Okayama Prefecture

城市概覽

With more sunny days and fewer rainy days than most other prefectures, Okayama is nicknamed the Land of Sunshine (晴れの国 hare no kuni). When it's raining in the surrounding prefectures, it is not uncommon for Okayama to be merely cloudy or even sunny, which is great news for travelers. The weather has also made Okayama a famous fruit region. Muscat grapes and peony grapes are well-known local fruits. Peaches are also particularly famous. The prefecture has produced a handful of its own varieties of white peaches which are often considered to be the best peaches in the nation. Peaches are also special as Okayama is also known as the place where the Momotaro (Peach boy) folktale originated. Those with an interest in the story can visit many sites associated with it around the capital, and those with an interest in the fruits should seek out one of the many fruit parfait restaurants and cafes. Okayama Prefecture was formed from the combination of three former provinces; Bizen, Bitchu, and Mimasaka. Bizen Province has been known throughout history for its high-quality swords. Bizen swords are still made in Setouchi where visitors can learn about, purchase, and even witness the swordsmaking process. It's also the home of Bizen Pottery. The modern city of Bizen is one of Japan's "six kilns", the six most famous and treasured pottery towns in the country. It was among the wealthiest provinces where most of the modern capital was built up around by the daimyo of Okayama Castle. The Bitchu Region makes up the western area of the prefecture and was historically considered to be part of an entirely different region than the other two provinces. Bitchu Matsuyama Castle from which the province was once ruled still exists as one of Japan's few remaining original castles. During the Edo Period, the city of Kurashiki emerged as the province's commercial center. The Bikan Area contains many of the old merchant buildings to this day. It's among the largest in the country. The Mimasaka

如何抵達

By plane 1 Okayama Airport (岡山空港 OKJ IATA). Has flights to Tokyo (1 hr), Sapporo (2 hrs) and Naha (2 hrs). There are also international flights to Shanghai and Seoul (both 1.5 hrs), Dalian, Beijing, and Guam.

By train Okayama is a major train hub in Western Japan. All trains on the Sanyo Shinkansen line stop at Okayama Station. Kodama trains also stop at Shin-Kurashiki Station in Kurashiki. Anyone traveling by train from Shikoku must travel through Okayama from Sakaide on the Marine Liner.

By car The Chugoku Expressway passes through Tsuyama and Niimi in the north, and the Sanyo Expressway travels through the southern portion through the Bizen area (including Okayama City) and southern Bitchu area. The Chugoku Expressway begins in Nishinomiya and the Sanyo Expressway branches off from it in northern Kobe. Both terminate in Shimonoseki in the west.

當地交通

By train Okayama Station is connected to nearly every part of the prefecture. The Tsuyama Line connects it to the northern Mimasaka Region, the Hakubi Line goes up to the northern parts of the Bitchu Region and the Sanyo Line serves the rest of the Bitchu area, as well as the Bizen area. Nearly every station in the prefecture can be reached either directly or with one transfer from Okayama Station. A vast majority of the prefecture's sites are accessible by train.

By bus Many places in the prefecture that are not located near train stations can still be accessed by bus. Buses can be used to reach all three of the famous Mimasaka onsen. There are also buses to other famous areas, including the Hiruzen Highlands, Hattoji, and the historic village of Fukiya.

By bike In spite of the implications of its name, which translates to mean "Hilly Mountains" or "Hills and Mountains", Okayama Prefecture has some great and very flat cycling options. The Kibi Plains are particularly well-known, connecting the northwestern part of Okayama City to Soja. The Katatetsu Roman Kaido is a cycling trail that goes from Bizen, through Wake and parts of Akaiwa, before ending in the northern town of Misaki. Most people just spend a day on these trails using rental bikes, but they are viable travel options for those who have their own bikes.

By car While most travelers should be able to get by using public transportation, as always, having a car gives you the most options and allows you to cover more ground in a day. Car rentals are available in many cities, such as Okayama, Kurashiki, Tsuyama, and Takahashi. It's best to avoid the Sanyo Highway on weekdays when people are heading home from work. Traffic jams are frequent.

必看景點

Take a stroll through Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's top three gardens (Okayama) See the majestic Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, Japan's highest castle and only original mountaintop castle (Takahashi) Browse the shops and museums in the beautiful Bikan Historic District, one of the largest and best preserved historic districts in the nation (Kurashiki) Tour the Shizutani School, the first school in Japan to be open to all citizens regardless of rank or class (Bizen) Marvel at the world-class modern art museum, NAGI MoCA in Nagi or the art island of Inujima in the Seto Inland Sea. See how the famous Bizen swords, once among the best in the nation, are made at the Bizen Osafune Museum (Setouchi) Walk along Joto Street, the old Izumo Pilgrimage Route (Tsuyama) Visit the Yumeji Seika, the childhood home of artist Yumeji Takehisa in Setouchi and the Yumeji Art Museum in Okayama Wander the grounds of Saijo Inari, considered to be one of Japan's three great Inari shrines (Okayama) Visit Iyama Hofukuji Temple where the famous poet and priest Sesshu once studied (Soja) View the large collection of famous European artwork at the Ohara Museum of Art (Kurashiki) Explore the beautiful Ikura Ravine and Maki Cave (Niimi) Walk among the mysterious rock formations on Ojigatake Hill (Tamano) Enjoy the unique burnt orange buildings in Fukiya's historic district (Takahashi) Relax on Washuzan Hill and enjoy views of the Seto Inland Sea and Seto Ohashi Bridge (Kurashiki) Visit one of only five National Astronomical Observatories in the nation (Asakuchi)

體驗活動

View the thousands of cherry blossoms as you stroll among the ruins of Tsuyama Castle (Tsuyama) Learn about the History of Okayama Prefecture and the story that inspired the tale of Momotaro as you bike (or hike) along the Kibiji District Trail (Okayama, Soja) Make your own Bizen pottery (Bizen) Partake in the festivities celebrating Momotaro at the Momotaro Festival (Okayama) Enjoy swimming in the Glass House or sports outside in Green Hills Tsuyama (Tsuyama)

Hot Springs The most famous hot springs in the prefecture are Yubara Hot Springs (Maniwa), Yunogo Hot Springs (Mimasaka), and Okutsu Hot Spring (Kagamino), all located in the northern part of the prefecture. Each of these make great getaway destinations to relax and rejuvenate. If these are too far out of the way, you can also try Niimi Chiya Hot Springs in Niimi or Asagir