| Okayama Prefecture (岡山) | |
.jpg/210px-Christmas_tree_lighting_(6471182605).jpg) | |
| Information | |
| Country |  Japan |
|---|---|
| Region | Chūgoku |
| Regional capital | Okayama |
| Area | 7 113,21 km² |
| Population | 1 878 884 hab. () |
| Density | 264,14 inhab./km² |
| Spindle | UTC 09:00, Japan Standard Time |
| Location | |
&groups=aller,circuler,voir,faire,acheter,manger,sortir,loger,ville,destination,diplomatie,masque,around,buy,city,do,drink,eat,go,listing,other,see,sleep,vicinity,view,black,blue,brown,chocolate,forestgreen,gold,gray,grey,lime,maroon,mediumaquamarine,navy,red,royalblue,silver,steelblue,teal,fuchsia) 34 ° 48 ′ 0 ″ N 133 ° 49 ′ 48 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
Okayama (岡山) is a prefecture japanese, located in the region of Chūgoku.
Understand
With more sunny days and fewer rainy days than most other prefectures, Okayama is nicknamed the land of the sun (晴 れ の 国 hare no kuni). When it rains in the surrounding prefectures, it's not uncommon for it to be just cloudy or even sunny in Okayama, which is great news for travelers. The weather has also made Okayama a region famous for its fruit. Muscat and kyohō grapes are well-known local fruits, and more than half of the peaches sold in Japan come from Okayama. The peaches are particularly famous here as Okayama is also known as the place of origin of Momotaro's tale. Those interested in history can visit many of the places associated with it around the capital, and those interested in fruit should look out for one of the many fruit parfait restaurants and cafes.
Okayama Prefecture was formed by the amalgamation of three former provinces: Bizen, Bitchū and Mimasaka. The Bizen province has been recognized throughout history for its high quality swords. Bizen pottery also comes from here. The modern city of Bizen is one of the "six kilns" of Japan, one of the six most famous and valuable pottery towns in the country. The Bitchū region represents the western area of the prefecture. the Bitchū Matsuyama Castle from which the province was once ruled is one of the few original castles still existing in Japan. During the Edo era, the city of Kurashiki emerged as the commercial center of the province. The Bikan district contains many old merchant navy buildings. They are among the most important in the country. The Mimasaka region, located in the north, is famous for its nature and hot springs. Many of the historical sites in the area are connected to the ancient Izumo pilgrimage route that runs through the area. Musashi Miyamoto, the allegedly undefeated master samurai, is said to have come from Mimasaka. Half of his remains are also buried here.
Regions
Cities
- 1 Okayama (岡山) – The capital, a beautiful city home to one of the three famous gardens of Japan, the birthplace of the famous tale Momotarō and also famous for its fruits.
- 2 Asakuchi (浅 口) – Where is one of Japan's national astronomical observatories.
- 3 Bizen (備 前) – A pottery town named as one of Japan's Six Kilns
- 4 Kasaoka (笠岡) – A small port town known for its ramen.
- 5 Kumenan (久 米南) – A small town in the heart of the prefecture with a peaceful atmosphere typical of the Japanese countryside.
- 6 Kurashiki (倉 敷) – a charming walk through ancient Japan, lined with local shops and museums.
- 7 Nagi (奈 義) – A small town in the north with a world famous modern art museum.
- 8 Niimi (新 見) – A great place for nature lovers; has two famous caves that visitors can visit.
- 9 Soy (総 社) – The birthplace of the poet-priest Sesshu.
- 10 Takahashi (高梁) – Known for the Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, one of only twelve original castles remaining in Japan and also the highest castle
- 11 Tsuyama (津 山) – Known for the Kakuzan park, the best place to see cherry blossoms in Okayama Prefecture, as well as for its historical Jōtō Street and his Shūraku-en garden.
Other destinations
- Hiruzen mountains (蒜 山)
- 1 Mimasaka (美) – The birthplace of famous samurai Musashi Miyamoto.
- Ibara
- Maniwa
- Akaiwa
- Wake
- Setouchi
- 2 Naoshima (直 島) (Can be easily reached from the port of Uno, after 1 h JR train ride from Okayama city) – A small island in the Seto Inland Sea with superb contemporary art museums. Even if it is not officially part of the prefecture, it is closer to it than to the prefecture of Kagawa to which it belongs.
- 3 Teshima (豊 島) – A more rural island also having several sites of modern art.
- 4 Inujima (犬 島) – Another small island in the Seto Sea with modern art sites.
To speak
The people of Okayama use standard Japanese. There is an Okayama dialect, but it is rather weakly pronounced compared to the Kansai or Aomori dialects.
To go
By plane
- 1 Okayama Airport (IATA : OKJ) – Has flights to Tokyo (1 h), Sapporo (2 h) and Naha To Okinawa (2 h). There are also international flights to Shanghai and Seoul (both 1 h 30), Dalian, Beijing and Guam.
By train
The stationOkayama is a major station in western Japan. All trains on the line Shinkansen San'yō stop there. Kodama trains also stop at Shin-Kurashiki Station in Kurashiki. Anyone coming by Shikoku must go through Okayama from Sakaide with the train Marine Liner.
By car
Highway Chūgoku Expressway through Tsuyama and Niimi to the north, and the highway San'yō Expressway passes through the southern part through the region of Bizen (including the town ofOkayama) and the southern part of the Bitchū region. The Chūgoku Highway begins at Nishinomiya the San'yō separates from it north of Kobe. Both end at Shimonoseki in the West.
Circulate
By train
Okayama Station is connected to almost all parts of the prefecture. The Tsuyama line connects it to the Mimasaka region in the north, the Hakubi line goes to the northern part of the Bitchū region and the San'yō line serves the rest of the Bitchū region, as well as that of Bizen. Almost all prefecture stations can be reached either directly or with a change at Okayama station. A large majority of the prefecture's sites are accessible by train.
By bus
Many places in the prefecture that are not near the train stations can be reached by bus. Buses can be taken to reach the three famous onsen in Mimasaka. There are also buses to other parts, including the famous Mount Hiruzen, Hattoji and the historic village of Fukiya.
By bike
Despite its name (meaning "rolling mountains" or "hills and mountains"), Okayama Prefecture has some great and very flat bike routes. The Kibi Plains are particularly well known, connecting the northwestern part of Okayama City to Sōja. the Katatetsu Roman Kaidō (片 鉄 ロ マ ン 街道) is a cycle path that starts in Bizen, passes through Wake and part of Akaiwa, before ending in the town of Misaki in the north. Most people spend a day on one of its trails using rental bikes, but these are viable travel options for those with their own bikes.
By car
While most travelers should be able to get by using public transportation, as always, having a car offers more choice and allows you to cover more things in a day. Car rentals are available in many cities, such as Okayama, Kurashiki, Tsuyama, and Takahashi.
It is better to avoid the San'yō highway on weekdays when people move between home and work. Traffic jams are frequent.
To see
- Korakuen Garden (Okayama) – Stroll through this garden, one of the three most beautiful from Japan
- Bitchū Matsuyama Castle (Takahashi) – This majestic castle is one of the last remaining original castles in Japan, and the tallest.
- Historic district of Bikan (Kurashiki) – Browse the shops and museums in this lovely historic district, one of the nation's largest and best-preserved.
- Shizutani School (Bizen) – Visit this school, the first school in Japan open to all citizens regardless of grade or class.
- Ohara Art Museum (Kurashiki) – Enjoy the large collection of famous European works.
- Bizen swords (Setouchi) – Go see at Bizen Osafune Museum how are made bizen swords, once among the best in the country.
- Jōtō street (Tsuyama) – Walk along this street, on the old one Izumo pilgrimage route
- Saijō Inari (Okayama) – Take a walk on the grounds of this sanctuary, considered one of the three large Inari shrines from Japan.
- Iyama Hofukuji Temple (Soy) – Visit this temple where the famous poet and priest Sesshū once studied.
- Ikura ravine and Maki cave (Niimi) – Explore these beautiful caves.
- Ojigatake Hill (Tamano) – Walk among the mysterious rock formations of this hill.
- Washuzan Hill (Kurashiki) – Relax there and enjoy the view of the Seto Inland Sea and the Seto Ohashi Bridge
Do
- Cherry blossoms at Tsuyama Castle – Admire the blooming of thousands of cherry trees as you stroll through the ruins of Tsuyama Castle.
- Learn the history of Okayama Prefecture and the story that inspired the history of Momotaro as you pedal or walk along the Kibiji district track (Okayama, Soy)
- Bizen Pottery – Make your own Bizen Pottery.
- Momotaro Festival – Take part in the festivities celebrating Momotaro.
- Sport in Green Hills Tsuyama – Swim at the Glass House or play sports outdoors.
Hot Springs
The most famous hot springs in the prefecture are the hot springs of Yubara (Maniwa), from Yunogo (Mimasaka) and D'Okutsu (Kagamino), all located in the northern part of the prefecture. Each of these destinations are great escapees to relax and rejuvenate.
If these are too far for you, you can also try the ones from Niimi chiya To Niimi or Asagiri Onsen To Takahashi. the Seto Ohashi Spa Resort To Kurashiki however, is not a real onsen; it offers a variety of ways to relax, including a variety of baths.
To buy
Eat
- The muscat grapes and the peaches of Okayama are the tastiest in the country.
- the Kibi Dango is a famous sweet fromOkayama and which is appreciated by Momotaro in the famous tale of the boy fishing.
- the Tsuyama Manju and the Tsuyama Senbei are sweet snacks from Tsuyama.
Have a drink / Go out
As you might expect from a grape producer, Okayama is famous for its wine (at least in Japan). Okayama Sapporo Winery at Akaiwa is a popular place to taste and buy local wines. There is a Kirin beer factory in Okayama, too, which can be visited.
Housing
In terms of hotels, the city ofOkayama has a wide choice for all budgets, just like Kurashiki. For most tourists visiting the southern part of the prefecture, staying in one of these two cities will be the most convenient, although accommodation can be found in most of the other cities as well. In the northern region, it is Tsuyama which offers the most choice. There are also hotels and ryokans in each of the famous onsen regions for those who want to relax in a more traditional setting.
Around
- Shikoku Island (四 国) (South) – Okayama is the main access point to Shikoku since Honshū, via Seto Ohashi Bridge and the train line Marine Liner. In the Kagawa prefecture lie the magnificent Ritsurin garden and history yashima island where the Battle of Yashima took place during the Genpei War in the city of Takamatsu. All along Shikoku Island are the famous temples of pilgrimage of the 88 temples. TO Marugame is one of the original castles of Japan, the marugame castle. From Kagawa Prefecture, you can continue your journey to the prefectures of Kōchi, ofEhime and of Tokushima.
- Hyōgo Prefecture (to the East) – The city of Himeji is famous for its well-preserved white castle. Traveling further will take you to Kobe, a port city.
- Tottori Prefecture (North) – Mostly famous for its natural sites, such as the Tottori sand dunes, the only dunes in Japan, located in the Tottori town. In the eastern part is Daisen and the Mount Daisen, a popular place for rock climbing, hiking and skiing (in winter). Daisen-ji is also located on this mountain. the Mitokusan Nageiredō is a mysterious temple built on a cliff at Misasa, whose construction method remains unknown to this day.
- Hiroshima Prefecture (West) – Fukuyama, the nearest town, offers a variety of art and historical museums, as well as the fukuyama castle. The most famous sites of this prefecture are the genbaku dome in the Peace park and the Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum in the town of Hiroshima and the shrine ofItsukushima on the island of Miyajima. Onomichi is another interesting destination with its 88 temples of Innoshima, inspired by the famous pilgrimage of the 88 temples of Shikoku. It also has a lot of places to see flowers and the Innoshima Suigun Castle.
