Last updated: May 5, 2024

The Townscape of Mitarai

A Historic Preservation Area

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

For the past year, I’ve been working with the Setouchi DMO to help promote the region internationally via the press and on social media. Over the many moons that we’ve collaborated together, I’ve learned a great deal about this amazing part of Japan. Looking back at my original feature on Setouchi, I am embarrassed to say that my introductory guide omits oh so many places. Today, I’d like to introduce you to one such place, the historic townscape of Mitarai.

If you haven’t heard about Mitarai before, know that you are likely not alone. I mean, even I only learned about this hidden gem due to my ongoing work with the Setouchi DMO. Situated far out on the Seto Inland Sea at the end of a long chain of islands, Mitarai is a town that’s frozen in time. In the days of yesteryear, it was a flourishing port town where travelers would need to stay and wait for more favorable tides. To accommodate the influx of visitors, the grid-like townscape intermixes lodgings, residences, and tea houses.

Now, getting to Mitarai isn’t exactly easy. I’ll cover the logistics in a second but first know that one of the main reasons why you should consider visiting is that the town is exemplary for understanding Setouchi. Like with the more well-known Tomonoura…