The shoreline of Yamaguchi prefecture’s western area is dotted with famous locations that fit perfectly with the image of “the farthest land”.

For example, the photograph below is from Bisha-no-hana. When you walk around 500 meters along a trail stretching towards the shore from the parking area, suddenly the view opens up and you reach this open space.

At the very tip of the area there is a lighthouse-shaped monument with “Honshu Saiseitan no Chi” (The Westernmost Land of Honshu) written on it. Along with an information signboard, and there is also a viewing deck behind the monument. That’s right, this is the westernmost tip of Honshu!

This is the view from the viewing deck! The scenery at the westernmost tip of Honshu.

There are several islands floating in the offing, but otherwise there are no obstructions, and the ocean spreads in all directions.

There are no strangely shaped rocks or anything to draw the eye… it is even a slightly lonely place, but that’s what gives the feeling of having come to the “furthest end”.

This is the view from the north side of Bisha-no-hana. The cliffs continue on, but actually there is another place where you can experience being at “the land at the furthest end”.

That place is Kottoi lighthouse! Standing at a location around 30 kilometers to the north of Bisha-no-hana, it’s short, stubby but cute, right?

Legally speaking, Kottoi lighthouse is one of the reference points for defining the ocean area of Seto Inland Sea. The southern side of the line from Toorosemisaki, located at Tsunoshima, to this lighthouse is defined as the Seto Inland Sea – A wide area!

In other words, Kottoi lighthouse is still “the northernmost lighthouse of the Seto Inland Sea”.
“To imagine that a small lighthouse standing all by itself is a reference point according to the law…” That also adds to the feeling of being at “the furthest end”.

Also, there’s a huge tree, which is purported to be over 1000-years old nearby Bisha-no-hana.

The tree is named Kawatana-no-Kusu-no-Mori. Although it’s a single tree, it looks like a forest, which is why it was named in this way (‘mori’ = ‘forest’). The tree is 27 meters tall, and its branches stretch 58 meters from east to west, and 53 meters from south to north.

If you look up from its roots, the tree has an overwhelming impact!
The tree trunk’s circumference is 11 meters! I was awestruck by its overflowing vitality!

An object of worship for the local residents, Kusu-no-mori Shrine is located nearby. This also adds to the mystical spot of the furthest land!