Top Things to Do in Shunan
Things to Do in Shunan
Tours near Shunan
Book these experiences to see what the area has to offer.
- Public Transportation Toursfromper adult (price varies by group size)₱9,414
- Historical Toursfromper adult₱3,842
- Historical Toursfromper adult₱4,995
- Historical Toursfromper adult (price varies by group size)₱5,379
- Full-day Toursfromper adult₱6,532
- Historical Toursfromper adult₱4,611
- Historical Toursfromper group (up to 6)₱29,203
- Historical Toursfromper adult (price varies by group size)₱16,138
- Historical Toursfromper adult₱4,227
- fromper group (up to 6)₱25,787
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Other Top Attractions around Shunan
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
What travelers are saying
- Melinda GOsaka, Japan474 contributionsHaving lived in Yamaguchi prefecture many years ago, I had heard of the museum but never thought to go there. Finally 30 years later, for a ALT 30 year reunion, we took the ferry to spend time there. We were staying near Tokuyama Station so we walked over to the ferry terminal to take the 930 am ferry. You buy a one way ticket for ¥710 from the ticket machine. There are maps and ferry schedules available. We boarded the ferry soon and chose to sit outside on the upper deck. As soon as the ferry started many more passengers came upstairs to see the view but no more seating was available.
We got off at the first stop and headed right to see the tunnel and torpedo launch area. After that we hiked up the mountain to the top to see the torpedo observation deck and the view. We were the only ones that climbed it that day and it seemed like no one had gone up for awhile because some of the bamboo was getting overgrown. There were a few mosquitoes so I would recommend some insect repellent and definitely a towel. The bamboo forest was absolutely beautiful.
After going back down, we went to the museum for some much desired air conditioning. There are washrooms and costs ¥300 to visit the museum. They have photos and letters from the deceased soldiers who died as human torpedoes. There is a little information in English and a 25 min long video with interviews of the former trainees in Japanese.
Be sure to buy snacks at the 7-11 by the ferry terminal or in Tokuyama Station. There is one drink machine when you arrive at the island but nothing else. If you have more time, you could take the ferry to one of the other stops on the island to go to a beach. We took the 1 pm ferry back to Tokuyama. It was a different ferry that took cars and did not have an outside deck. You have to buy another ticket for ¥710 from the lady in the little building next to the ferry terminal.Written July 15, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - PatrikSundsvall, Sweden8 contributionsTokuyama Zoo is an old and rundown zoo that just made me feel sad to walk around in. The habitats were small and unnatural. I can not imagine that the animals feel happy there. The only thing making me rate it a 2 instead of 1 is the petting zoo that is recently opened. It felt like a totally different place. The zoo is currently building a new area for the animals that will hopefully make it a better place.Written June 17, 2016This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- kobekkoKobe93 contributionsThe gardens found in this temple could win over many of the famous temple gardens in Kyoto. Why are they yet so little-known, not just to foreign visitors, but also to Japanese visitors? The answer is; “Location, location, location!” The visitor who depends on public transportation must be content with an hour-long local bus ride from JR Tokuyama station, and Tokuyama is hardly a destination even for well-travelled Japanese tourists. Nonetheless, I dare say the visit is worth the travel or, perhaps, trouble.
For one, the visitor is likely to enjoy the serenity that is, or should be, a characteristic of Zen temples. However, such serenity is getting harder to find in Japan, as it is experiencing a booming tourism lately, and famous Zen temples are finding trooping tourists and suffering from their hubbub. For another, the visitors here are allowed to take his or her own time to view and appreciate the premises, as well as the surrounding gardens. They consist from four different and distinctive styles of garden design that evolved during the period of dynamic regime changes in Japan, which corresponds to the Middle Ages in European history.
The temple has an impressive entrance gate, called “Sanmon” in Japanese, which literally means the gate to the mountain. The naming stems from the old practice of setting up Buddhist temples in the mountain. Near this entrance gate is a pond with many colorful Japanese carp, as shown in attached pictures. Such a pond is called “hojo-chi,” in Japanese, literally meaning the pond for releasing live animals, and it has a distinctive religious role. In Buddhism, killing any living things, even small insects, is condemned. Conversely, saving the life of any living thing counts as merit toward becoming accepted in Nirvana. , i.e., the Christian equivalent of the heaven, after death. As such, releasing captured animal is widely practiced in the Buddhist world. In Southeast Asia, one finds in the access road to a Buddhist temple, many birds in their cages. They are for sale to visiting Buddhists who wish to release the bird and gain “merits.” In Japan, the practice typically takes the form of releasing Japanese carps or turtles into the temple’s hojo-chi.
That being said, it is still an anomaly for a Zen temple to embrace this practice, and this temple was established by a highly respected Zen monk of the time, i.e., late 14th century. I gather that this pond is a later addition initiated by the local people. Most of them did and probably still do belong to non-Zen sects of Buddhism, and their affiliation with this Zen temple stem from Tokugawa Shogunate’s regulation and control concerning religion. Therefore, people who came to pray wanted to do the “right thing,” by making a hojo-chi pond and augmenting their prayers with the release of carp into a pond. This supposition seems to be corroborated by the position of the pond, which is just outside the temple gate, indicating that the pond was not a part of the temple’s original design.Written November 13, 2015This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Kimitaka STaichung, Taiwan14,141 contributionsIt is a beautiful public library, which is found in a station building. There is a Starbucks coffee shop and TSUTAYA bookstore on the 1st floor. So, you can relax while taking a cup of coffee. Even if you don’t drink a coffee or buy a book, the entrance is free, as it is a public library. If you have a spare time for waiting for a train, it is an ideal place to go.Written March 30, 2020This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- tabigasuki08Iwakuni, Japan782 contributionsThis temple is only open on the 17th of each month. I didn't know that the first time I went and I thought it was permanently closed.
The temple is not just for ladies who are expecting, although a lot of them do come here to pray for healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. There is also an area in the back where pregnant ladies can hang handmade boobs. They write their wishes and hang them. Typically, they are wishing for good breast milk supply.
I also saw a lot of elderly people here. Some were rubbing the large stone on the right, as you enter the temple. My friend explained to me that people who have pain will rub the stone and then rub where they feel pain. If they have pain in their legs, they will rub the lower half of the stone and then rub their legs. If they have head pain, they will rub the upper part of the stone and then rub their head.
They also serve free rice and tea, which were really good.
There is parking, but this temple gets very busy since they are only open once per month.Written December 10, 2017This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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