When we arrived in Shimonoseki, there was no doubt its rural charm was a little shocking to us. We had been used to a life of city living: cafes and bars galore; six buses an hour; an extensive tram system; and hundreds of restaurants at our door step. In Shimonoseki, we didn’t seem to have this and so, at first, it was a little strange living here.

But now,  three months in, we have really started to `see` more. We have already mentioned the discovery of the Beat Café, but there is more! There are little restaurants in unexpected places, izakayas (small bars) on most streets, and each day we can walk 100 meters from our apartment to the beachfront and watch the most incredible sunsets. We have also found beautiful traditional streets nearby with mountain views, many cafes and a golf driving range a bike ride away. Once you have your eyes opened, it is amazing how much more you can see and appreciate.

#YamaguchiPrefecture