Onomichi Old Town

Onomichi is a hillside port town on the eastern edge of Hiroshima Prefecture, a place of steep alleys, old temples and a long retro shopping arcade that has enchanted writers, filmmakers and travellers for generations. Squeezed between the sea and a wall of hills, its houses climb the slopes in a tangle of narrow stone stairways and cat-haunted lanes, while below, along the waterfront, a covered arcade and a working harbour give the town its everyday life. Nostalgic, atmospheric and wonderfully walkable, Onomichi is one of the most rewarding day trips from Hiroshima.

The town's charm lies above all in its hillside townscape. From the station area, lanes and stairways wind up the slopes past old wooden houses, small temples, hidden cafes and viewpoints, many now converted into guesthouses, galleries and coffee shops by a younger generation drawn to the town's beauty and cheap old properties. A celebrated temple walk links more than two dozen shrines and temples strung along the hillside, and a hilltop park - reached on foot or by a short ropeway - opens grand views over the town's tiled roofs, the island-studded Seto Inland Sea and the great bridges that leap across it. A literary trail, the 'Path of Literature', winds through the slopes with stones inscribed by the many authors who lived or set their work here, for Onomichi has long been a town of writers and of the classic films of directors such as Ozu.

Down at sea level, the Onomichi Hondori shopping arcade runs parallel to the harbour, a long covered street of old-fashioned shops, ramen counters, cafes, sake sellers and craft stores. Onomichi is famous for its own style of ramen, rich soy-based broth topped with flakes of pork fat, and the arcade is the place to try it. The waterfront itself, with its ferries to the nearby islands and its views across the water, adds a breezy, maritime dimension to the town.

Onomichi's modern fame owes much to cycling. It is the mainland gateway to the Shimanami Kaido, a spectacular cycling route that hops from island to island across a series of great suspension bridges all the way to Shikoku. Even visitors not tackling the full route often rent a bicycle to explore the waterfront and the first island, and the town has become a hub of cycling culture, with dedicated hotels and cafes catering to riders.

The experience here is active and exploratory: the hillside involves plenty of steps and slopes, so comfortable shoes are essential, and the reward is the constant unfolding of views, temples, alleys and quiet corners. It is a town to wander slowly, getting pleasantly lost, pausing for ramen or coffee, and climbing for the panorama. Spring blossom and autumn light are especially lovely, and clear days reward the hilltop views.

Getting there takes a little commitment: a JR Sanyo Line local train from Hiroshima runs about an hour and a half, or you can take a shinkansen to Shin-Onomichi and a short bus. The old town, arcade and temple walk all begin within a few minutes of Onomichi Station. Give it a full day, wear good shoes, and let this nostalgic port town, with its stairways and sea views, work its considerable charm.