December 4, 2001 Day 13: Kurashiki, Tomonoura & Fukuyama

Kurashiki is located in Okayama Prefecture, not far from the prefectural capital, Okayama City. It has a preserved canal area that dates back to the Edo Period, when 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.

Tomonoura is a port town at the southern end of Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Situated at a bay facing the Seto Inland Sea, the picturesque port town features an endearing old-fashioned fishing townscape, with a calm and laid-back atmosphere. Tomonoura is part of the Setonaikai National Park.

Fukuyama Castle is on a low hill across from Fukuyama Station. It was originally constructed in 1622 under the command of the cousin of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but its current main keep is a ferro-concrete, postwar reconstruction.