Chugoku Region

Chugoku’s Place in Japan

Within Japan, Chugoku is seen as an anchor of western Japan. Hiroshima serves as the region’s largest city and cultural hub, while Okayama enjoys a sunny climate and is famous for high-quality fruit. Yamaguchi connects Honshu to Kyushu and has long been a strategic gateway. Tottori and Shimane are known for unspoiled nature, old shrines, and atmospheric castles. Together they form a region where coastal life, craftsmanship, and everyday traditions are still easy to feel.

How Japanese People See Chugoku

For many Japanese, Chugoku evokes a calm climate, beautiful seascapes, and a strong sense of history. Places like Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine and Matsue Castle are household names, as is Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima with its iconic “floating” torii gate. The region also suggests good food: Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki and oysters, Okayama’s peaches, and fresh seafood from both coasts. It’s viewed as a comfortable, livable part of Japan where city energy and countryside charm sit side by side.

Unique Characteristics

Chugoku’s character springs from its two seas and the mountains between them. Along the Seto Inland Sea, the climate is mild and the rhythm of island life feels relaxed; along the Sea of Japan, the seasons are more dramatic, with crisp winters and superb seafood. Layered onto these landscapes are stories and legends stretching back to Japan’s earliest chronicles, giving travel here a distinct sense of depth and continuity.

Getting Around

Access is straightforward. The Sanyo Shinkansen links Hiroshima and Okayama with Osaka and Tokyo, and regional airports such as Hiroshima and Izumo connect to major cities. Trains and buses cover the main routes, while renting a car is a great way to reach coastal viewpoints, hot-spring towns, and rural shrines at your own pace.

A Note on the Name: “Chugoku” vs. “China”

Although “Chugoku” uses the same Chinese characters as “China” (中国), the regional name in Japan has a completely different origin. In premodern Japan, provinces were grouped into categories based on their relationship to the imperial capital—by distance and administrative standing. The provinces that sat in the “middle” category were called “chūgoku,” literally “middle countries.” Much of today’s western Honshu corresponded to that set, and over time the label became the regional name “Chugoku.” In other words, it is a historical Japanese geographic term and not a reference to the modern nation of China.