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Okayama

Table of Contents:
Culture and History / Travel to Okayama, visa requirements Flights to Okayama, airtickets By train Buses to Okayama / Get around / Talk / Okayama attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Okayama souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Okayama nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Learn / Get out

More from Okayama (prefecture):
Bizen, Kume, Kurashiki, Okayama

More from Chugoku:
Hiroshima (prefecture), Okayama (prefecture), Shimane, Tottori (prefecture), Yamaguchi (prefecture)

More from Honshu:
Chubu, Chugoku, Kansai, Kanto, Tohoku

More from Japan:
Hokkaido, Honshu, Kanmon Straits, Kyushu, Okinawa, Seto Inland Sea, Shikoku, Wakayama (prefecture)

More from East Asia:
China-travel-tips-language, China, Chine-travel-tips-language, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan

More from Asia:
Caucasus, Central Asia, East Asia, Middle East, Southeast Asia

Okayama (岡山; [1]) is the capital of Okayama prefecture in the Chugoku region of Japan, on the southern coast of the island of Honshu.

Culture and History

Okayama is a fairly large city of around 700,000 people. Beyond Kourakuen garden and its famous white peaches (which in truth, are alone worth a visit) it may seem like it offers far less to the tourist than Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, but what it lacks in tourist attractions is made up by sharing an experience with the millions of Japanese who don't live in Kanto or Kansai, as Okayama gives a more typical example of Japanese life than the biggest cities can offer. If one gives Okayama the time, they will find it has a pleasant charm of its own, and its small size allows one to feel as though they've fully explored the city within a few weeks.

Travel to Okayama, visa requirements

Momotarō the Peach Boy

According to Japanese legend, an old, childless couple found a peach floating down the river, and inside they found a baby boy, who said he was sent down from heaven to be their son. They duly adopted him and named him Momotarō (桃太郎), or (quite literally) "Peach Boy". When he grew up, he went to an island known as Onigashima (Demon Island), befriended a dog, a monkey and a pheasant, with their help defeated the demons and lived happily ever after. The legend is strongly linked with Okayama and today even Okayama's main shopping street is known as Momotarō-dōri (Momotaro St).

Flights to Okayama, airtickets

Air service is offered into Okayama from several airports, including Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai, Kagoshima and Okinawa. Buses make a 40-minute run to the Okayama train station (¥680).

By train

Okayama is a major stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen route. All shinkansen trains stop at Okayama, and some even start or terminate here.

The most frequent services are the Nozomi trains that operate on the entire shinkasen route; trains depart Tokyo every 20 minutes or so. Hikari Rail Star trains also make frequent runs, stopping in Okayama on runs between Osaka and both Kokura Station in Kitakyushu and Hakata Station in Fukuoka.

There is also one Hikari train per hour that runs from Tokyo to Okayama, but it takes a bit longer since the train stops at all stations after Nagoya.

Okayama is also the starting point of Marine Liner express trains across the Seto Inland Sea to Takamatsu and other destinations on the island of Shikoku. Many of these trains are timed for seamless connections with Nozomi train arrivals.

Note that you cannot use Nozomi trains with the Japan Rail Pass.

If you do not have a Japan Rail Pass it is possible to travel cheaply overnight from Okayama to Matsuyama, Kochi and Fukuoka during University vacation periods using Moonlight Special Rapid services. These are very popular and tend to get booked a month in advance.

An alternative way to get to Osaka is to take a local train or the Shinkansen to Nishi Akashi near Himeji and transfer to a Special Rapid service which travels through Osaka and Kyoto. Unfortunately the local service to Akashi runs only once an hour and takes around 90 minutes but the Special Rapid service provides a good alternative to the Shinkansen around Kobe,Osaka and Kyoto.

Local trains also run northward several times daily to Yonago and Tottori Cities in Tottori prefecture and Matsue and Izumo Cities in Shimane prefecture. This scenic trip across the mountain range takes about two hours.

Buses to Okayama

Chugoku JR Bus operates an overnight bus service, the Kibi Dream from Tokyo Station and the Yokohama City Air Terminal (YCAT) to Okayama. The travel time is approximately ten hours from Tokyo (¥10000 one way, ¥16600 round trip) and nine hours from Yokohama (¥9700 one way, ¥16200 round trip).

Daytime buses operated by Ryobi Bus run hourly from Osaka Namba (3 hours, ¥3060 one way, ¥5610 round trip), and five times daily from Kyoto (3 1/4 hours, ¥3500 one way, ¥6300 round trip).

Get around

A convenient tram line runs east from JR Okayama Station along Momotaro-Odori until Okayama Castle, then turning south towards Saidaiji. Take a boarding ticket on the way into the tram when you board at the rear. Pay your fare at the front when you depart in exact change. There is a change machine for coins on the tram.

There are busses that run throughout the city. You can either buy travel cards at Okayama station or Omotecho Bus Center, in ¥1000, ¥2000 or ¥5000 iterations, or you can pay at the end of each journey. Bus journeys within the city will cost no more than a few hundred yen.

Talk

The Okayama dialect(岡山弁) is quite distinct to standard Japanese as learned outside Japan. Considered by some (including some Okayamaites) to be a coarse and rough accent, it has many grammatical and vocab related quirks. Perhaps the most immediately noticeable to foreigners is the change from the standard ‘sugoi’ for ‘amazing’ to ‘sugei’. Spoken English ability is generally fairly poor, more so than the larger cities which see more foreign tourists, but some residents may surprise you with their fluency. Locals fully understand Standard Japanese, and will speak it for clarity’s sake. As in the rest of Japan, attempting to speak Japanese, even if your ability is poor, is appreciated, and you’re unlikely to be mocked or derided for getting something wrong.

Okayama attractions and sightseeing

Okayama's main sights are all clustered in a large park on the eastern side. From Okayama station, just take the tram three stops east to Shiroshita on the Higashiyama Line to get there.

Korakuen Garden (後楽園) is one of Japan's official Three Great Gardens and hence Okayama's number one attraction. The name means "Garden of Pleasure After", a reference to a famous Confucian quote stating that a wise ruler must attend to his subjects' needs first and only then attend to his own.The construction of this garden started 1687 and was completed in 1700 for the time being. After that at times the local lord initiated slight changes but Korakuen largely keeps its form from the Edo era. There is an extensive set of records documenting the history of the gardens. Another famous thing about this garden are the “red-crested white cranes” kept in captivity. There are only 61 cranes in Japan and 8 of them are in Okayama. From January to April is the best season to watch the cranes. They are well cared for and put on flying exhibitions in the park area at special times throughout the year. Entering through the South Gate, the first impression is that of a giant lawn, crisscrossed with wide paths and the occasional teahouse to break the monotony. But the interesting stuff is lurking on the sides: waterfalls, tiny shrines, miniature maple forests, a lotus pond, even a greenhouse filled with orchids and cacti. Cross the Moon-Viewing Bridge (月見橋 'a'Tsukimi-kyo) from the front of Okayama Castle to get in. Entry ¥350, open 8 AM to 5 PM in winter and 8am to 6pm in spring and summer.

Okayama Castle (岡山城 Okayama-jo) is popularly known as Crow Castle (烏城 U-jo), so named because unlike every other castle in the country (except Matsumoto's, which shares the nickname) it has been painted a striking black, only a few protruding bits and the occasional lucky fish-gargoyle (金の鯱 kinnoshachihoko) gilded. Destroyed in WW2, with the exception of one authentic turret the current version dates from 1966, but at least the rebuilders were considerate enough to install an elevator while they were at it. In the tower is a museum documenting the castle's history, English explanations are few and far between but at least you can practice your court Japanese with a soap opera on video.

Local legend has it that the Daimyo was annoyed with all of the attention neighbouring Himeji Castle (the white or egret castle) was receiving that he built his in black, as way of thumbing his nose at it. Entry into the main donjon ¥300, open 9 AM to 5 PM daily.

Oriental Museum is worth a quick stop. Entry is 600 yen, but those with a student ID can receive a discount. The special exhibit details art and trade between China and Persia. If you can speak conversational Japanese, talk with the friendly docents; they will present some highly interesting explanations and background that bolsters what would otherwise be a rather dry tour. A full walk through both floors of the museum should take no more than an hour. Okayama Prefectural Museum is nearby but is of less interest.

Sogenji Temple is a large Zen temple quite close to Kourakuen. It is a well known place for western zen students. Open meditation sessions are from 8am to 9am most Sundays and are usually followed by a simple tea ceremony. The lake behind the temple beautifully reflects the surrounding countryside and is famous for one of the largest cherry blossom trees in Okayama; beautifully reflected in the monasteries lake. The meditation session is free of charge. Take a bus from Tenmaya Bus Station and get off at Sogenji-mae bus stop.

The temple is at the base of a large hill called Misaoyama. In fact the hill is in the centre of Okayama but the area around it has a rural feel. It can be very pleasant to hike over around this hill and visit the various small temples. If zen meditation at Sogenji gives you a little backache you can relieve your aches and pains at a modern rock-onsen. This style of hot spring does not have a large bathing area but instead has gravel and hard rock beds where steam passes up from under you or down from above.

Momotaro Statue, east exit of Okayama station. A popular photo-op with tourists. You'll find Momotarou motifs all over the place elsewhere in the city too: there is a Momotaro mail box at the east exit of the station, and even manholes often feature Momotaro's picture.

Muscat Stadium. The biggest stadium in Okayama, established in 1965. It has many facilities, for example, a stadium, tennis courts, a park, and training gym. The stadium has no home team, but is used on occasion for matches and the Hanshin Tigers used it as their training camp in spring 2005. To go to Muscat Stadium from Okayama station, take a Sanyo line train to Nakasho station (¥230 yen, 12 minutes) and walk 8 minutes.

Okayama Dome. Not a baseball stadium like its namesakes in Tokyo and Osaka but rather a multi-purpose space which has housed many events from indoor sports to an exhibition of embalmed bodies.

Shizutani School(閑谷学校）is designated as one of Japan's national treasures. Ikeda Mitsumasa, who was the lord of Okayama at that time commissioned Tsuda Nagatada to build the school. It was completed in 1701. It is the oldest school for common people in the world. Not only samurai but farmers could study there. The education was based on Confucianism mind. Shizutani School has some unique qualities. All the roof tiles are made with Bizen-yaki pottery. The floor is ebony colored, and it shines like a mirror. Visitors can enter in the auditorium, and see the floor. Visitors can also enjoy the scenery through the four seasons. In the spring, cherry blossoms are very beautiful. The best season is autumn. The leaves turn. Especially, the kai(楷) trees are very famous. The kai is called the tree of learning. The entrance fee is ￥300. Shizutani School is open from 9AM to 5PM. It takes about 10 minutes from JR Yoshinaga station by car. It costs about 1200 yen from JR Yoshinaga station by taxi. There is a modern teacher training facility near the old school so you may be able to hitch a ride if you see a group of teachers at the station.

City tours

Sega Joypolis[2]: A large arcade that’s a few minutes walk from the shopping street (ask any young, friendly looking local, they can most likely direct you). Though it looks large, the top floor’s full of slot machines only. The bottom floor however is full of the latest arcade games including the highly popular Taiko: Drum Master game and the latest iteration of House of the Dead. An excellent way to waste both time and money.

Just above the arcade lies “Segakara”, a great Karaoke venue with themed rooms.

Momotorō Festival. Held yearly in July-August in commemoration of the mythical Peach Boy (see box), this two-day festival is held on (where else?) Momotarō-dōri in the heart of the city. The main event of the festival is the Uraja Dance, where uraja means ogre in the Okayama dialect. Teams practice for half a year before performing, painting their faces like ogres and wearing different homemade costumes.

Cherry Blossom Festival is held along the Asahi River which is on the east side of Korakuen park. The date of this festival change every year according to blooming the cherry blossoms, but it is usually held around the beginning of April for about two weeks. About three hundred cherry blossom trees are decorated with Japanese lanterns, and illuminated after sunset. On the first day, a lighting ceremony is held. There are many street stalls, selling for example cotton candy, octopus fritters, and crepes. Their prices are from three hundred to five hundred yen. People buy something, and they gather under the cherry blossom trees with their friends, family, or colleagues. They also barbecue and picnic there.

Yuba Onsen is located within the city limits but is not well known even by locals. Inside a rather ugly building is a genuine hot-spring with good facilities and a variety of baths. It is possible to stay the night in the ryokan or visit the baths for a fee of around ¥1500. Take a bus from the Uno Bus station or in front of the Prefectural Office/Library.

Cycle the Kibi Plain. Bike hire is available adjacent to the JR station at Bizen Ichinomiya, just ten minutes from JR Okayama station. They will provide a map to cycle the well posted quiet and mostly off-road 15km route to Soja. You can return the bicycle at Soja station. Cost is ¥1000 per bicycle per day. The cycle passes many shrines, temples, and pagodas that are pretty and with very few tourists.

Shopping, Okayama souvenirs

Okayama Shopping Street, a ten minute walk from Okayama station, this rather garishly decorated shopping street has everything from Arcades and Retro Game stores, to Kimono stores and antique shops. From this street one can enter Tenmaya shopping center, which has a large food hall which is perfect if you're in the mood to pick and mix a meal. Apart from Tenmaya, there are two other Department stores near the shopping street; Cred and Loft. Cred contains two large book stores, one of which having a sizable selection of English language books and Japanese learning books. In the basement of Loft there’s a HMV, which is perfect for all your expensive J-Pop needs, and on the top floor lies a toy shop selling novelty dress-up costumes, Studio Ghibli Plushies and more.

Bizen-yaki (備前焼), originating from the nearby town of Bizen, is a famous (and very expensive) type of Japanese pottery associated with Okayama; see the Bizen article for details.

Okayama Bizen-yaki Factory (おかやま備前焼工房), tel.（086)224-3396. From Okayama station, just take the tram three stops east to Shiroshita (城下) and walk 5 minutes. Visitors need a reservation to make Bizen-yaki and it costs 2,000 yen (plus postage). It takes about 2 months to finish the works.

Good restaurants and cheap meals

Like the rest of Japan, the cheapest food available comes from the convenience stores like Lawson, 7/11 and Family Mart. Here you can pick up Onigiri for a few hundred yen each, or Bento boxes that they’ll microwave in store for just a little more.

Slightly pricier is the fast food. There’s a Mc Donald’s close to Okayama station, and one on the shopping street. If you’re in the mood for something slightly more Japanese, there’s a MOS Burger outside Sega Joypolice and there are branches of the Yoshinoya located throughout the city.

If you’re willing to spend a few thousand yen, your choices for meals widen considerably. Not far from the shopping street is a department store called Cred, on the top floor are several nice restaurants. Particularly recommendable are the Indian Restaurant, and the restaurant serving large portions of various breadcrumbed meats and fishes for reasonable prices. The Italian and Udon restaurants are also worth a visit.

From Cred, a short walk in the direction of the station will lead you to CoCo Curry House [3], home of the best Curry Rice in Japan. A warning: the spicier Curries are in fact, spicy.

The local delicacy is sawara (鰆), a white-fleshed fish translated into English alternatively as "trout" or "horse mackerel." A popular takeaway option is matsuri-zushi (祭り寿司), the local version of chirashi-zushi (seafood scattered on top of vinegared sushi rice), sold in a peach-shaped box at Okayama station kiosks. Last but not least, thanks to the whole Momotaro saga Okayama is also famous for its luscious peaches.

Asuka (飛鳥), across the street from the west side of Okayama Station, serves aji sashimi, vinegared aji and deep-fried aji. Perhaps more of a drinking spot/pub than a restaurant, Asuka is still a fine place for food and drink and an excellent place to experience "after-work Japan" in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

Fruits of Okayama: Fruit farming is one of the most famous agricultural products of Okayama. Many variety of fruits are grown in Okayama, especially, white peaches, muscats, pione grapes, and melons. They are grown in the north of Okayama on hilly terrain. Muscats (the formal name is Muscat of Alexandria) have an excellent taste, so, they are called "Queen of Fruit". The best season to eat muscats is the beginning of October. They have been producted since 1886. Now, about 95 percent of Japan's muscat production is done in Okayama. "New pione" and "Momotaro-muscat" are two popular grapes with no pips .

The muscats go for about ¥2,000 to ¥10,000 a bunch, whereas pione grapes can go for as little as ¥1,000. The best choice for a souvenir however are the grape sherbets, jellies and wines, which keep for longer and are easier to get through customs.

Okayama nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

Aussie Bar - Local watering-hole for expats and the Japanese who love them. From the main exit of the train station, go down the main street and take a left when you come to the river. Aussie Bar is two blocks down on the left.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

Okayama Seinen-Kaikan (岡山青年会館, lit. "Youth Meeting Hall"; tel. 086-252-0651; [4]) is a youth hostel in an older, slowly crumbling Japanese-style house, painted a peachy shade of pink. Rooms are tatami and reasonably comfortable, if a bit worn around the edges. The hostel is a kilometer-long walk through the shopping arcade from the western side of the station, or you can shortcut by taking the bus. One night ¥2940 (HI members) plus optional breakfast for ¥525.

Matsunoki Ryokan (19-1 Ekimotocho, Okayama City, Okayama Tel 086-253-4111) [5] is a moderately priced Japanese-style hotel that is only a two minute walk from the west entrance of Okayama Station. Available are western style rooms and Japanese style rooms, with or without private toilet/bath.

Okayama International Villas, [6]. 5 villas located in different parts of Okayama Prefecture, catering specifically to international guests. The villas are self-contained with their own cooking areas, Western-style toilets, linen and laundry facilities. Each villa is different - Hattoji is an old farmhouse, whereas Takebe is a modern building designed by a local architect.

Two internet cafes close to Tenmaya Bus Station: Megalo and Popeye; are open 24 hours and allow customers to stay overnight for around ¥2000

Learn

Okayama University[7] is one of the top 500 Universities in the world, with around 14,000 students total, and over 500 foreign students from 50 different countries.

Indeed, many foreigners may first visit Okayama through the Okayama Institute of Languages[8], which has ties with the highly popular Two Worlds United exchange program. The institute, like many things of interest in the city, is not far from the shopping street. It offers Japanese courses from absolute beginner, to advanced level.

Get out

Okayama is a good place to launch day-trips to most of western Honshu and even Shikoku as it is the regional transportation hub.

Bizen, known for its pottery, is the place to use up your inheritance on a single tea cup.
Himeji, with the striking White Egret Castle, is 50 kilometers to the east along the Sanyo line.
Kotohira, home to Shikoku's largest shrine Konpirasan, is one hour away by express train.
Kurashiki, known for its well-preserved merchant quarters and Japan's oldest art museum, is only 15 minutes away.
Naoshima, a small island on Seto Inland Sea with superb contemporary art museums, can be easily reached from Uno port (one hour by JR train).
Yunogo Onsen (hot spring)