Last Updated: Oct 6, 2024
Yamaguchi’s City of Hagi
The Castle Town of the Mori Clan
One period of Japanese history that has always fascinated me is the unraveling of the Tokugawa shogunate’s hegemony during the mid-1800s. Known now as the Bakumatsu, this historical arc contains so much action that it would be difficult to even begin to summarize (instead, I’ll just direct you here). As those who know their Japanese history will already be aware, one key player during this era was the Mori clan, and even today, you can explore their former home base of Hagi on the Sea of Japan side of Yamaguchi Prefecture. As you’ll soon see, this locale is the perfect hidden gem and strikes an unbeatable balance between cultural significance and countryside charm.
Before we get into why Hagi is such a great destination, I first want to take a second and detail the backstory of the Mori clan, as understanding their role in history is important to truly appreciating Hagi. Essentially, the Mori clan originally rose to prominence during the Warring States period (1467-1603) as one of the most powerful samurai families in western Japan. They gained control over much of the region and were instrumental in supporting the unification of Japan under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However, after the decisive Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the clan was stripped of most of…
