One could be fooled into thinking Onomichi was an island, where the ocean air whisps about the often deserted streets and the locals thrive from eclectic arts and hospitality industries. That would all be true, except the island part.
Literally translated as "tail road," Onomichi is just that. Tucked into a coastal nook of the Seto Inland Sea (about halfway between Okayama and Hiroshima city), it is the point where the body of Honshu whips up its tail, curving away from the sameness of the rest of Japan in one short, playful wag.
At the same time it remains something of a relic; a throwback to an imagined yesteryear, where the the town festivals still mean something to the average child. From the moment you step off the train, a gentle nostalgia tugs at you.