Our travel continues to KURASHIKI a famous gem, stunningly beautiful city in Okayama prefecture that is the neighbor of Hiroshima prefecture. It is said that their Merchants Quarter is the most beautiful in whole Japan, with buildings from Edo Era (1603-1867) preserved till today and a lovely inner canal lined up with willow trees and Sakura Cherry Blossom and patrolled by a Swan and kept clean by fishes. Let’s discover it little by little on a stunning spring warm sunny day in bloom.
Kurashiki is a city on Japan’s Seto Inland Sea. It’s known for the centuries-old buildings and shops of the Bikan Historical Quarter. The city served as an important rice distribution center. In fact, the name “Kurashiki” can be roughly translated as “town of storehouses” in reference to the rice storehouses.
Many of Kurashiki’s former storehouses have been converted into museums, boutiques and cafes. The Ohara Museum is the most impressive of Kurashiki’s museums, exhibiting a large collection of works by famous Western artists. The canal area is a ten minute walk from Kurashiki Station.
The Ohara Museum of Art has works by European masters such as El Greco and Monet. Nearby, Japan Rural Toy Museum displays toys from the 1600s to the 1980s. The Archaeological Museum has artifacts from the region’s ancient cultures. Boats cruise the district’s narrow central canal.
AloJapan.com