in the northwestern tip of the city. Besides the remains of the castle, the park has a teahouse and shrine.  With bicycles allowed in the park, visitors can see people cycling around or taking a leisurely walk.  Mount Shizuki is located in the park and visitors can climb to the peak in about 20 minutes.


Access Information:
**By Bicycle: 10-20 minute bicycle ride from Higashi-Hagi Station
**On foot:  30-45 minute walk from Higashi-Hagi Station
**By Bus:  “Maru Bus” West Loop and disembarking at Shizukikoen Iriguchi bus stop. From the bus stop, a 5 minute walk

Hours: 8:00 to 18:30 (April to October)
8:30 to 16:30 (November to February)
8:30 to 18:00 (March)
Closed: Opened all year round
Admission: 210 yen

With waves rolling along the beautiful white sand, Kikugahama Beach in Hagi Town of Yamaguchi Prefecture, it is a popular place for locals and visitors. From barbecuing to breathtaking sunsets, in the summertime, visitors can view local fireworks from the beaches of Kikugahama.

Kikugahama Beach is located at the foot of the Hagi Castle Ruins. Also nearby is Mount Shizuki, a local mountain with a height of 143 meters.

Access Information:
From Higashi-Hagi Station (about 2 km)
**on foot: about 30 minutes
**by bicycle: about 10 minutes
**Also can be accessed via “Maru Bus”

Hagiyaki Pottery (萩焼), the local pottery style of Hagi City, located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, is very well-known both in Japan and overseas. Hagiyaki’s techniques were brought to Japan from Korea in the early 1600’s.  During the Edo Period, Hagiyaki was very popular with its tea wares being highly praised at tea ceremonies.

One unique characteristic of Hagiyaki is the color of the items change over time.  It is said tea residuals enter the microscopic openings within the items causing the color change. Tea enthusiasts are particularly delighted by this.

Hagiyaki is popular even today.  Visitors to Hagi will find more stores around this old-fashioned town selling tea ware, cups and bowls of Hagiyaki.  There are museums here as well where visitors can learn more about Hagiyaki as well as places offering visitors a chance to try their hand to create their own Hagiyaki.

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Nestled in historic Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is the Shoin Shrine (松陰神社,)  dedicated to Yoshida Shoin. 

A true patriot, Shoin promoted forward thinking and was thought of as a rebel by the shogunate.

Being sentenced to death for his part in an assignation plot, his followers believe Shoin sacrificed his life for the good of Japan.

The present shrine building completed in 1955 to remember Shoin is located east of Hagi's former castle town, near from Tokoji Temple.

The shrine ground houses the Shokason Juku School, and Shoin’s Former Residence.

Under the Akiyoshidai Plateau, there are countless caves known as ""limestone caverns""　which were formed by erosion of the limestone. The largest of them is Akiyoshidai Cave

Akiyoshido Cave, the Orient's best large limestone cavern, opens on the south foot of Akiyoshidai Plateau. The cave entrance reaches a height of 24 meters and width of 8 meters. Inside, the cave reaches 100 meters in width at its broadest point and 80 meters in height at its highest ceiling point.
Its total length is said to be about ten kilometers.

The ordinary sightseeing route, however, is about one kilometer long and includes 26 well-known sights, such as Koganebashira (Golden Pillar) and Hyakumaizara (Hundred Saucers).
The temperature inside the cave is a constant 17°C　in all seasons. And since the tour route is equipped with accommodations such as walking trails and elevators, the cave can be explored enjoyably and comfortably.

As one would expect from a cave said to be the Orient's best in both size and scenic beauty, it is a mystical world in which large naturally sculpted works of beauty appear one after the other.
It was named Akiyoshido Cave by Emperor Hirohito, who explored its beauty during a visit in 1926.

Access Information:

Akiyoshidai is often combined with a visit to Yamaguchi in the southeast and/or Hagi in the north. No train lines run close to the area, and most people will arrive by bus or car.

From Yamaguchi
JR Bus operates buses between Yamaguchi Station and Akiyoshido (55 minutes, 1210 yen, 9-10 round trips per day), while Bocho Bus operates buses between Shin-Yamaguchi Station and Akiyoshido (45 minutes, 1170 yen, 7-9 round trips per day). The Japan Rail Pass is valid on JR buses but not on Bocho buses.

From Hagi
Bocho Bus operates two buses between Hagi, Akiyoshidai (65 minutes, 1720 yen) and Akiyoshido (70 minutes, 1810 yen). The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on these buses.

Hours and Fees
Hours: 8:30 to 17:30 (until 16:30 from December to February)
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission:1200 yen (plus 100 yen for entry after 16:30 from March through November)

The Akiyoshi limestone that composes the Akiyoshidai Plateau was formed about three hundred million years ago when a coral reef heaved upward as the result of movements in the earth's crust.
One property of limestone is that it dissolves in rainwater. From that property, a uniquely eroded landscape (karst landscape) was created.
That ancient coral reef evolved into a vast grassland area, which has thrived to this day.Visitors to the Akiyoshidai Plateau can enjoy viewing a variety of scenic features throughout the four seasons.

Spring
 It’s thee most comfortable and refreshing season with aboudant plant life like pulsatilla cernua and brakes (a type of fern).

Summer
Fall flowers of plants such as kawaranadeshiko (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus) and koniyuri (Lilium leichtlinii var. tigrinum) start to bloom. Visitors can also enjoy beautiful starry skies at night. The biggest event in the season is the Fireworks Festival.

Fall
It offers very colorful scenery as various plants and Japanese silver grass shined by the sunlight. Fall it a wonderful season in which to enjoy the beauty of flowers along with spring. In October a Karst Walk through the Akiyoshidai Plateau is held.

Winter
From late fall into winter, the beauty of the dry grassy plain is impressive. On the third Sunday in February each year, a "mountain-burning event" is held in which flames spread across the grassy plain.

How to get there

Akiyoshidai is often combined with a visit to Yamaguchi in the southeast and/or Hagi in the north. No train lines run close to the area, and most people will arrive by bus or car.

From Yamaguchi
JR Bus operates buses between Yamaguchi Station and Akiyoshido (55 minutes, 1210 yen, 9-10 round trips per day), while Bocho Bus operates buses between Shin-Yamaguchi Station and Akiyoshido (45 minutes, 1170 yen, 7-9 round trips per day). The Japan Rail Pass is valid on JR buses but not on Bocho buses.

From Hagi
Bocho Bus operates two buses between Hagi, Akiyoshidai (65 minutes, 1720 yen) and Akiyoshido (70 minutes, 1810 yen). The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on these buses.