Historic places in Kurashiki

Historic places in Kurashiki

1. See

   Betty Smith Jeans Museum

   ジーンズミュージアム

   The Kojima area of Kurashiki is known throughout Japan for its high-quality jeans, and the museum displays items made in the factory and the history of Kojima jean production. You can also buy or order custom jeans.

   Closed · opens 9 am

2. Buy

   Ivy Square

   アイビースクエア

   There is some historical charm in this old cotton mill, built of red bricks and covered in green ivy, but it's mainly here to sell high-end art, fabrics, and other traditional wares.

   Most facilities 09:00-17:00

3. See

   Kojima School Uniform Museum

   児島学生服資料館

   A museum showcasing the history of school uniforms and their development through the years. It's located here because the Kojima area produces a large percentage of the school uniforms worn nationwide.

   Closed · opens 10 am·Free

4. Do

   Kurashiki City Swimming Pool

   倉敷市屋内水泳センター

   An excellent 50-m swimming pool within easy cycling or walking distance of Kurashiki's Bikan historic area, close to the City Office. There's a separate 25-m pool for splashing about in. Like many public pools in Japan, everyone is required to get out of the water for 5 minutes each hour (at this pool, between 25 and 30 minutes past the hour), so check the time before going in if you want an uninterrupted swim.

   Mon Wed-Fri 09:30-21:30, Sat Sun holidays 09:30-19:30·¥210 for adult swim (plus ¥100 for locker)

5. See

   Momotaro Museum

   桃太郎のからくり博物館

   With the figure of Momotaro outside and souvenirs sold inside, it is often mistaken by foreign tourists as just another shop and a cute photo-op, but this building is actually a "museum of mystery" dedicated to Momotaro, the Peach Boy. The museum features a variety of fun and interactive mind tricks that bear no real connection to the tale but are quite fun, especially for children. From there, prepare yourself for a walk through the dark lair of the ogres that Momotaro defeated before ascending the stairs to see some historical depictions of the tale and other items of nostalgia.

   Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00·Adults ¥600, young students ¥400, children ¥100

6. See

   Museum of Natural History

   倉敷市立自然史博物館

   Local flora, fauna, insects, and geology; the star attraction is a Naumann's Elephant, a giant prehistoric mammal from southern Japan.

   Tue-Sun 09:00-17:15·¥150 adults, ¥100 students

7. See

   Shimotsui Castle Ruins

   下津井城 Shimotsui-jō

   Built as a fort in the late 16th century, it was expanded into a proper castle in 1603. It lasted until the one castle per province edict was implemented in 1639 when the castle was torn down. Today the ruins of some of the castle walls are all that remain. There is also a great view of the Inland Sea and Seto Ohashi Bridge from the castle grounds.

8. Do Not mapped

   Heartland Kurashiki

   ハートランド倉敷

   Also known as the Kurashiki Wisteria Story (くらしき藤物語), the festival takes place in the Bikan Historic District. The event features amazake drinking, traditional music performances, and singing. However the highlight of the event is watching the "wisteria maiden", a young bride-to-be, ride on a boat down the canal. As for the wisteria, it is rather secondary to the rest of the festivities, but there is a small wisteria trellis and some wisteria-themed decorations at Achi Shrine.

   May 2–6 (during Golden Week)

9. Do Not mapped

   Kurashiki Hina Meguri

   倉敷雛巡り

   A display of Hina Dolls for the Girls' Festival from late February to mid-March. The dolls can be viewed in historic buildings in the Bikan area, as well as other areas of the city, such as the Kojima, Tamashima, Mizushima, and Makibi areas.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Kurashiki (CC BY-SA 4.0).