Shobara / HiroshimaFind Peace in the Halcyon Hills and Valleys of Rural Hiroshima

Beyond the satoyama settlements, the Chugoku Mountains of Hiroshima are dense with vegetation. Carved out from the green hills, Taishaku Gorge—part of Hiba-Dogo-Taishaku Quasi-National Park—impresses, with towering cliffs of gray rock that peek through thick foliage.

Approximately 40 minutes from the Shobara City metropolitan area, Lake Shinryu, a serpentine manmade lake, offers incredible views of cliffs, vermillion bridges, and hills from the water. Board a boat with tatami seating and cruise the lake, as great cormorants and other waterfowl fly low over the water beside you. Fall in particular offers stunning sights as foliage burns red, orange, and yellow against the gray cliffs.

Head deeper into the gorge, either on foot or by bicycle, to Onbashi Bridge, one of the three largest natural bridges in the world, and a nationally designated Natural Monument. Follow the river as it gurgles and splashes over a bed of pebbles, and stop to admire Haku-un Cave, a limestone cavern which extends 200 meters into the rock of the gorge.

Not far from the cave’s entrance, you’ll come across the imposing Onbashi Bridge. At 90 meters across, 18 meters wide, 24 meters thick, and 40 meters high, it looms large over its surroundings, and frames the vibrant river valley in light gray limestone.

The farmhouses of Shobara range from new to venerable and are topped with shining kawara roof tiles, or else sheet-metal-covered thatch. Head into the countryside to spend the night under one such roof at Chojaya, a renovated 250-year-old farmhouse located deep in a Shobara satoyama.

A packed-earth entranceway welcomes you, while to your left, the cattle shed—once home to the family’s treasured draft cattle—is hung with photographs from years past. Drink in the history of the house, from its thick beams, and lacquered sliding doors to the bird carved into a plaster wall by a long-ago householder.

In perfect harmony with the preserved portions of the residence, contemporary comforts—including an IH cooktop-equipped kitchen—abound for your relaxation and convenience.

From the engawa corridor, sit back and admire the view of terraced rice paddies and fields of buckwheat. The road that stands between you and the fields is a prime cycling route, and electric-assist bicycles can be rented to explore the area on your own or as part of a guided tour.

Chojaya, one of several Setouchi Cominca Stays properties, comes with a Shobara Gastronomy dinner option, where a trained chef prepares a meal of local specialties on-site. The Shobara area is rich with variety, and meals include a range of seasonal ingredients. For example, an autumn meal might include wild boar, trout, buckwheat soba-dofu, squash, and a peach-based dessert.

Meals are served stylishly for a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Watching the chef at work and inquiring about various ingredients locals have enjoyed for centuries adds a special touch to the already incredible experience.

Kagura, an ancient form of Shinto theater, is a whirlwind of music, dance, and fanciful costumes. With minimal dialogue and simple story lines, the performances are easy to follow and are incredible entertainment, regardless of your Japanese ability.

Bihoku Hillside National Park, approximately five minutes from the city center of Shobara, provides the perfect place to enjoy kagura. In addition to weekend performances in the kagura theater, the park is home to a recreated traditional village, with grass-thatched roofs, traditional gardens, cultural activities and workshops, alongside child-friendly playground equipment and fields of seasonal flowers.

At the kagura theater, straw dragons frame the stage, as actors twirl and swordfight, costumes and masks changing as if by magic as the story unfolds.

Should your timing be good, you may have a chance to chat with performers after a show— and perhaps even touch or try on their costumes.