The 5 best recommended tourist spots in Yanai City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, famous for its white-walled streets and goldfish lanterns

Yanai City in Yamaguchi Prefecture is a nostalgic tourist destination that still retains its white-walled streets, offering a sense of familiarity and comfort. The town layout, which remains from the Muromachi period, features a style known as “unagi no nedoko” (eel’s bed), characterized by narrow street frontage and long depth. The main tourist attraction in Yanai City is, of course, these white-walled streets. Rows of Edo-period merchant houses line the area, and many of the buildings are designated as Important Cultural Properties or Registered Cultural Properties of Japan.

This time, we will introduce some charming buildings among the white-walled streets, the cute goldfish lanterns that are popular as local folk crafts, and also touch on the Ōshima Bridge, which can be considered a landmark of this town.

1. Begin your sightseeing with some preliminary information at the “Yanai Townscape Museum and Utako Matsushima Memorial Hall”

Get off at JR Sanyō Main Line “Yanai Station” and proceed along the street in front. At the corner of the intersection leading to the white-walled streets stands the nostalgic yet dignified “Yanai Townscape Museum.” This building was originally the head office of Suō Bank, built in the Meiji era, and is one of the few remaining bank buildings now designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

The first floor of this two-story building houses the Townscape Museum, which exhibits models of townhouses in the preservation district—perfect for a little preview before strolling around. The second floor is the memorial hall for singer Utako Matsushima, who was born in the former Hizumi Village. About 200 valuable items are on display, including nostalgic records such as her hit song “Under the Horse-Chestnut Tree” and stage costumes from that era. Its convenient location also makes it a good meeting spot for sightseeing.

2. One of the largest surviving Townhouses in Japan: “Shōka Museum Muroya-no-Sono”

Across the road in front of the Yanai Townscape Museum is the “Shōka Museum Muroya-no-Sono.” This building was originally the residence of the Oda family, one of the leading oil merchants in western Japan, founded in 1688. It has been opened to the public as a merchant house museum. The name “Muroya-no-Sono” comes from the family’s trade name, “Muroya.”

Designated as a Tangible Folk Cultural Property of Yamaguchi Prefecture, this building is a typical townhouse with a depth of 119 meters. It is one of the largest surviving townhouses in Japan, with a site area of approximately 800 tsubo (about 2,640 m²). Visitors can tour 11 buildings, including the main house, rice storehouse, and main storehouse. The museum exhibits daily utensils and business documents passed down through generations of the Oda family, offering a glimpse into the lives of Yanai merchants.

3. Make adorable Goldfish Lantern Souvenirs and Experience Yanai-Striped Dyeing at “Yanai Nishigura”

Yanai Nishigura is a hands-on facility built in a beautiful white-walled earthen warehouse. This multi-purpose tourist spot makes use of a soy sauce storehouse from the Taishō era, preserving its original exterior and framework, and now serves as both an activity workshop and exhibition gallery.

Here, you can try weaving the traditional textile of Yanai City, known as Yanai-jima, as well as making cute goldfish lanterns. With Yanai-jima, you can experience not only weaving but also dyeing. The “goldfish lanterns,” which have become a new specialty of Yanai City, also make great sightseeing souvenirs.

4. The Willows and Princess Hannya Legend, the Origin of Yanai’s Name: “Shōkōan”

Shōkōan is said to be the birthplace of the name “Yanai.” During the Edo period, this was a gathering place for the townspeople of Yanai, where they composed haiku, held tea gatherings, and otherwise used it like a community center. In the temple hall on the grounds, you can find an Eleven-Faced Kannon statue from the late Heian period, as well as a famous statue counted among Japan’s three great Kokūzō Bosatsu.

Around 1,400 years ago, Princess Hannya, renowned as a peerless beauty, drank the fresh spring water from this well on her way to the capital after being summoned by Emperor Yōmei. She was so delighted by the taste that, as thanks, she planted a willow twig from China—said to bring longevity—beside the well. By the next morning, the twig had sprouted and grown into a large willow tree. This is the legend of the “Willow and Well,” the origin of the name Yanai.

There is a local saying that drinking this well water will make you more beautiful, so why not add it to your list of sightseeing spots?

5. Ōshima Bridge

Opened in 1976, “Ōshima Bridge” spans the Obatake Strait between Yanai City and Suō-Ōshima Town, with a total length of 1,020 meters. In the same year, it received the “Tanaka Prize” in the Works category from the Japan Society of Civil Engineers.

There is a pedestrian walkway on the east side of the bridge, allowing visitors to cross on foot. Depending on the time of day, you may even see whirlpools, and the bridge is also a popular spot for train photography. The night view of the illuminated Ōshima Bridge is stunning. It was a toll bridge for its first 20 years but is now free to cross.

◎ Summary

Speaking of Yanai City, the white-walled streets are its hallmark. But there are also many other wonderful tourist spots. The brick “Grimm” music box hall, a symbol of the street in front of the station, automatically plays original pieces by Japan’s only music box composer, Isao Hashimoto, enchanting passersby. Ōshima Bridge, a landmark connecting to Yashiro Island’s Ōshima Town, offers spectacular views and has served as a filming location for several movies. Chausuyama Kofun, where one of the largest mirrors ever excavated from an ancient burial mound was discovered, is another recommended sightseeing spot.

Additionally, Yanai City offers an abundance of delicious seafood freshly caught from the rich fishing grounds of the Seto Inland Sea. Take your time to stroll through the white-walled streets and enjoy everything this nostalgic town has to offer.