Top Reasons to Go to Western Honshu

Photogenic icons: Beside Miyajima, the O-torii rises from the Inland Sea. An hour from Matsue is the austere Izumo Taisha, a Shinto shrine reputed to ensure marital happiness.

Fabulous seafood: Oysters (kaki) in Hiroshima; anago (conger eel) in Miyajima; uni-don (sea urchin over rice) in Hagi; mamakari (a sardinelike fish) in Kurashiki; and little black shijimi clams in Matsue.

Lessons of the past: Although A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima is held in great reverence, the city has embraced the future with its energetic multinational vibe.

Landscape and history: The stunning nature of the San-in region, along with the historic buildings of Matsue and Tsuwano, is unlike anywhere else in Japan.