I'll be blunt. Nagato is pretty.

It is, but I didn't see too much of it. Hiroki and Kiyoka, who I saw just a few days ago, took me to eat at a picturesque restaurant. Neighboring Hagi, Nagato is most famous for its beaches (such as O-hama) but the restaurant, wonderfully named Totoroi no mori. I'm not sure if it has any relation to the Miyazaki film. However, the restaurant was closed. I got some good pictures and we had dinner at a chanpon place halfway between Nagato and Ube. The place we ended up eating at had a wonderful country atmosphere, family run and regulars eating in the corner and reading comic books. We ate a lot, sweat off the heat of the soup and returned in good spirits -- the plan changed but the day was well spent.