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🇯🇵 Japan Region Guide · 2026

Chugoku — Western main island

Western main island · Hiroshima · Miyajima shrine · Main cities: Hiroshima · Okayama · Miyajima

About Chugoku

The Chugoku region

Western main island · Hiroshima · Miyajima shrine. Covers 5 prefectures · main cities: Hiroshima · Okayama · Miyajima. One of Japan's 9 regions, with its own distinctive charm — culture, food, climate, and destinations that show you a side of Japan most travellers never see.

Prefectures · 5 in this region

All 5 prefectures in Chugoku

Every prefecture in the Chugoku region — we'll review them all · click for individual prefecture guides

Region 101

Chugoku at a glance

👥
Population
7.3 million
📐
Area
31,900 km²
🚄
Transit
Sanyo Shinkansen · JR West · Hiroshima Airport
🌊
Best season
Late Apr-May (fresh green) · Sep-Nov
🍜
Signature food
Hiroshima okonomiyaki · oysters (winter)
🌡️
Weather
Summer 25-32°C · Winter 4-10°C
FAQ

FAQ · Chugoku travel

Why visit Chugoku?
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (historic) + Miyajima floating torii (top 3 views in Japan) + Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki
Days for Hiroshima?
1-2 days for Peace Park + Miyajima · add 1 day for Okayama + Onomichi
Shinkansen or flight?
Sanyo Shinkansen Tokyo→Hiroshima 4hr (free with JR Pass) · flights not worth it for pass holders

Ready to plan your Chugoku trip?

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