Kurashiki City sits in the heart of Okayama Prefecture. With a population close to 500,000 people it makes for a city that has a lot to offer day or night. Whatever you want to do it has it all. Walking around the Bikan area, a historical area that was spared during WWII which ha..
Bizen is a city of 40,000 made up of Yoshinaga, Hinase and the Bizen areas. Famous around the world for beautiful ceramics, the city has the welcomed trilogy of sea, town and mountains. Hinase represents the sea with a strong fishing industry, markets and restaurants offering the freshest fish pos..
A rural city with about 40,000 residents, Setouchi City is a new kid on the block in Okayama Prefecture. It consists of the towns of Ushimado, Oku and Osafune and is bordered by both Okayama and Bizen City. Oku is where the city hall is located although I don’t think you could really call it..
Uno is a little town with a funny name. Not like Yoko Ono, or “yuno”, as in “you know”, but “oo no”. Thousands of people pass through each day, but it is not on the Shinkansen route, nor does it have any World Heri..
Inujima is a near deserted island off the south coast of Okayama Prefecture, whose population had decreased from three thousand to a bit over thirty in a hundred years. There are old bank tellers and charming wood cottages, like a place stuck in time..
In many ways a trip to Inujima is a trip back in time. In many ways the changes to the 21st century has bypassed this quiet island with many of the younger generation having moved to the bigger cities Fiona Tan, a visiting artist from the Netherlands..
The long coastlines and islands of the Setouchi area house some of Japan’s top luxurious retreats. These seaside paradises show the beauty of the Setouchi region of Japan and its vibrant blue and green waters that change colors with the seasons..
Located only within a two-minute walk from Okayama station, Hollywood Sauna & Spa is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the weird and wonderful world of Japanese accommodations. The multi-story hotel, which is ironically set above a pachink..
Budget station hotels in Japan are near the stations, or at most a kilometer away, a walking distance of about 20 minutes. At average rates of between Y 5000 to 10000, they are a steal, if you can bear with no chocolates under the pillow and no rose ..
Like all cities, Okayama has a thousand and one shops to answer all the shopping needs of the locals, as well as those of tourists who are passing through. It would, of course, be impossible to list them all. However, two places stand out from the ot..
Japan is overflowing with traditional gardens, parks and other green spaces each more magnificent than the last. Certain ones, however, will leave you with a stronger impression than the others. This is the case of the magnificent Okayama Korakuen Ga..
On a cool Monday in early December, I made my way to Imbe in Okayama Prefecture. The small town, a 35-minute ride from Okayama Station, is home to Bizen-yaki (Bizen pottery), one of the six traditional kilns of Japan. My first stop was the Bize..
