In 2026, both American Express and Airbnb have highlighted a growing preference for Lore Tripping, with holidays increasingly focused on under-the-radar destinations rich in interesting backstories. The Setouchi region of Japan, long admired for its varied coastlines and mountain ranges, offers more than scenery, with towns whose stories of enterprise and resilience continue as part of living culture today.
Takehara City’s preserved townhouses
Takehara City on the Seto Inland Sea invites visitors to stroll streets lined with townhouses dating from the mid Edo period through to the Meiji era, spanning 1700–1912. The port town flourished as a transportation hub from the Muromachi period of 1330–1570, and its architectural heritage remains central to modern life. Former banks, inns, and sake breweries now serve as guest accommodation. A standout experience is Fujii Shuzo Sake Brewery, where visitors can explore traditional sake heritage before a tasting.
Udatsu Townscape and the secrets of Japan Blue
Udatsu Townscape preserves both traditional housing and the craft of Japan Blue, known as Awa ai. This precious indigo hue once had a closely guarded recipe, while its distribution was strictly controlled. Workshops now offer indigo dyeing experiences, allowing visitors to explore the craft’s history among the town’s historic architecture.
Udatsu refers to the fireproof walls built onto townhouses, which were once symbols of great wealth. The area is designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings and includes a cluster of houses dating from the Edo period.
Kurashiki’s merchant heritage
Along the Kurashiki River, the white-walled façades of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter stand out. In the 1600s, when the area was administered directly by the shogunate, it became a major goods distribution hub where influential merchants rose to prominence. Preserved kurayashiki warehouses that once stored rice and produce now serve as reminders of the past while blending with modern Japanese architecture.
The Discover Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter Walking Tour explores this heritage and shows how past and present coexist. Guide Hiroyuki Hara, a descendant of a merchant family with a 400-year history in Kurashiki, shares little-known stories passed down through his grandparents alongside historical facts.
Ozu’s community led revival
Ozu is a castle town revived through community-led projects, with local residents guiding visitors through its rich past, hard-fought present, and hopes for future generations. More than 30 historic buildings have been restored and repurposed as shops and cultural hubs, including Kominka Café Hiiragi, HITOSHIMA Hirata Residence & Art Space, Claire Shokai bookstore, and AFTER WARD vintage clothing. Vacant buildings have also been transformed into accommodation and thriving businesses, providing an example of cultural regeneration.
Annual events include OZU ARTS and CRAFTS each October, showcasing contemporary art and traditional crafts against historic streetscapes, and MACHIBITO on the last weekend of November. This year’s event is themed around a journey back in time to the glamorous Ozu of 100 years ago.
Kobe’s international port culture
Kobe developed rapidly after the Port of Kobe opened in 1868, becoming one of Japan’s largest international trading ports and a centre of foreign diversity. Culinary arts led the way, with Western-style dishes served alongside local specialities such as Kobe Beef. Artistic influences followed, including jazz, rock, and the birth of the first karaoke machine in 1971.
The Kobe Maritime Museum traces the city’s journey from trading hub to cultural cornerstone through artefacts, models, videos, graphics, and hands-on exhibits, including Ninja motorcycles, jet skis, and riding simulations.
Himeji Castle and its surrounding town
Himeji Castle stands as a monument to Japanese political dynasties and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 1993. The remarkably preserved White Heron Castle rises as a five-storey, seven-tiered masterpiece. Most Japanese castles were destroyed after the Meiji era began in 1868, while those seen today are largely concrete reconstructions. Only 12 retain their original keep, five of them in the Setouchi region.
Himeji Castle is said to have been protected from fire by its iconic white plaster. It ranks among Japan’s traditional symbols alongside Mount Fuji and is particularly striking at sunrise and sunset, when golden light illuminates its walls. The events schedule includes daily English-language guided tours, nighttime illuminations, cherry blossom viewings, and the May festival.
The surrounding town grew as a trade and transport hub known for soy sauce and mirin production. Visitors can sample Himeji oden and conger eel before exploring the nine-garden park of Koko-en, with the castle providing a dramatic backdrop.
Hagi’s castle grounds and Meiji history
Following defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Mori Terumoto built Hagi Castle on Mount Shizuki in 1604. Although the castle was later demolished, the grounds draw crowds in spring when approximately 600 Somei Yoshino cherry trees create a striking pink bloom, making it one of the finest cherry blossom sites in the Seto Inland Sea region.
Traditional pathways lined with white-walled streetscapes offer scenic rickshaw rides past the historic homes of Shinsaku Takasugi and Takayoshi Kido. These late 19th-century activists helped orchestrate the Meiji Restoration, which toppled the Tokugawa shogunate and opened the way to modern Japan. Visitors can later join traditional tea ceremonies at the Kikuya Family Residence while dressed in kimono.
Where to stay
Setouchi’s unique accommodation options range from floating ryokan and art-themed villas to rural retreats, geodesic domes, and glamping sites. For more information about the Setouchi Region, visit www.setouchi.travel.