Onomichi Slopes & Alley Landscapes

A contemporary art festival held across multiple islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Islands including Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima function as distinctive art hubs. Pioneering a new form of tourism that fuses international contemporary art with regional traditional culture, establishing a model for art-based tourism development.

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.

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.

Historic district of Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, with townscapes continuing from the Edo period. The Honmachi Street, stretching approximately 2 kilometers, preserves buildings from the Edo to Meiji periods. Demonstrates architectural techniques used by Hida craftsmen. Known for morning markets and four annual Takayama Matsuri festivals, attracting approximately 2 million visitors annually, representing Japan's traditional townscapes.

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.

Edo period samurai culture preserved in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture. Historic streetscapes remain intact with samurai residences and merchant houses from the shogunal administrative period. The Takayama Matsuri festivals are designated Important Intangible Cultural Properties. Morning market traditions are equally celebrated. Visiting historic residences allows experience of Edo lifestyle, attracting approximately 2 million visitors annually as representing quintessential Japanese traditional townscapes.