It’s a waste of time to just drop in! Activities to do in and around Kurashiki

What is your impression of Kurashiki?
There are many well-known characteristics such as “the city with Edo-era streets”, “the city of white walls” or “the sacred place for denim”, but when it comes to tours organised by travel agencies, it is often just a place to stop. This article introduces the cultural experiences available in the Kurashiki area for companies planning trips to Okayama Prefecture and neighbouring Hiroshima and Kagawa Prefectures!

Let’s take a look at some of them.

What’s Kurashiki like?
The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is characterised by its white-walled streets and canals, which retain the atmosphere of the Edo period, and is designated as a national important cultural asset. Old buildings and merchant houses line the streets, and the traditional townscape remains intact. There are also many art galleries and museums, including the Ohara Museum of Art, where visitors can experience art and culture. The Kojima area is known as the first area in Japan where full-scale denim production took place and is loved both at home and abroad.

Cultural experiences available to participate in the Kurashiki area.

Activities in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter

『Faceted lantern making at the Kurashiki Hikari Factory』
Visitors can experience making faceted paper lanterns, which originated in Kurashiki. After assembling the base of the faceted paper lantern yourself, you can decorate it with masking tape and stickers, which originated in Kurashiki. The finished work will illuminate the night in Kurashiki with its beautiful light. Why not take a walk around Kurashiki at night with the lanterns you have made?

Details ⇒ Kurashiki Kosakusho Сan be booked on the reservation website

『Morning tour at the Ohara Museum of Art』
The Ohara Museum of Art’s Morning Tour takes visitors on a guided tour of the museum every Sunday before the museum opens, with a special interpreter explaining the artworks. This is a rare opportunity to enjoy the Ohara Museum of Art, which is usually crowded and cannot be viewed at leisure. After the tour, you will also receive an original Ohara Museum of Art novelty if you dine at one of the cooperating restaurants in the area.

Details ⇒ Ohara Museum of Art Сan be booked on the reservation website

『Temari-making experience at an optician’s shop』

The owner of a 100-year-old glasses shop offers workshops on the traditional Kurashiki folk art of Temari. Temari are made from rice husks that have been put together to form a core, wound with thread and embroidered.
They can be decorated in your room or made into key rings. Why not make a one-and-only Temari with your favourite pattern?

Details ⇒ TAKAHASHIGAWA TRAVEL　Сan be booked on the reservation website

Activities to experience in the Sakatsu area, 20 minutes by bicycle from the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.

『Ceramic art experience at the Sakatsu Potter』
Visitors can try their hand at making Sakatsu-yaki pottery, the oldest surviving pottery in Kurashiki. At the Sakatsu-yaki kiln, which opened in 1869, pottery is fired in a traditional climbing kiln. Why not try your hand at making Shabatsu-yaki pottery, which is characterised by its thickness, resistance to breakage and deep colouring?

Details ⇒Sakatsu Pottery For enquiries and reservations: call or fax (086-422-1962) E-mail

Activities to experience in the Tamashima area, 30 minutes by bicycle from the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.

『Visit the auction at Tamashima Fish Market』
At Tamashima Fish Market, visitors can observe the fish auction, which takes place early in the morning, if they make a reservation by phone. The market offers a wide variety of fresh and tasty seafood, and you can watch lively business negotiations and powerful pricing methods, and enjoy the lively atmosphere. There is also a cafeteria and a seafood shop in the market, where you can taste fresh seafood. A visit to the auction is a valuable opportunity to experience the local fishing culture and the bounty of the sea.

Details ⇒Tamashima fish market (Y.K.)　 For enquiries and reservations: TEL（086-526-7800）　

『Matcha (powdered green tea) making experience』
At Ryokanso in Tamashima, Kurashiki City, visitors can try their hand at making matcha (powdered green tea). The building is a recreation of the birthplace of Ryokan, who was also a friend of the Edo period writer Yosa Buson, and has a tranquil atmosphere. During the experience, you will be taught how to make matcha tea under careful guidance. The experience takes place in a tea room, so you can experience the depth of the tea ceremony while feeling the Japanese atmosphere. Making your own matcha tea will give you a moment of peace and tranquillity.

Details ⇒Kurashiki Tamashima National Guest House Ryokanso TEL：086-522-5291
*Dates and times are fixed, please call for more information.

Activities to experience in the Kojima area, 40 minutes by bus from Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.

『Jeans-making experience at the Betty Smith Jeans Museum & Village』
At Betty Smith, you can try your hand at making jeans. You choose the buttons, rivets (tacks that reinforce the pocket openings of the jeans) and leather labels, try on the jeans you have chosen and attach the buttons and rivets yourself, and the leather labels will be attached by staff. Your own original jeans are now complete. In addition to making jeans, the Denim Key Ring Making Experience and Denim Pouch Customisation Experience are also available without a reservation.

Details ⇒Betty Smith Сan be booked on the reservation website　

If you plan a tour around Kurashiki–TAKAHASHIGAWA TRAVEL

We can also customise tours not listed here on an order-made basis to suit your requirements. Kurashiki City is not only home to the Bikan Historical Quarter, but also to many other attractive places. It has a large park close to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, and is famous for its Sakatsu pottery; Tamashima, a port town where tea culture has taken root; and Kojima, the birthplace of domestic jeans, where you can see the Seto-ohashi Bridge up close. We do not just walk around the towns and return home, but organise trips where you can learn more about the area and leave with a lasting impression through experiences that can only be had in those places. Please contact us at the number below for more information.

Tours offered by 『TAKAHASHIGAWA TRAVEL』

■Private Kimono Photo Walk in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
Kimono tour of photo spots in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.
■Get to Know Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
Tour of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter with an English-speaking guide.
■Half-Day Shared Tour at Kurashiki with Local Guide
Tour guided by local who has lived in Kurashiki City for many years and will show you around the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter.