Barazushiばら寿司
Festive scattered sushi topped with Seto Inland Sea seafood and vegetables.
Chugoku
Okayama Travel Guide
Local tips, regional food and places off the tourist trail
A sunny, easy-going prefecture on the Seto Inland Sea. Okayama city has Korakuen garden and its black castle, Kurashiki has a canal-side merchant quarter, and Uno port is the gateway to Naoshima.
Open Okayama on the map35 places on the map · 12 local favourites
Local tips
- TipOkayama Station is a hub: Shinkansen, a short JR ride to Kurashiki, and trams toward Korakuen and the castle.
- TipFor Naoshima, take a JR train to Uno and the ferry from Uno port; Naoshima itself belongs to Kagawa.
- DoRent a bicycle and ride the flat Kibiji cycling route past Kibitsu Shrine, rice fields and ancient burial mounds.
- TipSummer brings Okayama’s famous white peaches, followed by Muscat and Pione grapes into early autumn.
- TipFor a lesser-known trip, the hill town of Fukiya is known for its red bengara-coloured streets.
What to eat
Hakuto (white peaches)白桃
Delicate, very juicy white peaches, eaten fresh in summer or in parfaits and sweets.
Demi-katsudonデミカツ丼
Okayama’s take on katsudon, with the pork cutlet smothered in demi-glace sauce instead of egg.
Local favourites
Places mostly visited by people who live here — quieter, and often the highlight of a trip.
Ikeda Zoo
池田動物園 ExperiencesA hillside zoo in Okayama city with a relaxed local atmosphere and views over the city, popular with families.
● Mostly localsTamachi, Okayama
岡山 田町 NightlifeOkayama city's main entertainment district, packed with izakaya, bars and small restaurants serving Seto Inland Sea seafood.
● Mostly localsHashino Shokudo
橋野食堂 Local FoodA local diner in Tsuyama known for 'horumon udon', thick noodles stir-fried with offal and sweet-savoury sauce, the town's soul food.
● Mostly localsKatsuyama Historic Town
勝山町並み保存地区 Sights & HistoryAn old castle town along the Asahi River where almost every house hangs a unique hand-dyed noren curtain in its doorway.
● Mostly localsOkutsu Gorge
奥津渓 Nature & SceneryA riverside gorge with potholes and rock formations near Okutsu Onsen, with a walking path. Autumn colours are the highlight.
● Mostly localsTsuji Honten (Gozenshu)
御前酒蔵元 辻本店 Local FoodSights & HistoryA sake brewery in the old town of Katsuyama making Gozenshu sake. Its shop and café sit among the town's noren-curtained merchant houses.
● Mostly localsMiyashita Shuzo
宮下酒造 Local FoodShoppingAn Okayama city brewery making both Kiwami Hijiri sake and Doppo craft beer, with a shop and a restaurant serving its drinks.
● Mostly localsOmotecho Shopping Street
表町商店街 ShoppingOkayama city's long covered shopping arcade near the castle, mixing old family shops, cafés and boutiques.
● Mostly localsYugasan Rendai-ji
由加山 蓮台寺 Temples & GoshuinchoA hilltop temple in Kurashiki traditionally paired with Konpira Shrine across the sea in Kagawa; visiting both was a popular old pilgrimage.
● Mostly localsGomi no Ichi Fish Market
五味の市 Local FoodShoppingA fish market at Hinase port selling local catch. In winter, try 'kakioko', okonomiyaki loaded with Hinase oysters, at shops around town.
● Mostly localsKanba Falls
神庭の滝 Nature & SceneryA tall waterfall in a forest valley near Maniwa, reached by a short path. Wild monkeys often gather near the entrance, so keep food out of sight.
● Mostly localsOkutsu Onsen
奥津温泉 Hot SpringsA quiet hot spring village in the northern mountains, with clear, gentle water. Pair it with a walk in the nearby Okutsu Gorge.
● Mostly localsThe famous sights
The places most visitors come for. Worth it — just go early.
Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
倉敷美観地区 Sights & HistoryShoppingWillow-lined canals, white-walled storehouses and old merchant homes turned into shops, cafés and museums. Lovely in the early evening lights.
Korakuen Garden
岡山後楽園 Nature & ScenerySights & HistoryOne of Japan's three great gardens, with wide lawns, ponds and a view of Okayama Castle. Evening illuminations are held in some seasons.
Ohara Museum of Art
大原美術館 Sights & HistoryJapan's first museum of Western art, with works by El Greco, Monet and Gauguin, housed in a Greek-temple-style building in Kurashiki.
Okayama Castle
岡山城 Sights & HistoryA black-walled castle nicknamed 'Crow Castle', just across the river from Korakuen garden. The keep houses exhibits and a craft area.