Yamaguchi rushes to prepare for tourists after New York Times pick

The city of Yamaguchi is scrambling to prepare for an anticipated influx of tourists after it was selected by The New York Times as one of the “52 Places to Go in 2024.”

The newspaper said Yamaguchi is a “compact city” that offers “an assortment of experiences,” referencing a pottery kiln on the grounds of Toshunji temple, chic and old-style coffee shops, and shops that serve oden hot-pot dishes, as well as a nearby hot spring area. It also praised the “stunning” five-story pagoda at Rurikoji temple, which has been designated a national treasure by the government.

“It describes my daily life,” Yamaguchi Mayor Kazuki Ito said of the newspaper’s depiction of the city. “It recognized the advantage of a regional city as a focus point.”