The map of Japan is full of intriguing holes and fissures, provincial areas that are not perhaps terrae incognitae in the strictest sense, but are nevertheless puzzlingly overlooked by visitors. Preserved by neglect, they are often proximate to better-known locales that sap the will of visitors to press on further.
The old samurai town of Chofu, just 8 km from Shimonoseki in Honshu's most southwesterly prefecture of Yamaguchi, is one such place. The route map of tourism takes most people as far as the port city famed (or infamous) as the birthpace of modern Japanese whaling. From there, having satisfied themselves inspecting the brick and stone buildings of Karato, including the former British consulate and a row of old gun emplacements — and having made the customary stop at a fugu restaurant — they are likely to resume itineraries that will take them to spots such as Hagi and Tsuwano.
It was a weekend and the weather was fine when I stepped off the bus from Shimonoseki to Chofu. With hardly a soul in sight, the visitors I did meet all greeted me with the warmth reserved for long lost friends, or hikers lost on a remote mountain or forest trail. While this is a blessing for those who go, it leaves a residual feeling of sadness that such a deserving destination should be so undervalued.