Culture / Tour Spots in Okayama Area

Area

Okayama
- Japan
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  Kagoshima
  
  Okinawa

Category

Leisure / Hobbies

Culture / Tour

Ohara Museum of Art

4.5

721 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Chuou 1-1-15

Located in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, this museum was Japan’s first private museum dedicated to Western art. The museum was built by Kurashiki industrialist Magosaburo Ohara in 1930. The Main Gallery, styled like a Greek temple, remains as it looked when the museum first opened. Inside, works by master Western painters such as Cezanne, Degas, and Renoir are on display. Several gallery concerts are held each year, a tradition which began in 1950.

Definitely recommend this as a part of a day Trip to Kurashiki /this small and elegant museum privately owned showcases some of the icon>c. Artisists of the early to m>d. 20th century. Picasso Dali...
Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum

4.5

43 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Setouchishi Osafunechouosafune 966

This Japanese sword museum is located in the Osafune area of Osafune-cho, Setouchi City. It exhibits Japanese swords with various themes including Bizen swords from Osafune, an area that had long flourished as a Japanese sword production area. In addition, there is also a Japanese sword workshop on the premises, and besides being able to see how Japanese swords are made, you can make reservations to experience making paper knives and small knives, and also lectures to learn how to care for Japanese swords.

A couple of days ago we went to Okayama to visit friends and they very kindly took us to the village as they knew I was interested in Japanese swords and history. It was a marvellous experience, we...
Tsuyama Railroad Educational Museum

4.0

64 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Tsuyamashi Otani

This museum is located in Otani, Tsuyama City. Built in 1936 in Tsuyama Station, centering on the former Tsuyama Depot roundhouse that would be the second largest among those that exist in Japan today, it displays dioramas and various train exhibits about diesel multiple units and diesel locomotives.

年少の子供といきました。結果大満足！全体的にコンパクトにまとまった展示は子供からしたらちょうどいいサイズのようでした。正直あまり期待せずにいきましたが子供が鉄道を自然に学べる仕掛けがあり、切り替えのスイッチにハマり何度も順番待ちをして繰り返し遊んでいました。作りがとても良く大人から見ても楽しい展示でした。また近くの路線を走る電車を眺めていたらちょうど電車が来たのですが、運転手さんが手を振替して...
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art

4.0

64 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Tenjinchou 8-48

"Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art is located along Prefectural Route 400 in Tenjin-cho, Kita Ward in the city of Okayama. It collects and exhibits the works of traditional illustrators, traditional Japanese painters, Western-style painters, craftspeople, sculptors, and other artists who have a connection with Okayama. In addition to the permanent collection ""The Art of Okayama,"" in which the objects on display are changed periodically, and special exhibitions, the museum also sponsors events such as lectures about art and workshops."

Looking over some previous reviews, I learn that the museum has a collection. The reason I mention this is because on my visit today, there was nothing to be seen from said collection, as they were...
Ikeda Zoo

3.5

69 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Kyouyama 2-5-1

This zoo is located in the Kyoyama area of Kita Ward, Okayama City. Besides being able to observe various animals such as giraffes, bison, capybaras and red pandas, you can also enjoy interacting with them through giving them bait. In addition, a steam locomotive from Ikasa Railway and passenger cars from Saidaiji Railway are on display. The zoo also holds different events throughout the year including a summer school and night zoo in the summer.

The cages for some of the animals were perhaps a bit too small however the cages were spotless, the water for the animals was spotless. It is a bit of hard walking uphill however despite being...
Yumeji Art Museum (Honkan)

4.0

62 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Naka-ku Hama 2-1-32

The museum was opened in 1984, near the Korakuen Garden in commemoration of the 100th birthday of Yumeji Takehisa. Here, in addition to the hanging scrolls drawn by Yumeji, the main building has about 3,000 items including watercolors and oil paintings, letters and books and other materials. In addition to the permanent exhibition where about 100 works can be seen, exhibitions introducing Yumeji’s art from various viewpoints is held several times a year. At the museum cafe, you can have fancy European baked raisin cookies called Garibaldi which were a favorite of Yumeji.

Each of his drawings are very beautiful and I enjoyed so much! After that I went to the cafe in this museum.
Handayama Botanical Garden (Okayama City)

4.0

47 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Houkain 3-1

This botanical garden is located in the hilly area of Mt. Handa in Okayama City. Characterized by the 3,200 kinds of 150,000 plants (plum trees, cherry trees, Luoyang peonies, azaleas, roses, etc.) planned to bloom throughout the year in the 110,000 square meter garden, it was opened to see plants, for recreation and as a place of rest. Famous particularly as a cherry blossom viewing spot, approximately 800 Yoshino cherry blossoms are in full bloom from late March to early April, and you can enjoy flower viewing together with trees that are over 100 years old. In addition, it is known for the Ipponmatsu Kofun burial mound near the top of the garden that is a valuable cultural property.

This is an easy place to visit from Okayama station by bus 77 from platform 13 for 150 yen. Bus journey is about 15-20 mins and its a short 5 min walk to the garden entrance. We did not take the...
Okayama Orient Museum

4.0

69 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Tenjinchou 9-31

"A museum which contains many ancient works of Oriental art from Mesopotamian civilizations and other areas. The museum is located a 15-minute walk from the east entrance of JR Okayama Station along Prefectural Route 42. The museum was originally opened to house 1,947 works of art donated by Okayama University. The museum's collection continued to grow thanks to donations and loans and today the facility manages around 4,800 pieces of ancient art. The museum's collection primarily consists of earthenware, glass, and porcelain mosaics. The museum's centerpiece is its ""Relief of Protective Spirit, Apukallu"" Assyrian relief created in Iraq in the ninth century BCE."

I am a big fan of museums devoted to archaeology. I knew this one would be a small one, with limited English explanation, but it was advertised all around the city, both in Japanese and English, I...
Momotaro Karakuri Museum

4.0

64 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Honmachi 5-11

It is a museum dedicated to the traditional Japanese folk story of Momotaro, to which Okayama Prefecture is said to be connected. In addition to historical materials related to the Momotaro story, the museum also houses interactive attractions such as the haunted house-style tunnel through Onigashima, the Island of Demons. The museum’s optical illusions, such as a photo spot where you can take a picture of your head emerging from a peach, are particularly popular. During the summer, the museum hosts an evening haunted house event.

This is one of my favorite places in Kurashiki. The museum has a lot of interactive activities related to Momotaro. Oh, if you havent experienced a Japanese haunted house, try visiting this place...
Kasaoka Horseshoe Crab Museum

4.0

35 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kasaokashi Yokoshima 1946-2

Kasaoka Horseshoe Crab Museum is located in Yokoshima in the city of Kasaoka. It contains a large aquarium where visitors can observe adult horseshoe crabs. The museum also contains exhibits about raising juvenile horseshoe crabs and an exhibit of dinosaur skeletons. Adjacent to the museum are Dinosaur Park, which contains models of dinosaurs, and athletic field, and a nature observation park with a horseshoe crab breeding ground.

建物や展示室の構造はバブルを思わせる豪華なそれでありましたまた恐竜の展示が非常に多く恐竜館ではないのかと思うほどです。肝心のカブトガニについてはきちんと展示はしているのですがその数は非常に少なくもっと置いて欲しいと思います。目の前には大きな公園がありそこも恐竜一色でした。少しお金の使い方が間違ってるのではないかと思いました。ただ全体としては面白い博物館でした。
Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft

4.0

57 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Chuou 1-4-11

The museum is located on the banks of the Kurashiki River in the Bikan Historical Quarter. Housed inside late Edo period rice granaries, the museum was the first project in Kurashiki to re-use such granaries for a new purpose. The museum displays some 15,000 examples of beautiful folk crafts from around the world, including pottery, glass, stone, textile, and wooden items. The museum shop also offers a wide variety of folk crafts for sale.

There are many baskets and pottery of Japan used for everyday life. Different from fine art,folk art doesnt looks special ,especially from the standpoint of local Japanese like us.So,we feel 700 yen...
Okayama Prefectural Museum

3.5

31 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Kourakuen 1-5

Here, the cultural heritage of Okayama Prefecture from primitive through modern times is displayed in an easy to understand manner. In addition to the main attraction, the Akakawa Odoshi yoroi red leathered armor, a national treasure, valuable cultural artifacts are preserved and displayed. Twice a month, a curator provides presentations on the exhibits. This museum is located in the outer garden of Korakuen.

I came with a study-buddy for a special Nichiren exhibition that displayed many excellent Buddhist artworks. What a pity that the arrangement was poor and without a concept, the items just put into...
Hayashibara Art Museum

3.5

49 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Okayama-shi Kita-ku Marunouchi 2-7-15

The title says it all, this is a small museum that has a great variety of exhibitions. Check what is being exhibited before going. It is a fun and interesting place to check out while in Okayama
Manekineko Museum of Art

4.0

30 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Kanayamaji 865-1

This art museum for manekineko (beckoning cats) is located in the Kinzanji area of Kita Ward, Okayama City. Besides the permanent exhibition of 700 manekineko of various shapes and materials from traditional ones from throughout Japan to ones made by modern artists, it also holds temporary exhibitions related to manekineko. In addition, there is an adjoining museum shop that sells original manekineko goods.

ドライブがてら寄ってみました。名前の通り、外観も内観も猫だらけで可愛い感じ。広くないのでさくっと見回れます。招き猫の絵付けが出来るのが良かった。
Tamano Municipal Marine Museum (Shibukawa Marine Aquarium)

4.0

23 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Tamanoshi Shibukawa 2-6-1

Tamano Municipal Marine Museum and Shibukawa Marine Aquarium are located in Shibukawa 2-chome in the city of Tamano. The aquarium houses 2,000 individual marine life forms of 180 species from all over Japan, especially the Inland Sea, and the museum displays 1,000 specimens of shellfish, taxidermic specimens of fish, and models of ships. There are also outdoor exhibits of marine animals and maritime devices.

古めかしい水族館でしたが、地元の魚を展示することを重視している点では、評価できます。瀬戸内海の豊かな海の幸が実感できました。
Kurashiki City Monogatari-kan

3.5

46 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Achi 2-23-18

Located at the entrance to Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, this is your home base for sightseeing in the region. This building features an impressive nagaya gate outside, and exhibition rooms filled with Kurashiki’s history, as well as a multi-purpose room and a café inside.

倉敷物語館が、内部がリニューアルされて、日本遺産の情報発信の展示に、日本遺産インフォメーションとしてリニューアルしてました。
Hiruzen Herb Garden 'HerBill'

4.5

39 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Maniwashi Hiruzennishikayabe 1480-64

The Hiruzen Herb Garden “HerBill” has around 10,000 lavender plants and approximately 200 different species of herbs, flowers and other plants. Visitors can enjoy the sight of seasonal flowers in bloom in the bracing air of a highland plateau. There is a restaurant and café serving dishes made with freshly-picked herbs and edible wild plants, and also a shop selling local specialty products. “HerBill” also has a workshop where visitors can try their hand at making floral wreaths, and in the summer visitors can enjoy picking their own lavender.

Good spot to relax with a cup of tea and lavender soft serve. You can see all three picks of Hiruzen mountain from here. The garden is smaller than we expected but its pretty.
Nagi Museum Of Contemporary Art (Nagi MOCA)

4.0

24 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Katsutagunnagichou Toyosawa 441

This art museum is located in the Toyosawa area of Nagi Town, Katsuta County. Designed by architect Isozaki Arata with a huge work produced by Arakawa Shusaku + Madeline Gins, Okazaki Kazuo and Miyawaki Aiko, the museum is the combination of a piece of art and a building. There is a gallery space that holds temporary modern art exhibitions and a cafe inside. In addition, the Nagi Town Library is adjacent to the museum.

There is a museum at the foot of Mt.Nagi.There are Three works in this museum. The name of the artwork is the sun,the moon and the earth.Only this works that appeal to the senses can only be...
Tsuyama Wonder Museum

4.5

20 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Tsuyama-shi Sange 98-1

A 10-minute walk from JR Tsuyama Station. Located at the entrance to Tsuyama Castle, this natural history museum features stuffed animals from every corner of the globe. Their permanent exhibit features nearly 20,000 exhibits of stuffed animals, fossils, minerals, shells, insects, and human specimens spread throughout 13 exhibition rooms. They have nearly 800 stuffed animals including some in danger of extinction such as the golden snub-nosed monkey, low-land gorilla, and the Amur leopard. There are a lot of animals that are no longer obtainable. The organs of Morimoto Keizo, the founder of the museum, are also on display as per his will.

剥製の展示がとにかく凄いです。総展示数は約20,000点ということで、量も質も大変充実していました☆実際に生では見れないだろう動物さんも、こうして間近で見ることができて良かったです。それぞれの雰囲気がよく分かりました(^^) また、ヒトの臓器も展示してありました。流石にこれにはビックリ仰天でした(^^;)館内には、休憩などに座れるスペースやウォーターサーバーがあります。エレベーターはありませんの...
Japan Museum of Contemporary Toy & Hall of Music Box

4.5

36 Reviews

Leisure / Hobbies

Okayama Pref. Mimasakashi Yunogou 319-2

A three-minute walk from the Yunogo Onsen-shimo bus stop on the Uno Bus leaving from Okayama Station. This toy and music box museum celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2010. The museum displays around 600 traditional toys such as European building blocks, as well as 30 music boxes and mechanical dolls made more than a century ago. Toy classes are held in the museum's studio space, and visitors can experience the fun of creating as well as the fun of playing with toys. The history and workings of music boxes are presented in the music box concert hall.

In this nice quiet onsen town we didnt expect to find such an interesting place. This place isnt just for kids as Im sure mums and dads will love it just as much. At the time of writing this...

Okayama

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

Leisure / Hobbies Culture / Tour

Aquarium Museum / Science Museum Zoo Art Museum Botanical Garden

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.