Senkoji Park 千光寺公園

To get the best possible view of Senkoji Park, head to the summit of Mt. Senkoji. For those not wishing to hike, there is a quaint ropeway or cable car that gently whisks you to the top. Senkoji Temple is also on the mountain, a short way from the summit.

The 361-meter ride offers amazing views, and although it is popular all year, peak season is in the spring, which coincides with the blooming of cherry blossoms on the 1,500 trees in the park.

To get to Senkoji Park, walk or taxi to the ropeway station at the foot of the mountain.

Take the Shinkansen train from Hiroshima Station to Fukuyama Station. Switch to the JR Sanyo Line to Onomichi Station. A pleasant walk to the park from the station takes around 20 minutes.

One of the most popular attractions is the Path of Literature, which contains stones engraved with the musings of famous poets and authors. There are 25 monuments to these amazing writers, including Hayashi Fumiko, Matsuo Basho, and Shiga Naoya.

Nobuhiko Obayashi, a director born in the city in 1938 with about 40 directorial credits to his name, is a local hero in Onomichi . Many of his films have featured landmarks from his hometown, and diehard fans have set up pilgrimages to visit the shrines and temples featured in his work.