Onomichi's Slopes and Temple Clusters

A district in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, dense with Edo to Meiji-era merchant houses featuring white plaster walls. Over 170 buildings are preserved along the Kurashiki River, maintaining their historical character despite modernization—a rare streetscape. Integrated with cultural facilities like the Ohara Museum of Art, it conveys the history of Edo-period commerce. Designated as an Important Preservation District, attracting over 1 million visitors annually.

An historic port town in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, facing the Seto Inland Sea, featuring architecture spanning from Edo to Showa eras. Setting for numerous films and literary works, its many slopes and scattered temples create serene atmosphere. Attracting approximately 1 million visitors annually, it evokes nostalgia for traditional Japan.

Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture is a hillside town along the Seto Inland Sea. Narrow lanes and 25 temples create a maze-like landscape frequently featured in films and dramas. The interplay of townhouses and temples on the slopes symbolizes quintessential Japanese aesthetics. While developed for tourism, it retains authentic daily life character and serves as a hub for art tourism.

A unique network of slopes and alleyways in Onomichi, Hiroshima, formed by challenging terrain. Featured in the Onomichi Film Festival and setting for numerous films and anime productions. Historic temples, merchant houses, and alleyways from the Edo period coexist functionally today. Sometimes called 'Japan's Venice' for its distinctive vertical layering and atmospheric passages.

An atmospheric port town on the Seto Inland Sea known as a 'city of slopes.' With views from Senkoji Park, the Cat Alley, and its role as a cycling base for the Shimanami Kaido, this evocative town has served as a setting for films and literature.

An island floating in the Seto Inland Sea off Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture. Revered since ancient times as a pilgrimage site for Itsukushima Shrine, the entire island is considered sacred. Known for views from Miyosen's observation deck, momiji manju (maple leaf cakes), and okonomiyaki, it attracts about 3 million tourists annually. It is the center of Seto Inland Sea tourism.

A memorial to war and peace in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Concentrates the Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park, and Peace Memorial Museum. A crucial center for post-war peace education, registered as UNESCO World Heritage. Local cuisine like okonomiyaki adds appeal. Attracting over 12 million visitors annually, it stands as a symbol of peace recognized internationally.