Okayama

Okayama is located in the center of the Okayama Plain, one of Japan's major granaries. The plain fronts the Seto Naikai (Inland Sea) in the-Chugoku District of Western Honshu and has long been one of the nation's farming regions blessed with a mild climate and fertile soil. Besides quality rice, the Plain is known for its white peaches, muscat grapes and other highgrade fruits. It is also one of the earliest civilized regions of Japan.

The history of Okayama goes back to 1573 when Naoie Ukita, a local war lord, built his fortress where the city is located today. In 1632, Mitsumasa Ikeda became the lord of Okayama and the city prospered as the castle town of the Ikeda clan for more than 200 years until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

When Okayama began the process of modernizing, textiles became its principal industry. In 1891, the rail link that has become the modern Sanyo Line between Kobe and Okayama was opened, and this link helped to turn the city into one of the centers of economic, political, transportation and educational activity in western Honshu. In 1972 Okayama gained new luster as a tourist attraction when the new bullet-train high speed Sanyo Line went into operation. Travel time between Osaka and Okayama was cut to a little over and hour.

Major Places of Interest

Okayama City Orient Museum

10 min. by bus from Okayama Station. It specializes in ancient Oriental arts, the first of its kind in Japan. It was modeled after the Pantheon in Greece, the cradle of the world's oldest civilization. Some 2,000 items are exhibited in the museum.

Okayama Prefectural Museum

A 10 min. walk from Okayama City Orient Museum, it is a historical museum, displaying ancient materials unearthed in the district, fine arts and sculpture, pottery, swords and armor, totaling 5,000 items.

Korakuen Garden

Next to Okayama Prefectural Museum, it is located on the east bank of the Asahi River. It is one of the three most celebrated gardens in Japan, the other two being Kenrokuen at Kanazawa and Kairakuen at Mito.

Lord Tsunamasa Ikeda of the Bizen clan made the decision to construct a garden in 1686, and it was started in 1687. After 14 years, it was completed in 1700. It had been the private property of the Ikeda Family until 1884 when it was donated to Okayama prefecture and opened to the public. Since 1871, the garden was called 'Korakuen', which means 'the garden for taking pleasure later'.

The main characteristics of the garden are that distant views outside the garden are included to enhance the beauty, and you can admire a variety of scenic views. Though the garden is laid out on flat land, there are streams, waterfalls and ponds. The source of water is the Asahi River. This skillful utilization of water is a way of representing the natural scenery peculiar to Japan.

There is a tea plantation in the garden, another characteristic of gardening in the Edo period. The view comprising the evergreen tea plantation, the wavy bank beyond and the hills in the distance are said to defy competition in its beauty.

Another attraction in the garden is Enyo-tei, guest house in which the lord entertained his guests. The autumn moon viewing from here across the pond, called Sawa-no-ike, is better than that from anywhere else in the city.

The classical Noh stage, one of the oldest buildings for the performance of Noh, was restored to its original state in 1958. The Ikeda family were all lovers of Noh.

Kakumei-kan

It was formerly called Hiroma, or hall, and was the antecedent room for vassals to prepare for receptions. The existing building was moved here from Iwakuni city in 1949.

Kayo-noike

During the summer you can find large, rare lotus plants carpeting this pond. Beyond the pond is a massive rock, seven meters high and twenty meters around, which was carried here from the Seto Inland Sea. In a quiet spot beyond the rock, you can see a tea ceremony house called Mosho-an, the best example of a tea house in the garden.

Yatsu-hashi

Under this elegant bridge constructed of 8 wooden boards, there are beautiful irises that bloom in early summer.

Kanki-tei

This is a thatched house from which the lord watched horsemanship.

Okayama Castle

A 3 min. walk from the south exit of Korakuen Garden, it was originally constructed in the 16th century. The four-story donjon was rebuilt in 1966, and displays many relics of local history. It is called 'Ujo' or Crow Castle because of its dark appearance.

Okayama Art Museum

A 5 min. walk from the castle, this museum exhibits some 4,000 relics, including swords, armor, lacquerware, pottery, f ine arts and calligraphy, all of which once belonged to the Ikeda family.

Side trips from Okayama

Ikeda Zoo

This zoo is operated by Mr. Takamasa Ikeda, a direct descendant of the feudal lord who ruled Okayama and it environs. His wife is the daughter of the Showa Emperor. It has a collection of 100 species of amimals. Behind the zoo is an amusement facility called the 'Family Land', one of the new recreation centers in Okayama.

Handayama Botanical Carden

This garden contains 3,000 different species of plants, which attract people throughout the year. It is located on a hill and affords a panoramic view of the city.

RSK Rose Garden

It is located 20 min. by car to the west of Okayama station on route 2. 150 varieties of roses, numbering some 70,000 plants, bloom one after another from May to November.

Bizen

Located 45 min. by rail from Okayama to Imbe Station, it has a nationwide reputation for its Bizen-yaki porcelain ware, which has been made here for centuries. Bizen-yaki tea utensils, sake bottles, flower vases, tableware and various ornaments are popular souvenir items. Around Imbe Station, there are workshops for visitors to observe the techniques and even try making his own souvenir pottery items. There is also the Bizen Pottery Traditional and Contemporary Art Museum.

Shizutani School

The history of this school goes all the way back to 1666 when Lord Ikeda made an inspection tour throughout the country and came across Kidani Village in Wake where he thought he would provide a site for education. He then founded a school for the commoners.

Since then, this place has been called 'Shizu-tani' instead of Ki-dani because it was a 'quiet and peaceful valley' nestled in the mountains. A unique feature of the school is the roof made of Bizen Ware tiles.

One will examine the careful structural appearance with tiles of the roof placed one over another in three layers so that rain would not leak through the ceiling in case the upper tiles should be broken. Each roof has a symbol on its tiles that is different from those of the other roofs. The lecture hall has six leaves on its roof tiles and the Shizutani shrine'the swallow-tail' , which once symbolized the Ikeda family. At the side of the lecture hall, there is a special room of tearoom style where Lord Ikeda rested when he visited the school. The stone wall built in Chinese style will attract one's attention. Outside the school gate there is a pond that is modeled on the landscape gardening of ancient China.

The inside of the lecture hall resembles a medieval-style building and consists of a main hall, supported by 10 camphor columns, and a adjacent antechamber. Both the floors and columns are lacquered, providing a new appearance at this late date. The lecture hall contains only a framed calligraphy and two regulation boards on the wall.

A camellia garden containing numerous trees is located on the small hill near a shrine, which was built in 1703.

A small fish found only in the Inland Sea is utilized in a delicious dish called Mamakari Zushi. Another sushi dish, which enjoys a high reputation among Okayama's local cuisine, is Okakyama Zushi.

Okayama serves as a main gateway to the Inland Sea National Park and to Shikoku Island, which has become much more accessible to people on the mainland with completion of the Seto Ohashi (bridge).