Travel / Tourism Spots in Okayama Area

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Okayama
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Category

Travel / Tourism

Kurashiki City Art Museum

3.5

20 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Chuou 2-6-1

This art museum is located along Kurashiki Chuo-dori Street in Chuo, Kurashiki City. It is situated in the building of the former Kurashiki City Hall that was designed by the architect Tange Kenzo. Holding a collection centered on over 8,000 pieces by the Japanese painter Ikeda Yoson including those donated from the painter himself, the museum also holds events such as collection exhibits, temporary exhibits, art courses and gallery talks.

過去の展示をチェックしてもこれという展示はなかったが、ここに来た理由は丹下健三の設計だから。正面玄関よりも反対側に回ったほうがデザイン性が高い。中に入るとロビー空間はかなり広々している。訪問時は岡山ゆかりの作家「池田遥邨展」を開催していた。市立だからか入場料はやたら安い。でも東京なら都立でも区立でももう少し高いので、やはりここは安いと感じる。
Bisei Astronomical Observatory

4.5

13 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Ibarashi Biseichouokura 1723-70

This astronomical observatory is located in the Okura area of Bisei-cho, Ibara City. With a 101-centimeter reflecting telescope, you can observe astronomical objects without a reservation from Friday to Monday night. In addition, besides displaying a life-size reproduction of an ancient Chinese celestial position measuring instrument, scale model of the 101-centimeter reflecting telescope and a solar telescope, there is also a library and training room.

金曜日から、日曜日にかけて、夜色々な惑星等が口径101センチ望遠鏡で天体観測が出来ます。月曜日は休館日です。
Former Senkyo Jinjo Elementary School

4.0

28 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Maniwashi Nabeya 17-1

Former Senkyo Jinjo Elementary School is a historic building located along the Izumo Highway in Nabeya in the city of Maniwa. This wooden school building, constructed in 1907, has been designated a National Important Cultural Property as a representative example of school construction in the later Meiji period (1868–1912). Nowadays, it is open to the public as a facility of the cultural facility Kuse Espace Land, but it is also used as a location for filmmaking. There is also an event called Former Senkyo Jinjo Elementary School Nostalgic School Lunch.

I went here recently with a couple of friends. Its an interesting building--more than a hundred years old--that for most of its life was an elementary school. It has also been the set for a number...
Okayama City Museum

4.0

30 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Ekimotomachi 15-1

Okayama City Museum is located near the west exit of Okayama Station in Ekimotomachi, Kita Ward in the city of Okayama. The concept behind it is “to record, preserve, exhibit, and promote the history, present day, and glories of Okayama.” The permanent exhibit, “The History and Culture of Okayama,” displays materials about the natural environment as well as the history and culture of the city, and there are also time-limited exhibitions and art exhibitions.

JR岡山駅とはデッキで繋がっているビル内に有ります。戦国時代にこの地を支配した宇喜多直家・秀家の資料も展示されています。
Omizu-en Garden

3.5

31 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Okayama-shi Kita-ku Ashimori 803

This feudal lord garden was built on an estate belonging to the Kinoshita clan, which once ruled the area when it was known as Ashimori Domain. The garden is situated along the Ashimori River north on National Route 429 traveling from JR Ashimori Station. The garden is believed to have been created in the early 18th century. An excellent example of a Kobori Ensyu-style excursion garden built around a central pond, the garden has been designated a Place of Scenic Beauty by the prefecture. 5,500 square meters in size, two islands (Tsurushima and Kameshima) float in the pond, which is itself surrounded by maples and cherry trees. Each year around November the maples turn crimson, creating magnificent scenery. The area is also a great place for those interested in strolling amidst historical sites; the childhood home of Kinoshita Rigen and a samurai residence can be found nearby.

今迄有料のお庭と思っていたのですが、出入り自由のお庭でした。紅葉が綺麗と言うので行ってみました。紅葉の時期は11月20日前後あたりです。観光駐車場は狭いので、川原の方が広々と停められてお勧めです。
Roadside Station Awakurando

4.0

9 Reviews

Transportation

Okayama Pref. Aidagunnishiawakurason Kageishi 418

This roadside station is located along the Chizu Highway in the Kageishi area of Nishi-Awakura Village, Aida County. Including famous confectionary from Okayama and Tottori, it has stores that sell special products and handmade processed goods and a vegetable market. In the restaurant, they offer set meals, rice bowls, noodle dishes and desserts, as well as special menus for every season. In addition, there is also a snack corner with items such as the local burger “Awakura De Ai Burger.”

粟倉にある道の駅「あわくらんど」のおみやげ＋レストランがこちら。時間ではなかったので、食事はしていません。岡山と鳥取のおみやげと地場産品の野菜くだものがたくさんあります。わたしはなしとぶどうを買いました。おいしかった！
Takahashi Christian Church

3.5

27 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Takahashi-shi Kakinokicho 26

This church is a 15-minute walk from JR Takahashi station. Built in 1889, it is now the oldest church building in the prefecture, and is the second oldest protestant church in Japan after the chapel at Doshisha University. It stands out for its balcony and belfry on the roof, and is a designated prefectural historic site. It is free to enter, and you can tour any time between 9 am and 5 pm, except for Sunday mornings. Christian missionary work began in Takahashi in 1879, but took off in earnest in 1880, when construction began on this church. This was the congregation that nurtured Fukunishi Shigeko, who founded the prefecture's first women's college.

高梁の市街地を武家屋敷が続く通りを南に向かうと、頼久寺を過ぎて間もなく、紺屋川がありました。その紺屋川沿いに、こちらの教会、高梁基督教会堂が建っていました。このレトロでかわいい教会は、明治22年に建てられた岡山県最古の教会堂なんだそうです。キリスト教伝導の跡をたどることが出来るだけでなく、明治の洋風建築としても貴重な建物です。
Mt. Washu Observatory

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Kurashiki-shi Shimotsuitanoura

Located a ten-minute drive from the Kojima Interchange on the Seto Chuo Expressway. This observation platform is located near the summit of Mt. Washuzan, a National Place of Scenic Beauty and one of the well-known locations within the Setonaikai National Park. It's located two placese nearby both the Mt. Washuzan Rest House and the Mt. Washuzan Visitor's Center. From this popular viewing spot, sitting 133 meters above sea level, you can look out over the large and small islands in the Seto Inland Sea, the grand Seto Ohashi Bridge, and even as far as the opposite shore of Shikoku. The evening views are especially beautiful leading to this location being chosen as one of the Japan Sunset Best 100.
Mt. Washu Observatory (Kurashiki City Mt. Washu Visitors Center)

5.0

3 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Shimotsuitanoura 1-2

You’ll find this observation platform on Mt. Washu, one of the signature sights of Setonaikai National Park in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. It offers a sweeping view of Seto-ohashi Bridge that links Honshu and Shikoku, as well as the Seto Inland Sea and the many islands dotting the waters. The view at sunset is particularly stunning, and it has been chosen as one of Japan’s 100 Best Sunset Views. You can enjoy the scenery from the first observation platform at the Mt. Washu Visitors Center, the second observation platform at the Mt. Washu “Rest House,” or the summit 133 meters above sea level.

丘の上の1時間弱のハイキング、瀬戸内海と島々が眼前に広がる。美味しいコーヒーを豆からひいて入れてもらいました。人情のあるビジターセンターでした。また行きたい。
Kurashiki Archaeological Museum

4.0

23 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Chuou 1-3-13

This museum is in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter of Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture. It opened in 1950 in a renovated rice storehouse built in the Edo period. The building exterior is used as the background for stamps, posters, and location shoots, and it’s also a popular photo spot for tourists. Inside the building, you’ll find exhibits that focus on items excavated in the Kibi region and archaeological materials, covering from the Paleolithic period to the Muromachi period (1338-1573).

水路沿いにある博物館白い壁に瓦が張り付けられていて、白と黒のコントラストが良く綺麗な感じでした。展示物は古代の土器などが展示されていました。
Tsuyama Archives of Western Learning

4.0

19 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Tsuyama-shi Nishishinmachi 5

A 10-minute drive from the Tsuyama Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. This museum displays materials related to the scholars of the Tsuyama Domain who researched Western Learning from the fall of the Edo period throughout the Meiji and Taisho periods and used that learning to create the foundation of a modern nation. The permanent exhibit is split into three themes; Door to Science Hidden Within the Body, Eyes Open to the World, and Modernization of Japan and Western Scholars of Tsuyama, and will let you understand the progression of Tsuyama's Western Studies throughout the years. The exhibits also include a first edition of the Kaitai Shinso medical text and an elaborate wooden replica skeleton.

5角形の建物群が廊下で結ばれた立派な施設。予備知識なしで訪問したが、入り口すぐで観覧できるビデオでかなりの理解が深まった。岡山県北部のこの地は、江戸時代後期から明治初期にかけて、宇田川家・箕作家など優秀な洋学者を輩出したことがよくわかった。医学・薬学・化学の各分野の江戸時代の学究の進み方が理解でき、宇田川家や箕作家の寄与もよく理解できた。その子孫たちに大学教授など多くの有名な研究者がいたのはとても...
Joto's Old Townhouses

4.0

20 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Tsuyama-shi Higashishinmachi 40

A 10-minute drive from the Tsuyama Interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. A townhouse from the late Edo period townhouses located in the Joto Townscape Preservation District. This is the former residence of the Kajimura family who as the Fudamoto (present day banks) issued the Hansatsu script (Currency that could oldy be used within the domain) on order of the Tsuyama Domain. With the main building having been built during the late Edo period, the west-side room during the Meiji period, the western-style two-story building to the north during the Taisho period, and the storehouse during the early Showa period, how lifestyles changed with the ages is well preserved with the residence. The house is a registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan and the garden is a Registered Monument of Japan. There is no charge to tour the house.

The township of Tsuyama in the feudal area was composed of three districts. The samurai residence area on the west (Jousai district) the merchant area in the south where area names such as...
Sasaune Kodo

4.5

18 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Takahashi-shi Nariwacho Fukiya 1987

This facility is about a 40-minute drive from Nimi Interchange off the Chugoku Expressway. Inside Fukiya Furusato Village, it reconstructs a mine that flourished from the Edo through the Taisho periods, and allows tours of the mineshaft. The air is naturally cooled to 15 degrees centigrade year-round. The mine was managed by Mitsubishi Metals from the Meiji period onward, and was known as one of the three largest in Japan. Even now, it's surrounded by the old townscape, including the Bengara-kan and Old Katayama House. It's perfect to step back in time and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Fukiya's townscape, potter's houses, and more.

平安初期に発見され、明治期には近代的な採掘方法を取り入れ随分と繁栄しました。現在は観光用として受け入れています。中は細い道筋、高さも低いので出来るなら入口で貸し出しているヘルメットを着けた方が良いですよ。
Bicchu Tamashima Entsuji Temple

4.0

19 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Kurashiki-shi Tamashimakashiwajima 451

A 15-minute drive from the Tamashima Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway. A famous temple of Soto Sect Buddhism known as the place where monk and poet Ryokan trained during his younger days in the mid-Edo period. The temple is situated atop a small hill and on the grounds you'll find a zen garden, and stately temple buildings with thatched roofs including the Ryokan-do Hall, and the Zazen-do Hall. The area is also known as Entsuji Temple Park and you can enjoy beautiful flowers throughout the seasons including cherry blossoms and azaleas. When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, they hold the Ryokan Tea Festival celebrating the virtues of Ryokan. In the fall they hold the Ryokan Festival which includes a children's sketch competition, tea ceremonies, and dedications of song and dance.

絢爛豪華な寺院を想像していましたが、むき出しの岩肌の上に茅葺のこじんまりとした本堂。自然石を利用した石庭。逆に江戸時代にタイムスリップした感覚にもなる境内一円。良寛さんのイメージにピッタリのお寺でした。
Ushimado Marine Culture Museum

3.5

11 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Setouchi-shi Ushimadocho Ushimado 3056

Located a 15-minute drive from the Oku Interchange on the Okayama Blue Line. A museum with exhibits showing the boat shaped portable shrines used in the Autumn Festival and materials related to the Korean delegation to Japan during the Edo period when they made port in Ushimado. The museum uses the former Ushimado Police Headquarters (a Registered Cultural Property of Japan) known for its white walls and stained glass in the entranceway. The giant Japanese sago palm tree outside the entrance is estimated to be over 150 years old. The boat shaped floats with beautifully carved and detailed dragon head are registered as Important Tangible Ethnic Cultural Properties of the Prefecture and there are two on display here in the museum.

元々は明治20年に建てられた岡山県警西大寺警察署の分署として建てられ、その後昭和52年まで牛窓警察署だった建物です。かなり趣きのある建物で、前には大きなソテツの木が植えられています。今は、江戸時代に立ち寄った朝鮮通信使と牛窓のだんじりに関する資料が展示されています。
Kojima Jeans Street

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Kojimajino

This specialty street is located approximately a 15-minute walk from Kojima Station on the JR Seto-Ohashi Line. The birthplace of jeans production in Japan, there are many Kojima jeans makers centered on the Ajino Shopping Street with its retro atmosphere, and it is appealing for the many unique jean products. In addition, in the 400 meters from in front of the former Nozaki family residence to Ajino No. 2 Park, the asphalt is paved in blue, and the charm of jeans is scattered everywhere around the place called the holy place of jeans.
Isonokami Futsumitama-jinja Shrine

4.0

9 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Akaiwashi Ishikami 1448

This shrine is located in Ishikami, Akaiwa City. Besides being dedicated to Susanoo no Mikoto (Shinto god of the sea and storms), it also enshrines the sword the god used to vanquish Yamato no Orochi (legendary eight-headed and eight-tailed dragon) as an object of worship. The main shrine is located on the summit of the mountain behind the shrine.

明治時代まではスサノオがヤマタノオロチを退治したときに用いた剣「天羽々斬剣（あめのはばきりのつるぎ）」がご神体だったという。変わった神社名だが、この剣は「布都斯魂剣（ふつしみたまのつるぎ）」と呼ばれることもあるから、これが起源かもしれない。さらに天羽々斬剣は最古の神宮とされる石上神宮（奈良県天理市）に移されており、「石上」の名も何か共通項がありそうだ。場所は自動車でなければ参拝が難しい山中だ。さ...
Life Park Kurashiki Science Center

4.5

14 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Fukudachou Koshinden 940

Life Park Kurashiki Science Center is a multipurpose facility located in Koshinden, Fukuda-cho in the city of Kurashiki, just north of Mizushima Ryokuchi Fukuda Park. Kurashiki Science Center contains a planetarium that projects images of the entire sky, while the Kurashiki Archeological Center collects and exhibits artifacts dug up in the city. The Kurashiki Civic Learning Center is used for public lectures, while the Kurashiki Information and Learning Center and the Kurashiki Education Center offer classes and training in various fields.

プラネタリウムがリニューアルをしたそうで、かなり集客アップしていると新聞で読みました。入場料が500円にアップしていますが、65歳以上は無料とのこと。新しくなって見ごたえがあると友人とその孫が言ってました。私たちは4月に一度行きましたが、月曜日は休館日でした。平日は、午後の上映しかしていないようなので、次回はきちんと調べてから伺います。
Okayama Kinshu Kaikan

3.5

17 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Okayama-shi Kita-ku Marunouchi 1-1-15

This wooden, western-style building was built in 1923. It was originally built as a temperance center, to help rehabilitate those whose lives had been damaged by alcohol. It was used in a variety of temperance related activities. Despite its wooden structure, it survived the bombing of Okayama, and is now a registered Cultural Property with the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The first floor is a religious bookstore and a retro cafe. The second floor and third floor hold rental offices and meeting rooms.

There is a retro building beside Nishite Yagura scaffold. This used to be an office of anti-smoking movement. It was built in Taisho Time, about 100 years ago. Now it is a coffee shop.
Shingon Sect Bekkaku Honzan Yugasan Rendaiji Temple

4.0

16 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Kojimayuga 2855

This temple is located in the Kojima Yuga area of Kurashiki City. It was built in 733 by Gyoki with the 11-headed Kanzeon Bodhisattva as its principal image. It is believed to by the sacred mountain for the mixing of Buddhism and Shinto that is adjacent to the Yugasan Shrine known as the head temple for warding off evil.

躁本殿に日本一とか書かれた厄除け大不動が鎮座しています。大きさと、ギラギラ輝く背後の火炎に圧倒されます。宝物館では円山応挙の絵を含め、多くの襖絵や壁絵が展示されています。飾られた生け花も見事です。

Okayama City / Around Korakuen Kurashiki Tamano Around Bizen and Ushimado Kibiji Takahashi / Fukiya Hiruzen Highland / Tsuyama / Mimasaka Three Hot Springs Ibara / Kasaoka

Travel / Tourism

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Okayama Areas

Overshadowed by Hiroshima to the west and the Kansai region to the east, Okayama is an easy spot to miss but a nature-rich gem where the Seto Inland Sea laps at its toes and peach and grape farms complete its interior. One of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, Koraku-en in Okayama city is well worth a visit before progressing to Kurashiki, where preserved wooden Edo buildings line the picturesque canal.