OKAYAMA, KURASHIKI AND THE SETO INLAND SEA

Ride the rails and explore western Japan with a handy rail pass that takes you from Kansai to Okayama and Kurashiki and the Naoshima art islands

Just west of the great cities of Kansai, the Okayama region provides an enticing mix of temperate weather, delicious fruits and seafood, sparkling oceans and islands, feudal-era culture and gardens and cutting-edge contemporary art – and all wrapped up in a relaxed vibe.

Consider travelling to the provincial capital of Okayama and staying there a few days. From there, you can make side-trips further west down the coast to Kurashiki, across the sparkling Seto Inland Sea to Shikoku and its tiny art islands, or to the north and the rugged San-in coast on the Japan Sea side to the sleepy prefecture of Tottori or coastal Hyogo.

West Japan Railways has a 5-day pass for foreign visitors called the “Kansai WIDE Area Pass” which allows you to travel throughout Kansai and its neighboring western region in an efficient and cost-effective way. The pass allows unlimited use on the Sanyo Shinkansen, between Shin-Osaka and Okayama stations, and if you’re lucky, you might score a trip on the special “HelloKitty” branded shinkansen service which departs most days from Shin-Osaka on western-bound routes. The pass also allows you to get from KIX airport to central Osaka, Kyoto or Nara, including the Kansai-Airport Express “HARUKA” or use any JR-operated trains and buses in the broader region. For more information about this handy pass, visit the JR-West website.

Okayama

The pleasant city of Okayama is best known for its celebrated garden, said to rank among Japan’s top three, and its imposing feudal castle, ever-distinctive against the Okayama skyline in black. The traditional ceramics town of Imbe which has been making Bizen-yaki ware (an earthy, rustic style) for almost 1,000 years is also not far away from Okayama either – just 50 minutes by train. From Osaka, Okayama is a short 45-minute ride on the Sanyo shinkansen.

Okayama Korakuen Garden

©Okayama Korakuen Garden

Japan is a country famous for its sublime gardens and Korakuen is ranked among the top three, an honor largely deserved. It dates back to the late 17th century and was originally designed as a strolling garden for the local feudal lord. It features gentle rolling hills, groves of Japanese plum and cherry trees, ponds connected by a quietly flowing stream, expansive manicured lawns, pavilions, tea houses and even a small tea plantation, all arranged so there’s a standout feature in any of the seasons. The garden can be easily reached by streetcar, bus or foot from Okayama Station.

Kurashiki

Kurashiki is a delightfully picturesque town, just a 20-minute train ride from Okayama. Formerly a thriving hub specializing in the rice trade, its willow-lined canals and distinctive white-walled kura warehouses in the old Bikan Historical Quarter have been sensitively preserved. It’s possible to tour this atmospheric quarter on foot, stopping at old machiya townhouses converted into charming galleries and cafes along the way. In contrast to its Edo-era roots, Kurashiki is also known as the birthplace of denim in Japan, and even today you can find boutique denim makers and tiny shops along Kojima Jeans Street. The main sites in the Bikan area can be easily reached by foot from the station.

Ohara Museum of Art

©Ohara Museum Of Art

Ohara Magosaburo, a successful merchant from Kurashiki’s trading days, established the Ohara Museum of Art in 1930 to house the European artwork collected by Kojima Torajiro, a western painter who studied in Europe and whom Ohara supported. You will find European oil paintings, prints and sculptures from artists including Monet, Cezanne, Matisse, El Greco and Rodin. This popular museum largely exhibits western works, but also has smaller galleries of western-style paintings by Japanese artists and a traditional craft section featuring ceramics and woodblock prints.

The Naoshima islands

©“Red Pumpkin” ©Yayoi Kusama,2006 Naoshima Miyanoura Port Square　Photo/Daisuke Aochi

©Naoshima Pavilion Owner: Naoshima Town Architect: Sou Fujimoto Architects　Photo/Jin Fukuda

Easily reached from Okayama by train and a 20-minute ferry ride, Naoshima’s fame has been on the rise ever since Benesse Corporation (originally an educational publisher from Okayama) decided to exhibit some of its contemporary art works there in the 1990s. Naoshima is now dotted by contemporary art museums, buildings and installations from leading artists and architects from around the world, and all set against a stunning island backdrop. The art movement has extended to its neighboring islands as well. Perhaps Kusama Yayoi’s “Red Pumpkin” is the island’s most famous work, becoming its defacto logo.
Every three years the island stages the intensely popular Setouchi Triennale, a festival of art, theatre and music. It’s next scheduled for 2022 and will be held over three periods in spring, summer and autumn.
There are places to stay – ranging from Ando Tadao-designed Benesse House to more basic guesthouses and camp sites, and of course a similar range of eating options. Hire a bike and peddle around your favorite installations with a picnic lunch in the basket. Or consider island-hopping it to more remote islands or travelling further afield by ferry to Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku.

Access Information

Please note it’s possible to travel to the Okayama region from different points in Kansai (whether Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto or Nara), but for simplicity we’ve based the information on an Osaka departure:

From Osaka to Okayama:

Osaka Station – take the JR Tokaido Sanyo line to Shin-Osaka Station,then take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama Station.

From Osaka to Kurashiki:

Osaka Station – take the JR Tokaido Sanyo line to Shin-Osaka Station,then take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama Station, and then change to the JR Sanyo Main Line to Kurashiki Station.

From Osaka to Naoshima:

Osaka Station – take the JR Tokaido Sanyo line to Shin-Osaka Station,then take the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama Station, and take the JR Seto-Ohashi line bound for Kojima and change at Chayamachi Station for the JR Uno line to Uno. From there walk to Uno Port to board a ferry to Naoshima.

For information on the JR “HelloKitty” shinkansen service: https://www.jr-hellokittyshinkansen.jp/en/

Louise Fraser

Louise Fraser is a freelance writer based in Kyoto. From Australia originally, Louise loves exploring the Kansai area, both the quiet backblocks of its countryside with its web of hiking trails and hamlets as well as its fascinating cities layered with over one thousand years of history and contemporary culture.

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