Shikama

Shikama is a harbour on the coast of Harima, at the mouth of the Noda River. Its name appears in the ancient poetry of the Man'yōshū, and its sheltered anchorage later became Himeji's gateway to the Inland Sea. In the Edo period, boats connected the port with Himeji Castle, while roads led inland toward the mines of Ikuno. Coastal merchant ships also called here, bringing Shikama into the lively exchange of the Inland Sea.