Tourism NYT ranked Yamaguchi third in '52 Places to Go in 2024'

Yamaguchi is often called the Kyoto of the West, though it's much more interesting than that — and it suffers from considerably less "tourism pollution." A compact city of about 190,000, it lies in a narrow valley between the Inland and Japan seas. With its impeccable gardens and its stunning five-story pagoda, Rurikoji Temple is a national treasure. The city's small winding lanes offer an assortment of experiences: pottery kilns like Mizunoue, situated on the grounds of Toshunji Temple; chic coffee shops like Log and Coffeeboy, and older-style options like Haraguchi; and wonderful counter-only shops that serve oden, or one-pot dishes. Just a 15-minute walk south is the hot-springs village of Yuda Onsen. Given the tourist crush in Kyoto, Yamaguchi has also been offering a smaller scale — but no less historic — alternative to Kyoto's Gion summer festival for some 600 years. Yamaguchi's Gion Festival, which features parades, costumes and dancing, also takes place in July; 2024 will be its first year operating again at full tilt since the pre-Covid era.

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musicisgood said:

And l live here. It's beautiful. So much to see and do.

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It is one of the "three famous pagodas of Japan" along with those at Horyuji temple in Nara and Daigoji temple in Kyoto, and it is the only national treasure in Yamaguchi. However, the entire structure is completely covered in sheets, and it will likely remain that way throughout the year after work to replace the hinoki bark roofing began last year, the first major project to replace the entire roof in 70 years. Removing the safety sheeting covering the pagoda is scheduled to begin in March 2025. However, the scaffolding will not be removed and the pagoda will not appear in its original glory, until the fall of 2025. So much for the "place to go in 2024." "It is unfortunate that (visitors) will not be able to see the beauty of the pagoda, but we hope to convey the significance of the fact that they are witnessing a historic moment of work being done to preserve the pagoda for future generations," said Yukie Yoshitani, general manager of the prefectural tourism federation. On 10 January, a couple in their 60s who came from Tokyo to Yamaguchi visited the temple site. They said they had known that the pagoda was under construction and "were disappointed" that they could not see any of it at all.

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thomas said:

Which shrine was that, @musicisgood?


After making it on the New York Times' top travel list, Yamaguchi hopes for more tourists from abroad this year. One problem, however, is that the city's most iconic sightseeing spot, the five-story pagoda at Rurikoji temple, will not be available for tourists to see for quite some time, as it is closed until 2025.

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Yamaguchi aims for more tourism after listing in New York Times | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

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Hiroyuki Nagashima said:

Speaking of a noted product of Yamaguchi, it is globefish dishes.

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thomas said:

Which shrine was that, @musicisgood?


After making it on the New York Times' top travel list, Yamaguchi hopes for more tourists from abroad this year. One problem, however, is that the city's most iconic sightseeing spot, the five-story pagoda at Rurikoji temple, will not be available for tourists to see for quite some time, as it is closed until 2025.

View attachment 110837​

Yamaguchi aims for more tourism after listing in New York Times | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

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