Historic Town of Kure

For over 400 years, Kure has prospered thanks to its robust fishing and logging industries, and is particularly known for the tradition of catching katsuo (bonito) using single fishing lines instead of large nets. Reminders of the town’s proud fishing tradition are everywhere, from stalls and restaurants that serve fresh katsuo almost all year round to the special sinks for filleting fish called nagashi-dai that you will see installed at the entrance of the Showa period homes that line the narrow meandering streets.

One of the highlights of the town is the Kure Taishomachi Ichiba Market, where you can walk along an alley decorated with massive, brightly-colored fishermen’s flags and check out shops that have been supplying locals with fish and veggies for over 100 years. Be sure to try the Kure-don, a bowl of rice topped with your choice of fresh seafood from the catch of the day.

There are a number of other spots to visit, such as the Nishioka sake brewery, Nakatosa Town Museum and Kuroshio Kobo (where you can sear your own bonito!). Just a short walk from the market is Kure Hachimangu, a shrine where fishermen go to pray for a good catch and protection on the seas. This is a popular spot for photographers at sunset, when it is possible to catch the sun setting on the sea through the torii gate that faces the Pacific Ocean.

Kure’s retro post-war buildings were designated an Important Cultural Landscape in 2011, the first fishing town in Japan to earn this well-deserved accolade. Visiting Kure feels like entering a living museum of Japanese history, where the lifestyle and culture of the past is not a distant memory but still visible in the lives of the residents today.