Kurashiki

Kurashiki (倉敷市 Kurashiki-shi) is one of Japan's great old merchant towns, with around half a million citizens today. Sitting along a scenic canal at the foot of Mt. Tsurugata, Kurashiki's white-walled storehouses are beautifully preserved and open for exploration.

Understand
During the Edo period, Kurashiki did heavy trade with the capital in rice, sugar, and other goods. Later, during the Meiji Restoration (i.e. after 1868), the city became known for textiles. Kurashiki escaped World War II largely unscathed, and as a result, many of the original storehouses, mills, and shops remain in beautiful condition, open to visitors in the Bikan Historic Area.

The effect is delightful &mdash; storehouses (倉 kura) with lattice windows share space with weeping willows along the banks of the old canal, which is illuminated at night. The canal has led some overly optimistic tourist associations to call Kurashiki "the Venice of Japan". If not that &mdash; the city surrounding the Bikan area is as much a concrete jumble as any other in the country &mdash; Kurashiki is still a rare piece of old Japan, one that gives a sense of where people lived and worked, not merely the temples at which they worshipped.

Tourist information
Tourist information can be found at the two main train stations.



The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site with integrated machine translation.

By train
Kurashiki is on the San'yo Main Line between Okayama and Fukuyama. The best way to reach Kurashiki from the San'yo Shinkansen is to transfer to a local train at Okayama; the ride takes about 15 minutes (¥320). The few express trains between Okayama and Kurashiki are more than twice as expensive, and will only save you a couple of minutes. However, if you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can take either a local or a limited express; on the latter, hop onto any non-reserved car and flash your rail pass to the conductor, declaring Kurashiki as your destination.



By bus
Several companies run daytime and overnight bus routes from Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Matsuyama, Tokushima, Kochi, Fukuoka, and elsewhere. Operators include Chugoku JR Bus Company. Buses arrive and depart outside the north exit of JR Kurashiki Station.

On foot
The sites in and around the Bikan Historic District can all be reached on foot from the south exit of Kurashiki Station - about a ten minute walk down Chuo-dori or the Ebisu-dori covered arcade. Other areas of the city are spread out too far apart to walk between them. The jeans-related attractions can be reached on foot from Kojima Station but not the Washuzan or Shimotsui areas.

By train
Although the city is all connected by land, in terms of rail travel, it feels disconnected. Shin-Kurashiki and Kurashiki Station are located along the JR Sanyo Main Line, but the other areas require train transfers outside of the city to reach. To get to Kojima Station from Kurashiki Station you need to travel to Okayama Station and transfer to the Marine Liner. Similary, to reach the Makibi area, you need to take a train to Kiyone Station in Soja on the Hakibi Line and transfer to the private Ibara Railway which has three stations in Kurashiki: Kawabejuku Station, Kibinomakibi Station, and Bitchukurese Station.

Mizushima Rinkai Railway is a private railway company that runs from Kurashikishi Station (next to Kurashiki Station) to Mizushima Station (select trains go one stop further to Mizubishijiko-mae Station) in the Mizushima area.

For JR Rail Pass holders, the pass can be used on the Marine Liner to Kojima and to Kiyone Station however, Ibara Railway and Mizushima Rinkai Railway are private railways not covered by the pass.

By bus
Some parts of the city are most easily accessed by bus. For access to Washuzan, Washuzan Highland Park, and the Shimotsui area, there is an hourly bus from Kojima Station that does a loop to each of these areas.

The Tamashima area can be reached by bus from Shin-Kurashiki Station. Ikasa Bus and Ryobi Bus can both get you within walking distance of Entsuji and the Saisou-tei.

Although Kojima has a train station, there is a bus that operates twice per hour between Kurashiki Station and Kojima Station in about 50 minutes. If you don't have a rail pass, the bus is cheaper and more convenient than going by train. It also travels directly by the Bikan Historic District and Jeans Street, so you don't have to backtrack to or from any stations to reach them.

Bikan Historic Area
Even if you're not interested in the subject of a certain museum, the chance to explore inside these old warehouses and mills might be worth the price of admission. Virtually all of the museums (and many of the stores) are closed on Mondays, which does at least mean fewer crowds and photo hounds competing for that perfect shot at the foot of a bridge.

For a terrific view of the entire Bikan area, head up the granite stairs on Mt. Tsurugata to the Achi Shrine, and have a wander around the park at the top.







Tamashima Area
Although the Bikan Historic District is the most popular area to visit in Kurashiki, the Tamashima area is the most easily accessible, with Shin-Kurashiki Station, accessible by Shinkansen, as the main station.



Kojima Area
The Kojima area is located along the Seto Inland Sea, served by JR Kojima Station, and offers many great views of the Seto Ohashi Bridge. If you choose to travel from the Bikan area to the Kojima area by train, you can only reach it via Okayama. Take the Marine Liner from Okayama to Kojima Station. Bus #6 from JR Kurashiki Station runs to JR Kojima Station, if you prefer a street-level view while travelling between the two locations. Rentacycles are available and make the region more accessible for those who want to see the Shimotsui area at their own pace and for much less than a taxi ride.



Events
Since the Edo Period, Kurashiki has had an interesting mascot known as Su-inkyo (素隠居) that appears at Achi Shrine's May and October festivals. The Su-inkyo are people wearing masks of an old man and woman carrying fans. If they touch your head, it is said to bring good luck. The masks look jovial and most people approach them for luck, but there are always a few terrified children crying as their parents carry them over to grant them begrudging fortune.



Buy
If you have enough money to spend, you'll find some gorgeous traditional souvenirs to buy in Kurashiki. The city has been producing high-end textiles for more than two centuries, but locally-made blown-glass (ガラス) and the famed Bizen-yaki (備前焼) pottery are sold as well. Cheaper souvenirs and knick-knacks are available in the Ebisu-dori covered shopping arcade, which runs part of the route between the station and the Bikan area.



Eat




Drink
Plenty of bars are clustered around the south exit of JR Kurashiki Station. In the Bikan area, Ivy Square (see Buy) has a nice beer garden.



Sleep
Although Kurashiki is an easy day-trip from Okayama, it's worth staying overnight to enjoy the late evening and early morning atmosphere of the Bikan area (without the daytime crowds).

Go next
There are many worthwhile places to travel within the prefecture.


 * Okayama &mdash; Home to Koraku-en, one of Japan's Top 3 gardens, the Kibi Trail, a variety of museums, and all the Momotaro you could possibly want.
 * Soja &mdash; A Zen temple, Hofukuji Temple, where the poet and priest Sesshu once lived, as well as housing the other half of the Kibi Trail.
 * Takahashi &mdash; A castle town with the highlight being Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan's only remaining original castles, as well as the highest castle in the country.
 * Niimi &mdash; Famous for its two caves; Ikura Ravine and Maki Cave.
 * Tsuyama &mdash; Home of Kakuzan Park, where springtime visitors will be treated to Okayama's best place to view cherry blossoms, as well as the beautiful Shurakuen Garden and historic Joto Street.
 * Yakage
 * Ibara
 * Kasaoka
 * Tamano

There are several great day trips outside of the prefecture, too.
 * Fukuyama &mdash; Known for Fukuyama Castle and a variety of interesting museums.
 * Takamatsu