It’s always a great way to travel on Japan’s railway, which runs along the hilly shoreline transporting not only many passengers and locals, but also seafood as well. A journey on the railway line is a wonderful way to experience a variety of cultures, and will definitely leave you with some unforgettable memories. Furthermore, the natural scenery along the way is a marvellous way to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The trip along the shoreline starts from the Mihara Castle in Mihara, Hiroshima. Jump aboard the Kure Line, also nicknamed the “Setouchi Sazanami Line”, as it runs along and provides a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea.

Alight first at Tadanoumi, which was in the past, a prosperous fishery and a port of Kitamaebune. From 200 year old tobacconist shops that has been preserved since the Edo period, to the Futamado’s Shinmei drum of the Shinmei Festival which has a 400 year old history, this previous sailor training ground is a wonderful place to explore. If you do get a chance, be sure to try the luxurious sea bream which is freshly caught and prepared by local fishermen. Rinsed with fresh sea water, seasoned with soy sauce and liquor, and then eaten with rice, this is the best way to savour this luxurious delicacy.

However, the highlight of Tadanoumi is Ryokan Iwanoya, the stone spa with an 83 year old history. The spa comprises a stone cave with two hot and warm stone spas, where twigs and different kinds of wood are burnt to heat up the cave. The cave can keep its warmth for up to three days and has eel grass, a secret beauty ingredient used in cosmetics nowadays, inside as well. It’s no wonder then that the spa has seen many young women visiting it in the hope of leaving with more beautiful and radiant skin.

Next, continue your trip by travelling to Takehara along the Kure Line, which is another major town of Hiroshima. Located in the middle of Hiroshima’s shoreline, Takehara has in the past been famous for salt and its large salt pans which made the citizens prosperous. The citizens then became rich and built gorgeous houses, which are in the present day preserved in its original state. After roaming the streets, you’ll soon realise that there are many souvenirs and products made of bamboo being sold in shops. Especially at Take no eki, do try the roasted bamboo salt which mixes the bamboo cultures of the Edo period and the present.

Head across to Setouchi’s island and make your way to Tarumi Port, Osakikamijima, where a pick-up service is available to ferry guests to the Hotel Seifukan. Located at a high cape, guests can enjoy the full view of Setouchi, and on a sunny day even the Mountains of Shikoku, from the hotel. The hotel also boasts a natural hot spring where the open air bath provides a spectacular view!

After having a relaxing soak in the bath, enjoy dinner prepared by Mr Sadanari, who has been the chef for 27 years in the town. Aiming to bring out the original flavour of the ingredients, enjoy a precious meal of Setouchi’s seafood, including steamed abalone, conch served in shell, eel cooked in plum and many other seasonal foods for dinner.

After satisfying yourself with a trip along the Kure Line, travel next on the northern shoreline railway starting at the Rumoi Station. There are many old food shops and other archaic items from the Showa period, including fried octopus cake made with octopus from the Sea of Japan. Don’t forget to try out the Buta-chan yaki (pig roasted cake) made from a special machine that’s one of its kind in Japan.

Before heading to Mashike from Rumoi, do stop at the Afun station which is simply beautiful on a sunny day. About 17km to Mashike, visit the Afun Shrine where that famous film, “Eki, Station” was filmed. Back at the port, you may also get an eye opening opportunity to see how octopus is prepared for sale and if you’re even lucky, you may get to even savour it for yourself.

Next, take a walk to the Shaguma Station and head for Mashike. A peaceful town and fishing port, its reputation as a fruit village has attracted many visitors over the years. Also the northernmost fruit source in Japan, its harvest season is one month later than in Honshu. Depending on which fruit is in season, there are around 30 fruit farms in Mashike which tourists can visit. However, with the flower season starting in Hokkaido where apples, peaches, cherries and mainly Acacia are blooming, flower-honey can also be found.

Famous for producing high quality honey in Hokkaido, Mr Matsuyama’s farm boasts nests which some 20000 bees inhabit. A total of 10 million bees fly around the area and these hives in the farm serve the purpose of hybridizing the fruit trees, where many flowers bloom at the same time. Visitors would also be pleased to know that in this farm, apart from the apples, no pesticides are used at the farm. While there, do try the delicious handmade honey plum juice which is made from water, honey and green plum.  

Driving along the shoreline, an archaic fisherman’s inn awaits. The inn has a 130-year-old history from Murakami, Nigata. In order to preserve the heritage of the inn and not to damage the pillars, there are interestingly no locks in the rooms.

Of course no experience of a fisherman’s inn is complete without a hearty meal. Only seasonal foods are served, while the fish served are caught by a dredge and ordered from a fish shop at the port. Part of the sumptuous spread includes black rockfish, scallop, pink shrimp and salmon sashimi while abalone and scallop are grilled by charcoal. If that’s not all, there’s snow crab and sushi as well. But the highlight of the meal has to be the Hokkaido specialty, hakkaku (octagon). A truly good spread whose size is said to be catered for fishermen also comes at an affordable price of 10400 yen (S$172) for one night and two meals.

Next, it’s back to school. But before you start getting flashbacks of any traumatic school years, this time round while in Hokkaido, visit the biggest wooden primary school which is part of the region’s rich heritage. Founded in the Meiji period and built in the Showa period, the school building remains unchanged through the years and only has 151 students now. The school provides lunch for the students which a full-time nutritionist painstakingly prepares everyday. Visitors would be pleased to know that they too can get a taste of this meal, which varies from day to day, and is prepared using local products.

Yet another line that provides a wonderful adventure is the Gono Line. A hometown of many famous sumo wrestlers, the trip begins in Ajigasawa. There, many grilled squid shops line the streets at the back of the fishing port and many tourists visit the area just because of the aroma. The catch of squid in Ajigasawa is a whopping 550 tonnes a year with every shop having different methods of preparation. The shop, Yuri Shoten, first started to grill squid in 1974 and a big squid costs only 250 yen (S$4.10).

In the neighbouring town of Kitakangasawa, is a town which many sumo fans would get excited about. Home of the great Aminishiki’s parents, Aminishiki defeated Kotooshu who won in the summer tour. Aminishiki’s family now not only runs his home as an inn, but are fishermen as well. Known as the Sugino Mori ryokan, named after the former yokozuna, Asashifuji’s uncle, the inn is now often used for sumo training camps too.

Yet another place where there’s rich sumo history is the Tenshinkan dojo, where Aminishiki trained when he was in nursery school. Along the way, you’ll come across the best “oicho” in Japan which is a maidenhair tree. Over 1000 years old, the diameter of the trunk is 22 meters and is 31 meters tall. Eventually arriving at Tenshinkan, the sumo dojo is located on a hill. Founded over 30 years ago, there are now five children who come here to train, six days a week. The present director is a fisherman and his son comes daily to teach the children who wish to realise their dream of being a sumo wrestler.