Shimonoseki Japan Yamaguchi
20
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (4 Cruises)
Explora Journeys (5 Cruises)
Norwegian Cruise Line (4 Cruises)
Princess Cruises (6 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and that is rare in Japan: almost everything is walkable. The terminal is about ten minutes on foot from JR Shimonoseki station, and the tourist heart of the waterfront is reached on the flat in about 25 minutes. No shuttle, no queue.
The city's culinary heart and an essential stop. On the stalls: translucent sashimi arranged like flowers, skewers and soups. You build a tray from stand to stand, then sit facing the water to eat while ships pass. Aim for opening time in the morning for the best choice.
It is the city's specialty. Fugu, the pufferfish that only licensed chefs may prepare, is served at Karato market as sashimi, on skewers or in soup. The licence is mandatory in Japan, which keeps preparation tightly controlled.
About fifteen minutes from the port, this red and white shrine facing the sea honours the memory of Antoku, an emperor enthroned as an infant who died at eight in these very waters during the battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185. The setting is bright, but the story it carries is among the most poignant in medieval Japan.
Yes, and it is unique in the country: a 780-metre pedestrian tunnel runs beneath the strait, about fifteen minutes north of the market. You go down by lift, cross the painted line separating two prefectures, and come out on Kyushu, facing the retro district of Moji.
The crossing is free for walkers; a small fee applies to bicycles. The round trip amuses families and collectors of unusual experiences in equal measure.
A single coastal walk links everything: Karato market in the morning, Akama Shrine, the Kaikyokan aquarium and views of the suspension bridge, then the tunnel under the strait if time allows. Distances here are measured in steps rather than kilometres.
A waterfront aquarium that recreates the whirlpools of the Kanmon Strait and sends penguins through its tank via a glass tunnel. It is the dry way to see the strait's marine life, handy with children.
Yes, bicycles can be rented near the station and let you cover more of the coast quickly. It is a good option if your call is short and you want to add the Kanmon tunnel to the plan.
Two seas meet here, and the currents race between Honshu and Kyushu under a constant ballet of cargo ships. Shimonoseki has always lived off that passage: battles were fought here, treaties signed here. Places of passage have a poetry of their own, and this one has cultivated it for a thousand years.
