Historic places in Okayama

Historic places in Okayama

1. 
   SeeCastle

   Okayama Castle

   岡山城 Okayama-jō

   Popularly known as Crow Castle (烏城 U-jō), it is so named for its striking black color, rare among Japanese castles (which tend to be white, like neighboring Himeji Castle). Only a few protruding bits and the occasional lucky fish-gargoyle (金の鯱 kinnoshachihoko) are gilded. With the exception of one external turret, the current version dates from 1966, but the outside is much more accurate than most Japanese castle replicas, as the original blueprints were used to rebuild it. In the tower is a museum documenting the castle's history, although English explanations are few and far between. On the first floor of the castle, you can also make your own Bizen pottery for an extra fee.

   Closed · opens 9 am·¥300 (except during special exhibits) · Built 1346
2. 
   SeeHistory;local museum

   Okayama City Museum

   岡山シティミュージアム

   Formerly known as the Okayama Digital Museum, the permanent exhibit uses modern technology to showcase the city's history, local culture, and nature, but it's the special exhibits that attract most visitors. The special exhibits cover a wide range of subjects from classic famous art exhibits to interactive exhibits for children. To determine whether or not this museum is of interest, it's best to check their website to see what will be featured during your visit.

   Closed · opens 10 am·Prices vary depending on the exhibit
3. Buy

   Omotecho Shotengai

   表町商店街

   shopping street is a 10-minute walk from JR Okayama Station, or 3 tram stops away on the Higashiyama line (get off at Shiroshita Station). It has everything from game arcades and kimono retailers to antique shops and a multi-story Maruzen bookstore, and the large Tenmaya department store. There are a lot of locally owned clothing and specialty shops, as well. The shopping street is quite long, extending from where it branches off Momotaro-Odori Street all the way down to Saidaiji-cho, around Saidaiji Tram Station. There is another shopping complex near the street, Cred. Cred has a large Kinokuniya bookstore with a sizable selection of English-language and Japanese learning books, as well as a Virgin CD/DVD store.

4. SeeHistory museum

   Ancient Kibi Cultural Properties Center

   岡山県古代吉備文化財センター

   A small museum housing artifacts from the ancient Kibi Kingdom. Although the information is all in Japanese, one does not need to be able to read the information to appreciate the artifacts, which are mainly clay figurines and pottery. It is located.

   Closed · opens 9 am·Free

5. 
   SeeMemorial

   点字ブロック発祥の地

   Tactile paving (also called tenji blocks (点字ブロック), truncated domes, detectable warnings, tactile tiles, tactile ground surface indicators, tactile walking surface indicators, or detectable warning surfaces) is a system of textured ground surface indicators found at roadsides (such as at curb cuts), by and on stairs, and on railway station platforms, to assist pedestrians who are visually impaired. Tactile warnings provide a very distinctive surface pattern of truncated domes, cones or bars, detectable by a long cane or underfoot, which are used to alert the vision-impaired of approaching streets and hazardous surface or grade changes. There is disagreement between the design and user…
6. SeeMemorial

   Kibitsu Shrine

   吉備津神社

   Last rebuilt in 1425, this shrine is important for two reasons: it was once the head shrine of the entire Kibi Kingdom, and legend holds that Prince Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto fought the demon Ura on this site. He shot arrows at the demon, but the demon evaded his attacks by throwing boulders at the arrows. Finally, the prince shot two arrows at the same time, hitting the demon directly in the eye (but not yet killing him - read on).

   Free

7. SeeMemorial

   Kibitsuhiko Shrine

   吉備津彦神社

   This shrine, rebuilt in 1697, is dedicated to Prince Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto, and has a unique architectural style. To get there, turn right after exiting the station and cross the train tracks.

   Free

8. See

   Site of Takamatsu Castle

   備中高松城跡

   While very little remains here of any part of the castle, it has great historical importance. In 1582, Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeated the ruling Mori Clan by diverting a river to flood the castle. The moat still exists, and is filled with lilies that bloom in the summer. You can also still see some of the old waterways. There is even a small museum with some artifacts and information on the site.

   Grounds always open, museum 10:00-15:00·Free

9. See

   Tsukuriyama Ancient Burial Mound

   造山古墳

   Along the trail there are actually two burial mounds (古墳 kofun) with the name "Tsukuriyama" that can be distinguished only when viewing the characters used to write the names. The tomb on the Okayama side of the trail (造山古墳) is the most interesting. This burial mound, believed to have been completed in the fifth century, was the largest in the nation at the time it was built. Because the tomb within the mound has never been excavated, it is not certain who is actually buried here; however, it is believed to be one of the former rulers of the Kibi Kingdom, as tombs of this size were reserved only for those in the highest positions. Although the best view of Japanese burial mounds is always from above (to see the key-hole shape), at this mound, visitors are permitted to walk on top of it. Atop the mound there is a shrine.

   Free

10. 
    SeeArchaeological site

    津島遺跡

    Tsushima Site (津島遺跡, Tsushima Iseki) is an archaeological site with the traces of a Yayoi period settlement, located in the Izumi neighborhood of Kita-ku, Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, in the San'yō region of Japan. It was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1971, with the area under protection expanded in 2002.
11. SeeArchaeological site

    尾上車山古墳

    Onoe Kurumayama Kofun (尾上車山古墳) is a Kofun period burial mound located in the Onoe neighborhood of Kita-ku, Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, in the San'yō region of Japan. The tumulus was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1972. It is also called the "Girigiriyama Kofun" (ぎりぎり山古墳).

12. SeeArchaeological site

    神宮寺山古墳

    Jingūjiyama Kofun (神宮寺山古墳) is a Kofun period burial mound located in the Nakai neighborhood of Kita-ku, Okayama, Okayama Prefecture, in the San'yō region of Japan. The tumulus was designated a National Historic Site of Japan in 1959.

13. SeeRuins

    大多羅寄宮跡

    The Ōdara Yosemiya (大多羅寄宮) was a Shinto shrine located in the Ōdara neighbourhood of what is now Naka-ku in the city of Okayama, in the San'yō region of Japan. The shrine no longer exists, but its ruins were designated as a National Historic Site in 1927.

14. SeeArchaeological site

    湊茶臼山古墳

    1364-2 Minato

15. SeeMemorial

    烏城公園

    丸の内2丁目3-3

16. SeeMemorial

    水辺のももくん

    北区後楽園1-5

17. SeeMemorial

    國寶 岡山城月見櫓

18. 
    SeeHistoric site

    岡南新保駅
19. SeeCastle

    岡山城天守閣

    岡山県岡山市北区丸の内２丁目３−１

20. SeeArchaeological site

    網浜茶臼山古墳

21. SeeCastle

    庭瀬城跡

    828 Niwase

22. EatComfort food restaurant

    岡山農業高校レストラン

    岡山市北区平和町4-3八千代ビル3F

23. EatComfort food restaurant

    なすび

    岡山県岡山市北区表町３丁目８−１

24. EatComfort food restaurant

    中村食堂

    丸の内1丁目12-1

25. SeeMonument

    内田百聞記念碑園

    中区古京町8

26. SeeMonument

    桃太郎像

    岡山県岡山市北区駅元町１−１

27. EatComfort food restaurant

    てんとう虫横丁屋台村

    北区吉備津

28. SeeHistory museum

    Okayama City Buried Cultural Properties Center

29. SeeMonument

    70周年記念館

30. SeeHistoric site

    F-104

31. SeeHistoric building

    キューティパイ倶楽部

32. SeeMonument

    万町山陽道跡

33. SeeArchaeological site

    備前・備中国境標石

34. SeeArchaeological site

    八畳岩古墳

35. SeeMemorial

    八重桜 散らぬ男を 迎えけり

36. SeeMemorial

    史蹟・真金一里塚

37. SeeMemorial

    吉備中山細 谷川古跡

38. SeeMemorial

    大供西部土地区画整理竣工記念碑

39. SeeMemorial

    奉祝 完工記念碑

40. SeeMemorial

    官幣中社吉備津神社

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Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Okayama (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).