"Journeys in Japan"

Hi everyone, I'm Bruce Taylor and I'm here in Hiroshima Prefecture

for the first time ever in the city of Onomichi.

This city receives a lot of tourism

for its wealth of old architecture preserved in the developing city.

It's something I've personally wanted to see for a long time,

this beautiful background of the Seto Inland Sea

dotted with mountainous islands.

Have a look for yourself.

Onomichi, a peaceful town with a tranquil, waterfront atmosphere.

Because there is very little flat land here,

many of the houses are built on the hillsides.

Bruce Taylor is an actor from the USA.

On this edition of "Journeys in Japan,"

he explores this mellow town where time seems to slow down.

In Onomichi, there is so much to see.

It's a magnet for photographers.

Onomichi!

Bruce meets up with some of the people who call this town home.

And he gets to feast on one of the local specialties.

Onomichi, Vistas, Cats and Steep Hillsides

Located some 600 kilometers to the west of Tokyo,

Onomichi lies on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea,

in the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture.

This port city has a population of about 130,000.

Year-round, it enjoys a mild, temperate climate.

Onomichi has an old-fashioned atmosphere

that is very popular with visitors.

Hello.

I'm Bruce Taylor. Will you be showing me around today?

I'll be your guide. Welcome to Onomichi.

The land you see over there is actually an island.

The strait here is very narrow, so it looks like a river at first glance.

It is like a river.

Actually this is the part of the sea. That's how Onomichi developed, as a port.

The narrow waters of the inland sea are almost always calm,

making it perfect for maritime transport.

Since the old days, Onomichi has flourished as a port city.

This is Kubo Hachiman Shrine.

It's one of the best-known shrines in Onomichi.

The approach to this shrine

offers an insight into the way Onomichi developed as a town.

The actual shrine buildings are over there.

In the old days, this area was all part of the "keidai" - the shrine precincts.

The keidai?

The sacred area around the shrine.

Why does this road run right through the precincts of the shrine?

Can you guess?

I expect it's because the government wanted to do it,

and nobody had the power to stop it.

The local people tried to stop it. They were opposed to it.

However, this was the only land available for the road and the railway.

So the government was compelled to build the road

through the shrine precincts.

Interesting.

When roads and railways arrived here, people had to give up their land,

so they had no alternative.

They built their homes on the steep hillsides.

I'll take you up to that Buddhist temple. It's called Senkoji.

It's one of the Onomichi's most famous temples.

It is beautiful and has a long history.

Let's go.

They head up one of the slopes through a residential area.

It takes them about 20 minutes.

Are the people living up here able to order meals delivered from restaurants?

Yes, they can...

But cars can't enter this area, so it's really hard to make deliveries.

The people living up here are said to be super fit.

That's because they have to walk so much.

The garbage collectors here have to collect the trash on foot.

It's hard work for the people delivering parcels up and down these slopes.

The view from here is fantastic.

Awesome.

Really beautiful.

Got another great view down here and aside from you know,

the mountains in the background and the water,

I really love the view of just the roofs.

Up ahead is the most beautiful part of Senkoji Temple.

Let's go.

We're almost there.

Here we are at Senkoji.

We made it!

Founded some 1,200 years ago,

this temple seems to watch over the town below.

If you pay 100 yen here, you can use the chain to climb the mountain

and do some old-fashioned mountain training.

I'm going to take this opportunity to do just that.

In the old days,

this area around the temple was used as a site for spiritual training.

I haven't been able to see this much of the sea so far.

Right, this is going to be an adventure

walking through the labyrinth of Onomichi.

All of these little paths here feel like

they're just going to lead to someone's house and dead end,

but I guess this is just the standard sidewalk here.

That one is a private driveway.

We're going to go this way.

Boy, these stairs are steep!

All right, we've got a cat paradise.

Let's go check that out.

This part of Onomichi has become very popular among cat lovers.

Oh, another cat on the ground.

All right! We've got cats!

The cats in this area have a reputation for being friendly.

Maybe that's because there are no cars or motorbikes in the alleys,

so they live without any fear for their safety.

Yes!

I've arrived at a little temple.

Cool. Okay, so there's a lucky cat painting workshop.

Hello.

Welcome.

Oh wow! Look at all the little kitties.

Those are "manekineko" figurines.

These traditional cat figurines are called manekineko.

They are believed to bring good luck.

Each color represents a different wish.

The ones raising their right paw are said to bring money.

And those raising their left paw draw in people.

I didn't know that.

Bruce tries his hand at painting his own manekineko.

Blue signifies safety for your family.

Oh boy!

On no...

Okay, that's...

Lovely!

So cute!

Thank you.

Why did you move to Onomichi?

We also have a pet cat.

We came here because of all the cats.

I see. It's because you love cats.

All right, there we go. Wife and child.

This was actually a really fun, interesting experience.

With all the different colors of the cats

and everything that every color means,

it was a good chance for reflection.

You know, think about what I'm really looking for in life at this point.

And a really great opportunity

to express that in the form of a little cat.

All right, this is where we are staying,

Miharashi-tei right on the cliff.

This building is a work of art.

A holiday villa built about 100 years ago has been renovated

and is now used as a guest house.

This is your room.

Wow, that's nice.

I love the interior of this room.

The aged wood and this...

incredible, luxurious view.

Wow, look at this.

So, if the weather is fine tomorrow,

you will see the sunrise towards the left side of the bridge.

Okay, I'll have to set my alarm.

Time to try some of that local food.

May I sit here?

Go ahead.

I'd like to try an Onomichi specialty.

How about "okonomiyaki" made with chicken gizzards and deep-fried calamari?

This is crispy deep-fried squid.

Interesting.

Okonomiyaki made with squid bits and chicken gizzards

is one of the most popular foods in Onomichi.

I'll try it.

OK!

To make okonomiyaki, the batter is spread on the hotplate.

Then cabbage and noodles are piled up on top.

Here, inexpensive chicken gizzards are used instead of pork meat.

This is known as "Onomichiyaki."

My grandmother was the first person to use chicken gizzards in okonomiyaki.

What about the crispy squid?

It's eaten widely across Hiroshima Prefecture.

The squid adds extra umami.

After the okonomiyaki is flipped,

it's topped with a rich, sweet-savory sauce.

So, first impression,

there is an incredible blend of textures in the Onomichiyaki.

There's the chicken gizzard,

it gives it a little bit of a crunch,

the softness from the egg, the noodles, the cabbage,

then there's you know, that punch from the sauce.

It's great.

It's like an amusement park for the palate.

All right.

I wonder if we'll be able to see the sunrise from here.

Ever since I saw this view from the room yesterday,

one word pops into my mind and it's "luxury."

I'm not sure why but there's something that feels really luxurious about this

high view over the city.

Morning. You guys live around here?

Ah yeah, just up the hill.

Up the hill?

Yeah.

- I guess it's all hills, isn't it?
- Yeah.

Yeah, a very hilly town.

How do you like it?

Oh yeah, it's so beautiful and it's really quiet up there, so relaxing.

Peaceful really.

Do you have a business or anything around here?

Yeah, we have a shop just down in the shopping arcade.

We do vintage clothing.

- Vintage clothing?
- Yeah.

Great! Could you give us a little tour?

Sure, why not.

Yeah, follow us.

Peter and Momoko moved to Onomichi three years ago,

drawn by the beautiful scenery and the friendly people in the town.

Oh, it's back here?

Yeah, down here.

This has got to be an Onomichi special.

The narrow alleys in this area close to the waterfront

date back to when it was filled with fishermen's shacks.

Our shop's here.

Oh, here it is.

That classic aged wood architecture.

How old is your building?

We're not sure...

I heard around 150 years old?

Nice. And the building itself is just oozing with that vintage feel.

You chose the right business for this building.

Thank you.

Vintage building, vintage clothes, right?

- Come on in.
- All right.

Mmm, that vintage clothing smell.

- I hope it's a good smell.
- It is.

Actually we have more clothes on the second floor.

- Right.
- Mind your head.

Oh wow! This staircase, so narrow, so steep!

Oh, man!

This shop has a strong social media presence

and attracts customers from near and far.

Many old houses in Onomichi are being renovated

and rented out at reasonable rates.

The aim is to inject new life into the town.

I think this size, we also enjoy.

Sometimes we struggle to display clothes nicely

because the space is limited

but it's something that you can experience

to be in such a cozy small place because you're in Onomichi.

I see.

It is a little bit... Wow.

Oh, my goodness.

Onomichi has also become a popular center for cycling.

There are about ten bicycle rental shops in the city.

Off we go.

Onomichi is one starting point for cycling the Shimanami Kaido.

The 60-kilometer route runs across seven bridges,

connecting six islands in the inland sea.

Cyclists come from all over the world to revel in the amazing views.

First, Bruce takes a ferry to the island on the far side.

All right.

They've got these really nice clear blue lines marking the bike lanes,

so you know exactly where to ride.

All right, we've got our first look at the sea.

Beautiful.

Ikuchi Bridge.

Winding and weaving our way up the mountain to the bridge.

All right.

That's what I'm talking about.

Riding in the sky.

The calm sea down below, mountains in the background.

Bruce has heard of an American farmer who lives on this island.

Thomas.

Bruce Taylor.

- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you, too.

Are you the farmer in this area I've heard about?

Yeah, I'm the farmer.

- Great!
- Welcome.

If you'd like to take a tour. Let's go.

I would love to take a tour.

Right now, it's springtime.

Flowers are blooming. So, welcome.

Thomas Kloepfer has about 1,000 square meters of land,

which he uses to grow more than 80 kinds of vegetables.

Could you help me with one box?

Absolutely.

- You got it?
- Yep.

All right.

Right here.

These are all wildflowers that grow on the farm

because we're doing this natural farming cycle.

So any grass that we have on the farm

we're able to cut and then bring over to these guys.

Thomas practices organic farming using the natural farming cycle.

He uses weeds as feed for his livestock.

And the waste from his animals makes an all-natural fertilizer for his land.

His neighbors are big fans of his organic vegetables.

Thomas first came to Onomichi seven years ago

to work as an assistant English teacher.

The longer he stayed, the more he fell in love with the town.

However, there was one aspect he was unhappy about.

I noticed there was a lot of abandoned farms.

There's a lot of abandoned houses.

There's a lot of this potential for such a nice area.

But it definitely requires somebody to come and do something about it,

I felt like this.

So, Thomas rented this abandoned farm and began growing produce.

His aim is to revitalize the land.

These days, others have started to join him in working on the land.

They share his dream of restoring the beautiful scenery of the Onomichi area.

That marks the end of my time here in Onomichi.

We've seen some spectacular seaside scenery.

The islands and mountains overlooking the city.

Cherry blossoms, houses built into the mountainsides.

I really enjoyed taking a stroll through cat alley

and riding the bike between the islands,

taking in all of the nature.

I'd personally love a chance to come back to Onomichi

and I hope we've inspired you to take your own journey in Japan.

To reach Onomichi from Tokyo,

it takes about four hours by Shinkansen bullet train

to Shin-Onomichi.