Shinjo (Okayama)

Shinjo was one of the stops along the Izumo Pilgrimage Route (Izumo Kaido) that connected Himeji to Izumo where people would visit Izumo Shrine. The Shinjo-juku, also known as the Kishiro-tei (木代邸) is the former wakihonjin used during the Edo Period. Daimyo from Matsue once stayed here.

The museum building is a historic site, built as a residence during the Edo Period. It houses objects and artifacts from the town with displays about its history. Because the town is small and does not get a lot of tourists, reservations (which can be made by phone) are necessary to enter.

Shinjo is most known for its cherry blossoms, the Gaisen cherry blossoms that align its historic street. These are some of the latest-blooming cherry blossoms in the region blooming around mid-April. The cherry blossoms were planted here in 1905 after Japan's victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, so they are aptly named gaisen-zakura, Triumphant Cherry Blossoms.

A mountain popular for hiking, nature, and pure water. It is known for its beech forest and Asian fawnlilies. From the summit, you can see Mount Daisen and the Hiruzen Highlands.