Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, located in Okayama Prefecture, is known for the quaint historical town as used to live in the Edo period. It is a Western-style wooden building constructed in 1917 as the Kurashiki Town Hall. The building is designated as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
You can enjoy the quaint views with its white-walled storehouses, "namako" walls, and rows of willows. The traditional buildings that shape the townscape, and the retro-modern scenery along the Kurashiki River, continue to captivate visitors from around the world.
The traditional wooden townhouse had been refurbished as a cafe and shops that have many Kurashiki bland stuff. You can enjoy spending a whole day walking around! There are also the Ohara Museum of Art, Kurashiki Ivy Square, and etc, so there are many visitors all year round.
Kurashiki Denim Street, a famous tourist attraction, sells denim products, ramune-flavored soft-serve ice cream, buns, and other items in denim colors, as domestic denim originated in Kojima, part of the Kurashiki.
At night, the streets have been lit up since 2005 by Motoko Ishii, lighting designer, who is working on the lightning project of the Tokyo Tower and Rainbow Bridge. Kurashiki city and residents also all work together. It is quite different from the daytime.
Enjoy historical Japan in Okayama!