On February 13, 2005, Shimonoseki City and four neighboring towns in Toyoura County - Kikugawa, Toyota, Houhoku and Toyoura - will merge as part of the so-called "Heisei no Daigappei" or "Great Municipal Merger Movement of the Heisei Era", which is currently being promoted by the Government on a nation-wide scale.

As a result, Shimonoseki City will be treated as "Core City", the only one in Yamaguchi Prefecture, with a population over 300,000, and quite a lot of administrative power will be delegated to it. We expect to see improvements in administrative services and financial management of the city.

One of the things we are looking forward to is the license plates of private cars will bear the name "Shimonoseki" (instead of "Yamaguchi") from now on.

Anyway, from the current Shimonoseki City side, a rich natural environment will spread to the northeast, and we will be able to enjoy the blessings of this nature together, more easily.

I'll take a brief look at each town from a tourism perspective.

Let's start with Toyoura and Houhoku Towns, which are adjacent to Shimonoseki City to the north. "Toyoura" stands for "Rich Coast" and "Houhoku" "North Toyoura". As you drive along the Nagato Blue Line, a national highway facing the beautiful and calm Japan Sea, you will understand why it was given this name.

All the sandy beaches that can be seen are crowded with people bathing at the beach in summer, and the beautiful small islands floating in the sea, especially Tsunoshima in Toyokita Town, can be visited by land by a new bridge.

Along the mountains, there are many famous hot springs, such as Kawatana Onsen and Okawachi Onsen. Shimonoseki Golf Club, one of Japan's most prestigious golf courses, is located near Kawatana Onsen, and has been mentioned several times as the site of the "Kyokuyo Open."

Next, Kikugawa and Toyota Towns, located east of Shimonoseki. Shimonoseki has a strong image of the sea, but thanks to these two towns, Shimonoseki City after the merger can become a city that combines both mountains and sea.

In a word, it is a villages of lakes and fresh water. The fresh water from Lake Toyota creates a ideal habitat for fireflies, nurtures the wildlife in the neighborhood. Campgrounds and nature parks are scattered throughout the area, making the place a great gateway for outdoor enthusiasts.

Toyota Lake Golf Club is popular as mountain course. After playing there, many people stay overnight at the nearby Toyota, Araki or Ichinomata hotspring, before returning home.

I could go on and on about the charms of these four towns, but I'll leave it at that for now. See you!

[Photo & Text by Singer-song-webmaster T. Miyoshi. 2005/01/25]