Hagi, a beautiful former castle town in Yamaguchi Prefecture, is renowned for its local pottery called Hagi-yaki and a large number of merchant and samurai houses open to the public. It is also known as the birthplace of Yoshida Shoin, a distinguished educator whose students contributed to the Meiji Restoration.Tsuwano is a serene mountain town in Shimane Prefecture, drawing tourists to its castle ruins and colorful Japanese carps as well as samurai residences along the streets.
(山口県の美しいかつての城下町萩は萩焼と呼ばれる焼き物、一般公開されている商人や武家の屋敷で名高い。明治維新の功労者を育てた著名な教育者である吉田松陰の生誕地とし ても知られる。津和野は島根県ののどかな山の町で、城跡と色鮮やかな難、通りに立ち並 ぶ武家屋敷が観光客に人気である)