● Half-day course (2 hours)
●Experience Zen meditation at the historic Shounji Temple in Tadanoumi, Takehara city (Please note that this is not in Hiroshima city)
●Meditate your mind by sitting down and copying sutras
●Enjoy things related to the Ura clan, who was the lord of the castle, such as the grave of Ura Munekatsu.
● Enjoy having some tea break with the chief priest (Japanese language only)
Please note that this excursion is held in Japanese language.
Recommended spots near Shounji;
▪︎Rabbit Island (Ohkunojima aslo know as a poisonous gas factory island):
Okunoshima is famous for its large population of rabbits. While many visitors come to visit these cute critters, they may not realise the island harbours a terrifying secret. Japanese army secretly produced poisonous gas in 20's-40's and the sad legacy left the ruins around this island. If you are a history lover, visiting here is highly recommended!
▪︎Kurotaki san (san means mountain): Kurotaki san offers you a nice and relaxing hiking course with curved buddhas on the rocks. You will have the amazing sea view and Shikoku island from the summit if you are lucky with the weather.
▪︎Takehara Townscape Conservation Area: Takehara has a 350-year history as a merchant town famous for salt production and sake brewing. It is known for its collection of historic buildings. The street is beautiful and relaxing to take a walk with lovely cafes, restaurants and temples. There are 2 sake brewers who are both internationally famous in this area. One of them is the birth place of the father of Japanese whisky, Masataka Taketsuru. The founder of Nikka whisky.
Place To Stay
▪︎Akari: Japanese old house (Kominka) converted to an inn in Tadanoumi town.
▪︎Green Sky Hotel Takehara: Casual business hotel in central Takehara
▪︎Nipponia Hotel: Lexulous hotel with full french course in Takehara Townscape Conservation Area
▪︎Hotel Kamogawa Sou: Traditional Japanese hotel with hot spring and lexulous Japanese cuisine located in the outskirts of Takehara.
During the Heian period, this area was called “Nomi no Ura”. In 1129, when TAIRA no Tadamori (TAIRA no Kiyomori's father) was selected as an envoy to hunt down pirates in Sanyo-do and Nankaido, this land was pacified by Tadamori. At this time, Tadamori divided his name into two, namely 'Tadanoumi' for the north shore and 'Mori' (Mori fishing port) for Omishima in the south. This is the origin of Tadanoumi. During the Kamakura period, this land was owned by the Kobayakawa clan, but at the end of the Kamakura period, it became the territory of the Ura clan, a branch family of the Kobayakawa clan. From the end of the Muromachi period to the Sengoku period, the Ura clan became the main force of the Kobayakawa Navy. The representative existence is Munekatsu Ura (Munekatsu Nomi). Munekatsu built Kagi Castle on this land as his base, and in 1581 he built Shounji Temple.