Ultimate Fun in Western Japan (Part 4): A Wonderful Stroll Through Kurashiki

After leaving Ehime Prefecture and retracing your route over the Seto Ohashi Bridge, you’ll return to “Okayama Prefecture,” the City of Sunshine. In this hometown of Momotaro, nothing captivates me more than the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. I still remember the first time I saw the elegant willow trees swaying and the quaint bridges over gently flowing water in Kurashiki Bikan—my heart instantly envied the travelers leisurely enjoying this place.

During the Edo period, Kurashiki was a tenryō territory directly governed by the shogunate—like an area under the direct control of the emperor. Under the shogunate’s protection, it became a distribution hub for abundant goods. Today, the Kurashiki Bikan area is home to numerous Western-style buildings and art museums. With many willow trees lining the riverbanks, it adds even more artistic charm. Nowadays, small boats can often be seen gliding along the Kurashiki River that runs through the center of the area. The white-walled buildings and streetscapes by the waterways remain almost unchanged from a hundred years ago. The well-preserved merchant district streets give Kurashiki a strong sense of old-world charm, attracting many visitors who come here to soak in the nostalgia of the past.

The Ohara Museum of Art in the Kurashiki Bikan area was founded in 1930 by Kurashiki-born entrepreneur Magosaburō Ōhara. It is Japan’s first private art museum focused on Western art. The main building features a Romanesque colonnade style and primarily houses Impressionist paintings—from Renoir to Gauguin—and you can also admire Monet’s most famous Water Lilies here. The U.S. military even issued special orders not to bomb the surrounding area, which helped Kurashiki retain its complete historical appearance dating back to the Edo period.