History / Culture / Tour Spots in Okayama Area

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Category

Travel / Tourism

History / Culture / Tour

Okayama Castle, Castle Tower

4.0

1172 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Marunouchi 2-3-1

Okayama Castle was constructed over a period of eight years by Ukita Hideie, one member of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Council of Five Elders, and was completed in 1597. It is also called “Crow Castle” for its external appearance, as the castle tower walls have black lacquered siding which was a characteristic of this era. The three-tiered, six-storied watchtower-style castle tower is a pentagon of unequal sides and is said to imitate the castle tower of Oda Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle. The castle tower, which was a National Treasure, was lost due to wartime fires but was rebuilt in 1966.

Impressive castle from the outside. The museum on the inside does not have any English translations so I didnt have the opportunity to understand the exhibits and stories
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...
Kibitsu-jinja Shrine

4.5

382 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Kibitsu 931

A Shinto shrine primarily dedicated to Kibitsu-hiko-no-mikoto, a prince who subjugated rebels and brought peace and order to this area as one of the four mighty Shido Shogun. Kibitsu-hiko-no-mikoto is also known as the model for the legend of Momotaro, one of Japan’s most popular folktales. The shrine is one of the largest in the old San’yodo area. The front shrine and main shrine, built in the hiyoku irimoya-zukuri style, are designated National Treasures, and were rebuilt in 1425 by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Must-see highlights include the shrine’s roughly 400 meter long covered gallery, and the various flowers which grow on the grounds year round. The shrine is famous for the Narukama Shinji, a ritual in which the whistling of a steaming iron pot is used for fortune telling purposes. The nearest station is Kibitsu Station.

A hidden gem located in the middle of nowhere but definitely worth the visit. The shrine sits atop a hill that offers a great scenery. The temple complex includes a long corridor. The shrine can be...
Kibitsuhiko-jinja Shrine

4.0

160 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Ichinomiya 1043

This shrine is located at the foot of Kibi no Nakayama in the Ichinomiya area of Kita Ward, Okayama City. The main shrine building is on the site of the residence of Okibitsuhiko no mikoto, who suppressed Kibi no Kuni, and has him as the principal shrine god. The shrine is also called “Asahi no Miya” (shrine of the morning sun) because the sun rises directly in front of the main torii gate and enters the mirror in the shrine on the summer solstice.

When I went there in the morning, the weather is cold. It has nice scene to capture photos. We can also check small pond in front of this temple. If you are interested, you can insert 100 coin at the...
Achi-jinja Shrine

4.0

219 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Honmachi 12-1

This shrine stands atop a small hill in a corner of the Bikan Historical Quarter. The land is connected with the family of Achi no Omi, who came to Japan from the Korean Peninsula during the time of Emperor Ojin and helped develop Kibi Province, the predecessor to modern-day Okayama, with new technologies. The shrine grounds are home to the largest Akebono wisteria tree in the country; the best time to visit is when the tree is in bloom, from the end of April through May. The shrine sells Achi no Fujimori charms which contain wisteria seeds and are said to bring long life and good health.

Stunning views over Kurashiki. It’s worth the climb up the stairs! Follow the path from one end of the hilltop to the other! Beautiful cherry blossoms, very picturesque!
Saijo Inari (Saijo Inari-san Myokyoji Temple)

4.0

127 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Okayamashi Kita-ku Takamatsuinari 712

A Nichiren Buddhist temple located in Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture officially known as the Saijo Inari-san Myokyoji Temple. Founded around 785 by the great priest Ho’on, despite being a Buddhist temple rather than a Shinto shrine, the Saijo Inari is considered one of Japan’s three largest Inari temples. The temple survived the anti-Buddhist movement of the Meiji period unscathed. Permitted to engage in rituals syncretizing Buddhism and Shintoism, the temple is a rare example of an Inari “shrine” which follows Buddhist traditions. The temple grounds are marked by Shinto torii gates and the main temple building is built in the Shinto jingu style. Since ancient times, the temple has been believed to grant worshipers a variety of benefits, including prosperity in business, better fortunes, and traffic safety.

i dont remember how we came to visit this temple, rebuilt in 1600. its not in my notes. it was raining on our second day in okayama, so we hired a cab and off we went. we were staying at the...
Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Chuou - Hon, Higashi-Achi

The Bikan Historical Quarter in Kurashiki City is an area established based on landscape ordinance. Strictly speaking, it was selected as one of Japan’s “Important Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings”, “a preservation district for the group of traditional building in Kurashiki Riverbank in Kurashiki City” and the “Traditional Aesthetic Preservation District” which was established by ordinance of Kurashiki City. The “Kurashiki Riverbank” with its rows of willows which line Kurashiki River and the white earthen-walled warehouses are representative of the Bikan district. There are also cultural facilities and sightseeing spots standing side by side including Ohara Museum of Art.
Special Historic Site Former Shizutani School

4.5

107 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Bizen Shizutani 784

Former Shizutani School is a Historic Structure designated as a Special Historic Site. It was built in 1670 by the local feudal lord, Ikeda Mitsumasa, and it is the oldest remaining public school building in the world. In addition to the lecture hall, which has been designated a National Treasure, and in 2015, Japan Heritage designed it as No. 1 in the category Group of Remnants of Early Modern Japan’s Educational Heritage.

The school is located in Bizen City which is in the eastern part of Okayama Prefecture. During the Edo era the Ikeda Family was the feudal lord of Bizen. Shizutani Gakkou was established in 1670 in...
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...
Kurabo Memorial Hall

4.0

114 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Kurashiki-shi Honmachi 7-1

The museum is a corporate museum that tells the history of KURABO (Kurashiki Spinning Co., Ltd.), which was founded in 1888 as Kurashiki Spinning Works, and introduces the history of the company's challenges from its founding to the present day. The stately memorial hall is recognized as a registered tangible cultural property, a Heritage of Industrial Modernization, and a Heritage of Japan.

建物は魅力的だが、展示物は興味の分かれるところ。料金ほどの魅力は無いと感じる人もいれば、明治から昭和にかけての紡績の発展に興味があればあそれなりに面白いはず。
The Ohashis’ House

4.0

103 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Achi 3-21-31

This building has the architecture of a merchant’s house and is located in Kurashiki City. The Ohashi family were large land-owners who made their fortune developing fields for drying salt and fields for growing rice in the late Edo period. The house has a Nagaya-mon gate which faces the street, while the main house is arranged with features such as having a front garden which is separated by a gate. The house was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1978.

We saw the signage along the road and followed it to Ohashi House. This old historical house is preserved for all to see, for a small entry fee. Explore the gardens and interior. It is beautifully...
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...
Takamatsu Castle Park Museum

3.5

62 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Okayama-shi Kita-ku Takamatsu 558-2

Takamatsu Castle Ruins are located in Takamatsu, Kita Ward in the city of Okayama. When Toyotomi Hideyoshi attacked the Chugoku region on the orders of Oda Nobunaga in 1582, he attacked this castle and conquered it when a member of his staff, Kuroda Kanbei, suggested flooding it. Nowadays, the area around the ruins of the castle is set aside as a historic park. A museum in the park exhibits materials related to the former castle.

戦国期の物語や大河ドラマに必ず出てくる場所です。豊臣秀吉の水攻めで有名です。公園の案内がなかったら、農地の一角ぐらいで通り過ぎてしまいそうです。有名の場所のわりには普通の農村地帯の風景の一角だったので、やや拍子抜けがありました。駐車場は整備されていて、国道からも案内があります。公園になっていて一角に資料館がありました。
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.
Yakuyoke Sohonzan Yuga-jinja Shrine Hongu (Mt. Yuga)

4.0

44 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Kojimayuga 2852

This shrine is located in the Kojima Yuga area of Kurashiki City. The main shrine of the 52 Yuga shrines in Japan, the yakuyoke no sohonzan (head temple of warding off evil) is also known as one of Japan’s three top incarnations of buddha. Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple was founded in 733 by Gyoki, is became the sacred mountain for the mixing of Buddhism and Shinto. There is the custom of visiting both Mt. Yuga and Kagawa’s Kotohiragu Shrine for high divine blessings.

岡山旅行中、どこ行こっかってなってたまたま見つけたこちらの神社。金比羅さんと両方お参りするといいとあったので、参詣。車で山道を登る途中、歩いて登る人もいて、なんで車で行かないのかなぁと思っていたら、上の駐車場はほぼ満車！こんな大きな神社とは思わず気軽に立ち寄ってしまったw すごい行列してる所があって見てみたら「岡山県下ここにしかない推命おみくじ」とあって、気になって並んでみる。こ...
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...
Former Nozaki Family Residence

4.0

46 Reviews

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Kurashikishi Kojimajino 1-11-19

This historical monument is located in the Kojima Ajino 1 Chome area of Kurashiki City. One of the houses of Nozaki Buzaemon who built his fortune in the salt-making industry in the late Edo period (1603–1868), it is a designated prefectural historic site. On the approximately 10,000 square meter premises, there are also the nationally-designated important cultural properties “Former Nozaki Family Residence” and several “dozo-gun” storehouses. In addition, it also exhibits materials as the “Nozaki Family Residence Salt Experience Museum.”

This is amazing - not just the scale but natural beauty of buildings / gardens. The owner had a vision and created an ancestral home- Downton Abbey Japan - style; even can see how the servants worked...
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...
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle

Travel / Tourism

Okayama Pref. Takahashishi Uchisange 1

Bitchu Matsuyama Castle stands at the highest elevation above sea level in Japan at 430 meters as a castle which has a surviving keep. The castle was originally built on Omatsuyama by an Ukan town feudal lord, Akiba Shigenobu during the Kamakura period It was restored by Mizunoya Katsumune in 1683 and retains that castle keep appearance to this day. You can see the vestiges of a castle that was called impregnable, a solid wall of rock rising up to the mountain top. It is also famous as you can observe the apparition of a sea of clouds floating by in the early morning from the end of September to early April. Bitchu Matsuyama Castle was used in the opening shot of the “Taiga” (a long running historical drama on NHK) drama series called “Sanada Maru”.

Okayama

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

Travel / Tourism History / Culture / Tour

Reference/Local/Exhibition/Literature Museum Shrine Castle / Ruins of Castle Historical Monument Temple Church Ruin / Grave / Ancient Tomb Memorial Hall Cultural Property Event Hall / Public Hall Art Museum Museum / Science Museum Other Historic Site/Building

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.