Tomonoura and Sensuijima Island: Discover the “Ponyo” Ghibli Film Location and Powerful Spiritual Spots

Summary

This time, I visited Tomonoura, the setting of Ghibli’s “Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea,” and Sensuijima Island, an island so beautiful that even hermits get drunk on it, which is located five minutes away by boat.Explore the harbor and nostalgic streets with a touch of history, and feel the mystery of nature ✨ We had a fulfilling outing while spending time in a relaxed and leisurely manner. We hope you will find it useful!

*Please note that information and prices listed are subject to change.

Travel Itinerary

10:00am Fukuyama Station（福山駅）

This trip starts from Fukuyama Station in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture ✨

No.5 bus stop

From here, take the bus to Tomo Port.

Thomotetsu bass

The Tomotetsu Bus is the only bus from Fukuyama Station to Tomonoura.

Scenery from the train window

Scenery from the train window

Fukuyama Station is located in Sannomaru-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Fukuyama Station is also home to the Sun Station Terrace Fukuyama commercial facility, where visitors can enjoy shopping and dining. Fukuyama Castle is also located near Fukuyama Station and can be seen as soon as you exit the ticket gates. Fukuyama Station is also convenient for transportation, as the Nozomi, Mizuho, and Sakura Shinkansen bullet trains stop there. It takes about 220 minutes directly from Tokyo. Fukuyama Station is often used as a sightseeing and transportation hub for many people.

Tomo Port Bus Stop（鞆港 バス停）

Located 30 minutes by bus from Fukuyama Station. Tomonoura is also famous for its many cats, and we were greeted by a cute cat at the Tomo Port bus stop.

The Tomo Port Bus Stop is located in Tomo-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, about 30 minutes by bus from Fukuyama Station. Tomonoura is also known as a town with many cats, and the bus stop has been transformed into a cat. It is one of the works of the contemporary art festival “Tomonoura de ART” and was designed by students of Fukuyama University.

10:30am Tomonoura（鞆の浦）

Tomonoura is said to be the setting of the Ghibli film “Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea”. The entire town is enveloped in some nostalgia, and the scenery of the port town is healing itself.

Nostalgic townscape

A path full of emotion

A pleasant stroll.

Tomonoura, located in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is one of the most scenic spots in the Seto Inland Sea. Famous as the setting for the Ghibli film “Ponyo on a Cliff by the Sea,” the nostalgic atmosphere of the port town is a healing space. Known as the “Tide Waiting Port” that flourished in the Edo period, the town has preserved its Endless night light, temples and shrines, and town houses.

Otake juutaku（大田家住宅）

A group of valuable buildings of historical value designated as national important cultural properties. The Tomonoura Sake Brewery is the birthplace of Tomonoura’s specialty, Homeishu, also known as “Yomeishu in the Seto Inland Sea,” and the brewing and storage facilities have been beautifully preserved.

Experience the appearance of a sake brewery

The merchant house, a symbol of the wealthy merchants who made their fortune in the Edo period (1603-1868) through the sale of sake, remains as it was in those days.

Designated as Important Cultural Property

The Otake juutaku is a historical building located at Tomo-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It has been the brewery of Homeishu, a medicinal sake produced in Tomonoura since the Edo period, and was designated as a National Important Cultural Property in 1991.

10:45am Endless night light（常夜燈）

A Endless night light is a light that stays on all night. It is a whopping 5.5 meters high.It is the largest nightlight in Japan for a harbor because it is more than 10 meters long, including underwater ✨

It can be seen from the Otake juutaku residence toward the sea.

Standing on the south side of the gangi (Stairs on the pier or bank) on the west side of Tomonoura Port, the “Endless night light” is the symbol of Tomonoura. It is 5.5 meters high and more than 10 meters if the underwater Including the base masonry is included. It is the best existing Endless Night Light at a port in Japan.

Sasayaki bashi Bridge（ささやき橋）

The shortest bridge in Japan. It was such a short stone bridge that you might pass by it without noticing.

The Sasayaki bashi Bridge (Whispering Bridge) is a stone bridge located in Ushiroji, Tomo-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. It is called “Sasayaki bashi Bridge” because of the sad love story of Takenouchi Omiwatari and Enoura, and the legend that whispers can be heard at the foot of this bridge.

11:00am Fuzenji Temple, Taichoro（福禅寺 対潮楼）

The temple was built around 1690. This is the place where Ryoma Sakamoto and other members of the Kaientai and the Kishu Clan actually held talks during the “Irohamaru Incident”. From the tatami room, you can enjoy the wonderful scenery of Tomonoura, which has never changed since the Edo period and has attracted many people.

Where we’re headed now

arrival

We will continue on this road.

View from the tatami room

A panoramic view of the beautiful Tomonoura ✨

Sensuijima and Bentenjima in the shimmering Seto Inland Sea are also visible.

Exhibit about Taichoro

In the adjacent Ozashiki, visitors can enjoy the scenery while learning about the historical background, including an exhibition about the Taichoro.

Also in the opening of “Sazae-san (Japanese anime)”!

Fukuzenji Temple, located in Tomo-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is a temple designated as a national historic site. The “Taichoro,” adjacent to the main hall, was built around 1690 as a guest house for Fukuzenji, a temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. From the tatami room, visitors can enjoy a splendid view of Tomonoura, including Sensuijima and Bentenjima in the Seto Inland Sea.

12:30pm Chitose（千とせ）

Tomonoura is famous for sea bream, so we enjoyed sea bream dishes.We had the choice of the sea bream set meal of sashimi, simmered, grilled and salted sea bream, as well as a single dish of sea bream tempura.The rice was very tasty tai meshi with a good soup stock, and the soup also contained fragrant sea bream that had been grilled once, making it a very satisfying dish full of sea bream ✨

Exterior

Menu

Chitose, located in Tomo-machi, Fukuyama City, is a famous local restaurant in Tomonoura, and is so popular that it is fully booked at lunchtime, even on weekdays. In the restaurant, you can taste local fish dishes including Tomonoura’s famous sea bream dishes.

Fukuyama City Ferry（福山市営渡船場）

We arrived at the ferry terminal for Sensuijima. It seems that it takes only 5 minutes to get to Sensuijima from here.

The boats seem to leave every 20 minutes!

Purchase tickets at the ticketing machine

Adult round-trip per person/240 yen

The “Fukuyama Municipal Ferry Terminal” located in Tomo-cho Ushiroji, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is used as a ferry terminal for Sensuijima. The boat ride to Sensuijima takes about 5 minutes. During the daytime, the boats run three times an hour.

Heisei Iroha Maru（平成いろは丸）

This ferry is modeled after the “Iroha Maru,” on which the Kaientai, led by Ryoma Sakamoto, who was active at the end of the Edo period, boarded.

Retro atmosphere on board

Found a picture of Ryoma Sakamoto!

Lots to see ✨

There is also an introductory panel and a commemorative photo corner as a place associated with Ryoma.

inboard

You can go outside.

You can stay in the bow.

trip by boat

The Heisei Iroha Maru, located in Tomo-machi, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is a ferry modeled after the Iroha Maru on which the Kaientai, led by Ryoma Sakamoto, sailed at the end of the Edo period. Inside the ship, there are panels introducing the ship as a place associated with Ryoma, a commemorative photo corner, and a corner where children can touch and enjoy themselves.

Fukuyama City Sensuijima Boat Terminal（福山市営・仙酔島乗船場）

Arrival at Sensuijima! This is the boat stop on the Sensuijima side of the island.

timetable

Boats leave every 20 minutes.

Fukuyama City Sensuijima Boat Terminal is located in Tomo-cho Ushiroji, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, and is used as a boat boarding site. The boat ride from Sensuijima to Tomo takes about 5 minutes. The fare is 240 yen round trip.

2:00pm Sensuijima Island（仙酔島）

Sensuijima, which means “an island so beautiful that even hermits get drunk,” is one of the most beautiful islands in Tomonoura, along with Bentenjima, as its name implies.

Arrival at Sensuijima

Sensuijima MAP

The island was the model for a commemorative postage stamp and was described on the map as a “mystical island” as an energy spot for the earth ✨ How wonderful that the island itself is a power spot! It would be good to check out the spots and attractions of the entire island.

Tunnel of rock

A short walk after getting off the boat is a tunnel of rocks. It is the entrance to a power spot✨

Sensuijima Island, located in Tomonoura in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is said to have been named after a legend that a hermit lived on the island and that the island was “so beautiful that a hermit would get drunk. On the island, there are lodging facilities, swimming beaches, campgrounds, and two types of hiking trails, and there is plenty to see and do everywhere.

Ryujinbashi Bridge（龍神橋）

The bridge is said to grant only one wish. Before crossing the bridge, close your eyes and exhale loudly, hold your breath so as not to wake the dragon god on the bridge, cross quietly and gently, and make only one wish at the end of the crossing.

Where you can ride on the back of a dragon

The Ryujinbashi Bridge, located in Tomochi Gochi, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, is a popular power spot where visitors can ride on the back of a dragon. It is believed that if you cross the bridge quietly, holding your breath so as not to wake the dragon god, and make a wish on the triangular stones, which are said to be the scales of a dragon, at the end of the crossing, your wish will be granted.

Gozenyama Observatory（Gozenyama）

You can enjoy the view of Bentenjima and the Tomonoura townscape.This observatory is the closest to the ferry terminal and the most easily accessible of all the observatories on Sensuijima Island!

Passing under the Ryujinbashi Bridge

Discover the sign

arrival

View from the observatory

Gozenyama Observatory is an observatory located in Ushiroji, Tomo-cho, Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. From here, you can see Bentenjima and the town of Tomonoura, and the view is so beautiful that you may lose track of time. Another attraction of the observatory is that it is the closest and most easily accessible of all the observatories on Sensuijima from the ferry terminal.

5:00pm Fukuyama Municipal Sensuijima Boat Terminal（福山市営・仙酔島乗船場）

On the way back, take the Heisei Iroha Maru back to the Fukuyama Municipal Ferry Terminal and return to Fukuyama Station.

The ocean is a very beautiful area, so please visit!

Watch the video