Autumn in Kurashiki and Okayama | Charming Canal District, Korakuen, Desserts | Japan Travel
Just 15 minutes away from Okayama city is one of the most charming cities in Japan, Kurashiki Within the city is the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter This area is nicknamed the “Venice of Japan” due to its picturesque canals and well-preserved streets But it has a very distinct vibe that makes the area completely unique This local history museum near the entrance of the district is free to enter and contains a well-maintained courtyard Momotaro, also known as Peach Boy is one of Japan’s most popular folk tales about a boy who was born from a peach that grows up to defeat ogres Okayama Prefecture is known as the birthplace of Momotaro As a result there are a lot of white peach-themed products and desserts in the area Two beautiful white swans live in the canal of the district The autumn leaves look especially beautiful reflecting off the water Late fall is a great time to visit this area Kurashiki is also home to the Ohara Museum of Art which was the first museum in Japan to feature Western art What a beautiful view of the canal We’re planning on riding one of those boats tomorrow The Ohara House was home to the wealthy Ohara merchant family and is open to the public featuring a combination of history and art as well as a well-maintained garden The water is clean enough that you can see koi fish swimming around Kurashiki Ivy Square is known for its brick buildings that are covered in ivy These were originally built here as part of the first modern cotton mill in Japan The Ivy Square currently includes a museum, restaurants, and a hotel as well as these unique gashapon machines There’s also a street piano available for anyone who wants to play Unexpectedly this local Japanese man started playing “The Moon Represents My Heart” one of the most famous Chinese songs of all time that was made famous by Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng in 1977 Teresa was able to break through the language barrier and achieve immense success all over Asia Ooo a Christmas tree! It’s hard not to stop and stare whenever you see one of these Oh we can never miss an opportunity to play with the fish We found this Jizo statue tucked away from the crowds wishing for a prosperous life for children and the safety of travelers Oh that is an impressive collection of dog figurines This charming mom and pop shop features a wide variety of tofu dishes We got the kaiseki meal that showcases tofu cooked in various ways, bringing out different textures Denim Street in Kurashiki is the birthplace of Japanese denim and jeans The city started out as a cotton-farming area but the dyeing and sewing industries soon quickly grew here It currently houses a variety of denim-related shops including desserts colored denim blue Check out the cute dog in jeans! These stairs lead to the summit of Mt. Tsurugata where Achi Shrine sits This shrine worships the Three Munakata Goddesses who are the guardians of the sea and protectors of transportation and trade safety Even if you’re not interested in the spiritual aspects of this shrine it is still well worth visiting as it overlooks the entire Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter These are the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac which can be seen throughout this shrine Each animal represents a year in the twelve-year cycle and carry certain traits and fortunes to people born in their year The fruit scattered across the shrine appear to be offerings to the three goddesses Time to head out for a coffee break This coffee shop has a great retro and cozy feel with great pricing given its location in a tourist area Waffles are also on the menu but we decided to just get coffee The coffee float is only 700 yen and the Vienna coffee is only 600 yen The thick layer of whipped cream makes this extra decadent We are heading to take the train to Okayama city to visit the main attractions there Korakuen is known as one of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan” Each of these gardens represent a different aspect of nature with Korakuen symbolizing the moon Near the entrance is the Crane Aviary which currently houses eight red-crowned cranes They had been bred here since the construction of the garden in the 17th century but had all disappeared after the bombing of Okayama in 1945 It wasn’t until 1956 that two cranes were gifted to the garden thanks to a former Chinese exchange student who studied here and wanted to express his gratitude for the city that had welcomed him These cranes are let out in the garden during certain hours in the fall and winter Nearby Okayama Castle can be seen in the backdrop Construction on Korakuen began in 1687 as a place of entertainment for the ruling family and a location for receiving important guests Korakuen has all the typical features of a Japanese landscape garden including a pond, streams, walking paths, and a lookout point but what makes this garden unique are the vast lawns Sorry, we don’t have any food Here’s the lookout point on a hill on the other side of a treacherous river crossing Successfully crossed! Love how the sun reflects on the clouds Lovely view from the lookout point There’s also rice fields and a tea plantation Oh here we go again Not going for a swim today One lonely fish in the pond Never mind There are quite a lot of koi fish in the ponds here Doesn’t look like they are going to get tricked that easily Probably because there is someone that is actually feeding them There’s a bamboo grove in the garden as well Wow this tree is so yellow Look at all the yellow leaves on the ground There’s also a small waterfall here Lovely mix of colors This giant rock is 23 feet high (7 meters) The garden is about to close so we’re on our way out Really glad we made the trip out here Korakuen is absolutely beautiful and peaceful and is definitely worthy as being known as one of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan” There’s a museum right by the entrance of the garden that showcases traditional crafts from Okayama Prefecture such as swords and pottery We’re on our way to view the castle which is the other large attraction in Okayama The castle looks incredibly impressive when lit up at night There’s a coffee festival going on in the daytime to taste coffee from a bunch of local coffee roasteries and a few international ones Can you tell that Okayama has a black exterior? This is in contrast to the white exterior of Himeji Castle and led to the nickname of Crow Castle or “castle of the black bird” It was destroyed by an air raid in 1945, but was rebuilt in 1966 and also underwent major renovations completed in 2022 so it has modern touches like air conditioning and an elevator inside These rocks show the foundation of the castle tower We stumble upon this small curry restaurant with 8 seats run by one man This curry is one of the best curries I’ve ever had in my life It is full of aromatic spices and bursting with flavor The master chef is also incredibly warm and kind My opinion is not influenced at all by the fact that he complimented my terrible Japanese speaking skills Now time for dessert We found a cute and cozy place where half of the seats are like beds where you can lie down which is very unique and unexpected We ordered peach desserts that are a perfect balance of creamy and refreshing What a way to end the night Quick “healthy” konbini snack to start the day before we explore more of Kurashiki This jewelry and gemstone shop has a free gallery on the 2nd floor showcasing works of Okayama-born artist Takahisa Yumeji He is known for his illustrations of beautiful women and girls There’s also a quirky museum here celebrating the Peach Boy, Momotaro One more visit to this cafe full of ambience Who can say no to cream and ice cream This peaceful Buddhist temple located on Mt. Tsurugata is near Achi Shrine and was once affiliated but later became independent due to the separation of Shinto and Buddhism This temple also offers nice views of the surrounding area Here you can see the community center and an art museum The oldest roof tiles are said to be around 250 years old This place is perfect to visit to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city Besides the canals the main attraction of this area is the Ohara Museum of Art While the museum focused on French art when it first opened it has since expanded and includes artwork from Picasso, El Greco, and Monet Note that photography is generally prohibited inside We just can’t get enough of the autumn leaves over the canal but there’s always time for dessert This is a popular dessert shop with several locations in the area that feature seasonal parfaits using the local Okayama fruits Since we were in Okayama, we had to try their white peach parfait as well as the persimmon parfait Both were juicy and way too easy to devour Really tasty desserts Finally, time for a riverboat tour through the canals of Kurashiki These boat tours depart every 30 minutes from 9:30AM to 5PM However tickets can only be purchased on the day of the tour at the Tourist Information Center As these tours are quite popular and can easily get fully booked we recommend heading to the information center and reserving a ticket before exploring the rest of the area Tickets are 700 yen for adults so well worth it for this 20 minute ride By the way, these hats are provided as part of the ride Not just great for sun protection, they make it all the more fun for both those on the boat and those watching from the streets The willow trees planted on both sides of the river are a signature of this area and make it all the more picturesque Here’s the entrance to denim street and the jewelry shop we visited earlier with the free art gallery It’s always fun to go under the bridge on a canal ride Our tour guide is introducing the swans here Papa named Sora-chan, Mama named Yume-chan Beautiful names with Sora meaning “sky” and Yume meaning “dream” In Japanese, the -chan suffix is added to someone’s name to show cuteness and familiarity, providing a warm feeling It’s generally used for children, close friends and family as well as for cute nicknames and pets For example, neko-chan for “kitty” These rickshaws here are called jinrikisha in Japanese Sitting in these vehicles pulled by drivers make it easy to tour around this historical area without breaking a sweat The rickshaw drivers are usually guys so it’s a pleasant surprise to see that one of the driver’s here is a girl *friendly wave back* The workers here are quite friendly One of them said I look like the famous Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani so clearly there is excellent customer service 😂 There are currently five branches of this Miffy-themed bakery in Japan selling kitchenware, merchandise, and baked goods all based off of Dick Bruna’s Miffy the Rabbit character It’s interesting how this Dutch-born character became so popular in Japan, perhaps due to its sweet character and clean design kind of like Hello Kitty Whatever the reason, it’s undeniable that Miffy is cute There’s a line out the door for the baked goods but it’s not too bad of a wait and you get to see how the Miffy bun is made There goes on the mouth and one eye These Miffy-shaped buns are filled with sweetened red bean paste which is pretty common for East Asian baked goods Aside from the Miffy-shaped bun we also got a peach jam filled bread cube Noooooo… Miffyyyy… Oh you’re delicious This cafe is known for its Happy Pudding The menu says if you can remember the taste of the Happy Pudding and your memory of Kurashiki, you will gain happiness They’re not lying, thinking back on happy memories always brings a smile to my face We are trying their raw egg over rice local specialty with sea bream fish, which is pretty good and of course we had to order peach juice in a peach booty shaped cup Check out the different faces on the pudding The pudding is creamy and soft After that fun meal, we head back to the canal to see how the swans are doing Bye bye Sora-chan and Yume-chan See you next time With that, we’re heading off to the train station Shopping for souvenir snacks before we leave Personally I just want to take home the Ico-chan plush Did you see that train conductor sticking his head out of the train? Spoiler alert: Our next destination is one of the three listed on the sign Thanks for watching and please subscribe to join us for our next adventure!
2 days of travel in Kurashiki, a city nicknamed “the Venice of Japan,” and Okayama, home to one of Japan’s three most famous gardens. We’ll be exploring the historic Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter covered in colorful fall leaves, including taking a boat ride through the canals and eating delicious parfaits and treats along the way. We’ll take in the incredible sights in Okayama’s great garden Korakuen, before catching a night view of the castle of the black bird.
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For more videos of our travels through Japan, see the following playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKV-1RtWb_TElcVXVw1CyqUJk6Nuc1kUj
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction Montage
00:43 Day 1 – Exploring Kurashiki Bikan
03:54 Kurashiki Ivy Square
06:43 Kurashiki Denim Street
07:12 Achi Shrine
09:13 Coffee Slow Hand
09:50 Okayama Korakuen
16:00 Okayama Castle
17:24 Curry and Parfait in Okayama
18:11 Day 2 – More Kurashiki
19:04 Kanryu Temple
20:09 Ohara Museum of Art
20:56 Momoko Parfait
21:18 Canal Ride
24:35 Miffy Kitchen and Happy Pudding
Places Visited:
Kurashiki Monogatarikan
https://maps.app.goo.gl/E4AmRGDd529URD1v8
Kurashiki Ivy Square West Gate
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qjG6gDUFaRB1zF7B8
Kamadaya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/E5Xhm7rELX6JnU8m7
Kurashiki Denim Street
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cCGDwnbZX6CMHqUE7
Achi Shrine
https://maps.app.goo.gl/goVo6cu4xAcMoyJn7
Coffee Slow Hand
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AdYaE3KxaDsgLxhk7
Okayama Korakuen
https://maps.app.goo.gl/sQNboZrsTTBNizad6
Okayama Castle
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rgay9qaL2rw6GtTV7
Wasrenbo
https://maps.app.goo.gl/R5n37Tg83HJHiyiD9
Chano-ma Okayama
https://maps.app.goo.gl/phh6LRyS4nNau9hBA
Dekoboko-dou
https://maps.app.goo.gl/stbWNRohAWEoRnRK8
Kanryu Temple
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Gzr5hnFS7sFNQtyJ7
Ohara Museum of Art
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ABG2jJvfMa97eom17
Kurashiki Momoko
https://maps.app.goo.gl/oG3kkZxCJ7tSq7ceA
Boat Ride Boarding
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pYQmP2BXzAYaQmFv6
Miffy Kitchen
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6C4ccPkMp2geFdLx8
Yuurin-an Guesthouse & Cafe
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NNiPGirKRD7xe4Hx5
Okayama Station
https://maps.app.goo.gl/RmQ4xtqotZUSCKMv9
Music Credits:
Eila – First Date Flowers – https://thmatc.co/?l=D0FE3A2B
のる – 星に逢う夜
のる – 風に揺れるコスモス
You Me And The Piano – First Scene – https://thmatc.co/?l=5242B487
ゆうきわたる – また明日
Spirit Worlders – Tease Me – https://thmatc.co/?l=92DA1F0A
Koala Keys – Afterglow – https://thmatc.co/?l=D1AC25E3
のる – Open Your Door
ゆうり (from Yuli Audio Craft) – 雨音のする朝
MFP – Life Has Its Ups and Downs
のる – もしもの話。
Koala Keys – Ignite Me – https://thmatc.co/?l=B3B08C62
Calming Lines – The Shining Day – https://thmatc.co/?l=8CC3265E
龍崎一 – 恋衣
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