Onomichi · Senkoji Temple and Cat Alley

If you want to overlook the entire city of Onomichi, Senkoji Temple is the best spot. The observation deck here is also very creative, with one half spiraling upwards and the other half going straight up and down. You can choose the path you prefer. The view from here is absolutely stunning in the summer. The photos taken under the blue sky and white clouds turn out very well. As for Senkoji Temple itself, I only took pictures of two places: one is this pile of little monks in the temple, which seems to be where people buy little monk statues to make wishes, and the other is the large Kannon statue. It appears that the main deity worshipped at Senkoji Temple is Kannon. Halfway down the mountain, there is the famous Cat Alley. This path initially had lucky cat stones placed along it, and it gradually evolved into a path filled with lucky cat stones, hence the name Cat Alley. However, this path is actually quite dilapidated because the surrounding houses seem uninhabited, and many are almost ruins. Although Cat Alley is named after the lucky cat stones, there are actually real cats living here. Today, I encountered three of them, plus one more at the top of the mountain, making a total of four. Onomichi itself is also a city of cats, and if the weather isn't too hot, the chances of encountering cats on the mountain are higher. Senkoji Temple is about a 15-minute walk from Onomichi Station towards the shopping street. You can choose to take the cable car up or walk up. A one-way ticket costs 500 yen, and a round trip costs 700 yen. I personally recommend taking the cable car up and walking down, so you can also explore Cat Alley on the way down. Additionally, there are few shades on the mountain in summer, so make sure to take sun protection measures.