Kōraku-en in Okayama is one of the three great gardens of Japan. It was completed in 1700 by the local lord Ikeda Tsunamasa. Its wide lawns, ponds, streams, tea houses and a small hill create views that change as visitors walk. It also has rice fields and a tea plantation. Okayama Castle can be seen across the river.

Okayama Castle was built in 1597 by Ukita Hideie. Its keep is painted black, giving it the nickname Crow Castle. The original keep was destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt in concrete in 1966. It stands beside the Asahi River, opposite Kōraku-en garden, with which it forms a famous view.

The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is the old merchant district of Kurashiki, which grew rich from rice trading in the Edo period. Willow trees line a canal with old white-walled warehouses and wooden merchant houses. Many now hold museums, including the Ōhara Museum of Art, Japan's first museum of Western art, opened in 1930. Boats glide along the canal.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, is the ruin of the city's Industrial Promotion Hall. On 6 August 1945, the atomic bomb exploded almost directly above it, and it was one of the few buildings left standing near the hypocentre. Its skeleton has been preserved as a symbol of peace. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park lies near the centre of the atomic bomb blast of 6 August 1945. It was designed by Kenzō Tange and opened in 1954. The Cenotaph frames a view of the Flame of Peace and the Atomic Bomb Dome. The Peace Memorial Museum tells the story of the bombing and its victims. The Children's Peace Monument is covered with paper cranes.

Hiroshima Castle was built in the 1590s by the warlord Mōri Terumoto. Its keep was destroyed by the atomic bomb in 1945 and rebuilt in 1958, now holding a museum on samurai culture and the city's history. The castle is surrounded by a wide moat and grounds with a shrine. It is often called the Carp Castle.

Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima is famous for its great red torii gate, which appears to float on the sea at high tide. The shrine was established in its present form in 1168. Its halls are built on piers over the water. Wild deer roam the island, and a ropeway climbs Mount Misen. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Kintai Bridge in Iwakuni was first built in 1673 over the Nishiki River. Its five wooden arches rest on stone piers, a design meant to resist floods. The present bridge is a faithful reconstruction completed in 1953. It is especially beautiful with cherry blossoms in spring. Iwakuni Castle stands on the mountain above it.

Motonosumi Shrine is in Nagato on the Sea of Japan coast of Yamaguchi. It was founded in 1955. It is famous for its 123 red torii gates running down a green hillside to the sea cliffs. At the top is an offering box set high on a torii, which visitors try to throw coins into. The blue sea makes a striking contrast.

Izumo Taisha in Shimane is one of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines in Japan. It is dedicated to Ōkuninushi, the god of good relationships and marriage. Its main hall is the largest of its kind, and the Kagura-den hall is famous for its huge shimenawa straw rope, weighing about five tonnes. In October gods from all Japan are said to gather here.

Matsue Castle in Shimane was completed in 1611 and is one of only twelve original castle keeps in Japan and a National Treasure. Its dark keep stands on a hill near Lake Shinji, surrounded by moats. Boat tours circle the castle moat. The samurai residences and the former home of the writer Lafcadio Hearn are nearby.

The Tottori Sand Dunes stretch about 16 kilometres along the Sea of Japan coast in Tottori. They are the largest dunes in Japan, some rising about 50 metres. Visitors can ride camels, try sandboarding and paragliding, and see wind patterns on the sand. The Sand Museum nearby displays huge sand sculptures.