Enjoy the food,the art and the traditon in Okayama

2018年 10月23日


If you worry about weather during you stay in Japan, you should know that Okayama is one of the sunniest areas of Japan. Close to many other interesting sightseeings, Okayama could be highly recommended for those who discover Japan for the first time.

All year long you could taste the excellent local cuisine. Okayama is not only a town name, but also a name of a large prefecture located east of Hiroshima. Okayama combines both sea and mountains which is represented in the local cuisine. If you are passionate about sushi and seafood, try at all costs, the traditional Bara-zushi, that is a mixed-sushi made with shrimp, grilled eel (Unagi), and a wide variety of fishes, complemented by crunchy vegetables. You would also have the opportunity to enjoy the Takomeshi, a traditional dish made with boiled octopus and rice. Okonomiyaki is particularly well-known in the Kansai area, (okonomiyaki is king of pancake batter cooked with many ingredients), here prepared with local oyster. The region offers also the succulent beef Chiyagyu, a high quality meat which is often used to make different kinds of japanese meals as Sukiyaki (Japanese stew) or Udons (thick wheat flour noodles).
 
There are opportunities to meet many kinds of Japanese arts in Okayama. You will discover one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan. Korakuen Garden, located in the center of the city of Okayama, near the main railway station, will allow you a relaxing stroll in an outstanding quiet place. The garden was ordered by the local lord Ikeda Tsunamasa in Edo period, end of the seventeenth century, when the people starts to recognize that gardens is the places to enjoy walking. The garden is quite large, with about 13 hectares where you could find old shrines, Noh theater, tea gardens, and rice fields. Also there is the beautiful black frontage castle nearby. In August, the castle organizes lot of events meantime the garden is beautifully illuminated by many bamboo lanterns, and where you can enjoy concerts, but also participate in traditional arts performance.
 
From Okayama station, you could go directly to the kagato station towards Bizen. A 20 minutes walk away, the Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword museum will teach you a lot about katana forging. In addition to join an observation tour of an impressive demonstration of forging, you will also admire a beautiful swords collection of several different eras.
 
Not far from there, you will have the pleasure of visiting the ancient village of Bizen Imbe, where you could enjoy a nice stroll. This village is famous for pottery whose practice originated more than 1,000 years. You could learn this art by making your own creation in one of the many shops in the village. West of the city of Okayama, another old town worth a visit. The small village of Kurashiki has magnificent old narrow streets, where visitors dressed in kimono enjoy quiet strolls between ancient merchant houses and art galleries. Enjoy a boat ride on the canal, visit one of the many art and history museums and the old quarters of Higashimachi and Honmachi. It will make your day outstanding in the old traditional Japan.