Top 5 foodie experiences in Western Japan

Eat your way through Japan's picturesque Chugoku region, which runs along the country's western coast.

For an authentic taste of Japanese tradition, skip the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and Osaka, and explore the picturesque Chugoku region.

Here, the prefectures of Tottori, Yamaguchi, Shimane and Hiroshima are home to smaller cities, sacred sites, awe-inspiring natural landscapes and carefully preserved cultural traditions.

Okonomiyaki masterclass

Take part in a private cooking class (up to 20 people) at Otafuku Okonomiyaki Cooking Studio and learn how to make this popular Japanese savoury pancake, Hiroshima style. Here, Okonomiyaki is a symbol of recovery, gaining popularity after the WWII atomic bomb attack when food was scarce.

The Otafuku studio is conveniently located at Hiroshima Station and can tailor experiences with halal and vegetarian options. Guests gather around a large teppan grill and follow English-speaking instructors, adding several layers (cabbage, green onion, bean sprouts and pork) before flipping the almighty pancake and topping it with a fried egg, Okonomi sauce and seaweed.

Kaiseki cuisine at Kaike onsen

Kaiseki cuisine

This formal meal is considered the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine. Kaiseki is not a specific dish or cooking technique, but a way of eating often involving several tiny courses (12 or more) that incorporate aesthetic elements such as calligraphy and flower arranging.

A number of dishes are also prepared at the table, often on individual hibachi grills and DIY hotpots perched atop a single flame. Likened to the ritualistic nature of tea ceremony, kaiseki is an art form, where taste, texture, colour and theatre come together to create an engaging dining experience.

Kaiseki is often served at ryokan (traditional Japanese-style inn) across Japan, with a focus on local, seasonal produce. In Tottori prefecture, this means seafood, and in winter (November-March) the famed Matsuba Gani (snow crab) dominates the menu.

Kaike Grand Hotel Tensui in Yonago City serves a beautifully curated kaiseki meal as part of its accommodation and onsen experience, where kimono-clad servers prepare dishes in private dining rooms.

In nearby Matsue, the capital city of Shimane Prefecture, the long-established Minamikan ryokan can accommodate up to 150 diners across four floors that overlook Lake Shinjiko. Its kaiseki menu features a renowned tai-meshi (sea bream rice) dish, which is prepared according to a 140-year-old secret recipe.

One of 14 onsen baths at Hagihonjin

Perfect onsen etiquette

Natural wonders abound Japan's Chugoku region, with snow-capped mountains, sand dunes, geoparks, and, of course, hot springs. While not strictly a 'food' experience, onsen are a critical part of any ryokan stay, and can ease digestion after your kaiseki feast. The Hagihonjin ryokan in Hagi City is the ideal place to perfect your onsen etiquette, with a total of 14 different onsen baths — indoor and outdoor, standing pools, and open air spas with views of Mt Azumayama.

The onsen is a healing sanctuary, where the water’s natural minerals soothe aching muscles and nourish the skin. But, rules apply.

Firstly, you must be naked, and after stripping down you are expected to wash thoroughly before entering the hot spring baths. Small bathing stations provide soap and toiletries. Modesty towels are also provided, but don’t dip this into the onsen pool — this is for washing the body only. Respect the purity of the water by placing the towel on your head (most patrons do this to cool down while simmering in the hot baths).

After the onsen, walk through Hagi’s historical Castle Town precinct, where streets are lined with traditional (and original) Japanese homes from the Edo period and ceramic boutiques where guests can meet local artisans.

Shimonoseki city is the fugu capital of Japan

Eat fugu

Fugu (blowfish) is a delicacy in Japan. Try fugu sashimi, fugu hotpot, fugu tempura and fugu sake at the renowned Shunpanro Honten restaurant in Shimonoseki city, the fugu capital of Japan. Following a 16th century ban on eating poisonous blowfish, Shunpanro Honten served fugu in 1888 to the then prime minister and the ban was subsequently lifted.

Fugu chefs must go through rigorous training to attain a licence that permits them to serve fugu (internal organs contain a toxin that is said to be 1,000 times more poisonous than cyanide). If diners can work up the courage to take a bite, they are duly rewarded.

Shunpanro Honten serves its fugu kaiseki cuisine during winter, and abalone in the summer.

Miyajima’s O-Torii Gate

Waffle-making in Miyajima

Take a ferry to Miyajima Island, off the coast of Hiroshima, for a day trip or stay overnight at one of several ryokan set amid the primeval forest in Momijidani Park. Explore the many temples and shrines dotted around the island, including the famed Itsukushima Shrine, and take a group photo in front of the impressive O-Torii gate.

Hike up Mt Misen and take in the views via a ropeway (cable cars) that connects Shishi-wa Station with Mt. Misen. Meanwhile, the Omotesando Shopping Arcade is full of restaurants, boutiques and craft centres where visitors can learn how to bake Miyajima’s favourite sweet, momiji manju (maple leaf-shaped waffles filled with bean paste).

Make a wish at Motonosumi Jinja Shrine

Avoid the crowds in Kyoto and instead visit Motonosumi Jinja Shrine in Nagato City instead — OK, this is not strictly food-related, but it's a great pitstop while you're on your way to the next izakaya. Perched along the coast of the Japan Sea, the shrine’s 123 vibrant red tori gates wind down the cliff face towards cobalt blue waves below, making this an insta-worthy photo stop when travelling through Yamaguchi prefecture.

While you’re there, make a wish to the honorary white fox spirit by tossing a coin into an offertory box positioned on top of the tallest tori gate.