Parks and the outdoors in Okayama
160 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Okayama.
Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 160.
Parks and the outdoors in Okayama
SeeGardenHandayama Botanical Garden
岡山市半田山植物園
A botanical garden filled with various types of flowers. It's particularly beautiful during the spring cherry blossom season; however, one can easily enjoy this garden anytime of the year. It's a 10-minute walk from Hokaiin Station on the JR Tsuyama Line. There are also buses from JR Okayama Station.
Wed-Mon 09:00-16:30¥308
DoParkOkayama Prefectural Multipurpose Grounds
岡山県総合グラウンド
The Multipurpose Grounds contain a wide variety of sports facilities, including a pool (only open in July and August), tennis courts, a baseball field, gymnasium, and track and field area. It is also home to City Light Stadium where the J-League soccer team Fagiano Okayama plays. Other local teams and university teams also use the facilities. If you're interested in watching sports, check the schedule of events. There is also a small Sports Museum near the stadium. The phone number listed here is for the stadium however, each facility has its own phone number. If you need to contact a specific facility, check the website for its number.
Hours vary by facility, event, and seasonPrices vary by activity or event
- 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.
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Kirin Beer Factory tours
The Kirin Beer Factory is the only Kirin brewery in Western Honshu (though there are many microbreweries). Beer-lovers can see how the beer is produced and sample fresh brew for ¥400 per pint. The tour is conducted in Japanese with printed English descriptions available. During the tour you can taste the various extractions from the brewing process and finish the tour with 3 free glasses of beer from the beer hall. If you call ahead and confirm the time you will tour, they will send a shuttle bus to pick you up from JR Mantomi Station and drop you off afterwards; alternately, it's a 15-minute walk southwest of the station. Be aware that the staff speak minimal English so unless you speak basic Japanese you may need help when calling them.
Tue-Sun 9:30AM-3:30PMFree
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Kyobashi Market
京橋朝市
This morning market is filled with food and other vendors. It's an excellent place to sample food from some of Okayama's best restaurants. Held on the first Sunday of every month along the Asahi River by Kyobashi Bridge.
6AM-10AM
SeeKōrakuen Garden
後楽園
The name means "Garden of Pleasure After", a reference to a famous Confucian quote stating that a wise ruler must attend to his subjects' needs first and only then attend to his own. Construction started 1687 and was completed 13 years later. Despite slight changes, Korakuen largely keeps its form from the Edo era, with waterfalls, tiny shrines, teahouses, miniature maple forests, a lotus pond, and even a greenhouse filled with orchids and cacti. The rare red-crested white cranes are another notable feature. They are released for flying exhibitions on special occasions throughout the year. The large wooden building called the Enyo-tei was used to host daimyo (feudal lords), Emperor Meiji, and other members of the imperial family. The view from the veranda (usually off-limits to the general public) is considered the best in the park, and the strategic location of trees and hills/mounds in the park act as a natural frame. A local ordinance prevents high-rise buildings that would encroach on this view. The roof of a temple can be seen on the side of the distant Mt. Misaoyama, but it was built to enhance the view from the porch. There are two entrances to the garden: across from the Okayama Prefectural Museum, and across the Moon-Viewing Bridge (月見橋 Tsukimi-bashi).
Closed · opens 7:30 am¥400
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Melon Books
A good selection of adult Japanese comics and doujinshi, and a small selection of figures. It's about a ten minute walk down Omotecho, on the right-hand side.
Mon-Fri 11AM-8PM, Sat Sun 10AM-8PM
- See
Omizuen Garden
近水園
One of Okayama's largest gardens, Omizuen belonged to Lord Kinoshita of the Ashimori Clan. The garden was designed in the style of Kobori Enshu, famous man of culture.
Tue-Sun 09:00-16:30Free
- See
RSK Rose Garden
RSKバラ園
Yet another excellent place in Okayama to view flowers (best in May and June). As the name suggests, this garden features roses, and it is the largest rose garden in Japan. Although the roses are the main attraction, there are also other blossoming plants, such as irises, peonies, and plum trees.
Closed · opens 9:30 am¥600
DoParkKōraku Garden
Kōraku-en (後楽園, Kōrakuen) is a Japanese garden located in Okayama, Okayama Prefecture. It is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, along with Kenroku-en and Kairaku-en. Korakuen was built in 1700 by Ikeda Tsunamasa, lord of Okayama.
Closed · opens 7:30 amWheelchair accessible · Built 1700
- Drink
Bar Hips
A popular bar among locals and visitors alike, across from Ishiyama Park. Along with whiskeys, beer, and cocktails, Bar Hips has a variety of awamori, a strong Okinawan liquor - best on the rocks.
Tue-Sun 10PM-4AMDrinks around ¥700
- 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 10:00-15:00Free
- See
Sogen-ji
曹源寺
A large Zen temple at the base of Mt. Misaoyama at the end of the path between Tendai-ji (right side) and Daiko-in (left side). It is a well known place for western Zen students. Free meditation sessions from 08:00-09:00 most Sundays are usually followed by a simple tea ceremony. The garden behind the temple is famous for having one of the largest cherry blossom trees in Okayama and a lake which beautifully reflects the tree and the surrounding countryside. This garden was designed by the same architect who built Korakuen. Although the mountain is near the center of the city, the area around it maintains a rural atmosphere. It can be very pleasant to hike over around this hill and visit the various small temples and shrines. If Zen meditation at Sogen-ji gives you a backache, you can relieve your aches and pains at a ganban onsen (rock hot spring.) This style of hot spring does not have a large bathing area but instead has gravel and hard rock beds where steam passes up from under you or down from above like a sauna.
Closed · opens 6 am¥100
- See
Bitchu Kokubunji
備中国分寺
The Kokubunji temples were designated by Emperor Shomu as provincial temples throughout the nation. This one represents the Bitchu area (western Okayama Prefecture). The 5-story pagoda, constructed in 1844, is one of the highlights of the Kibi Trail. The area surrounding the temple is known as the Kibiji Fudoki-no-oka Prefectural Forest Park. To visit without travelling the trail, catch a bus from Soja.
Free
- See
Hokai-in
法界院
One of the temples of the Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage. It's a short distance from Handayama Botanical Garden.
Free
- See
Koikui Shrine
鯉喰神社
If you walk the trail with no prior knowledge of the area or the sites, Koikui Shrine will seem quite disappointing in comparison to the other shrines. However, Koikui is much more interesting than it appears. After the demon was shot by the prince's arrows, he transformed into a carp and swam away. The prince turned into a cormorant and followed him. Koikui Shrine is located on the site where the prince is believed to have caught and killed the demon.
Free
- 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
- Do Not mapped
Cherry Blossom Festival
One of Okayama's most popular destinations in cherry blossom season (usually about two weeks at the beginning of April) is along the Asahi River, which is on the east side of Korakuen Park. About three hundred cherry blossom trees are decorated with Japanese lanterns, and illuminated after sunset. On the first day, a lighting ceremony is held. There are many street stalls, selling for example cotton candy, octopus fritters, and crepes. Their prices are from three hundred to five hundred yen. People gather for barbecues and picnics under the cherry blossom trees. Barbecue sets hired from nearby yakiniku restaurants offer an alternative to supplying everything and then cleaning the tools afterward.
Usually about two weeks at the beginning of April
- Do Not mapped
Cycle the Kibi Plain
The Kibiji District (吉備路), a 15-km trail extending from Okayama to Soja, is a scenic cycling path, voted as one of the top 100 cycling paths in the nation. There is no need to bring your own bike, because you can rent your bike upon arrival. Bike rentals are available near Okayama Station (lower daily cost, however this adds a few extra kilometers you must bike to the start), as well as adjacent to JR station Bizen Ichinomiya (upon exiting the station, the rental area is directly to the right). To reach Bizen-Ichinomiya from Okayama Station, transfer to the 'Local lines' section. Two lines run on this track, so ask an attendant which train to take to Bizen-Ichinomiya if you are not sure. The train ride should only take about 10 minutes. The rental cost at Bizen-Ichinomiya station is ¥1500 per bicycle per day. You can return the bicycle at Soja station, but this adds an extra ¥500 to the cost. You must return the bicycle to either your start point, or your final station point, by 6pm on the same day, as that is when the rental shop closes (at each end). The rental shop operators will provide you with a map, although the entire trail is quite well-marked. Signs along the path have "Kibiji District" written on them in English and Japanese. The sites along the trail are free, so expenses are quite nominal, making the cycling trail a highly affordable way to see a wide variety of cultural sites. The official estimated time to cycle the trail is two hours; however, if you take the time to thoroughly explore the sites, you can easily make it a half-day excursion, perhaps combining it with a visit to some of the other sites in the area. Although it is a cycling course, it is possible to use the trail for hiking. In order to see all the sites before evening, you should arrive at Bizen Ichinomiya Station no later than 10AM. (It is unlikely that you will be able to see any of the other sites in the area, since it will take most of the day to walk the trail.) Hiking the trail i
DoPark西川緑道公園
北区田町
DoSummitMisaoyama
169 m high
- DoPark
こどもの森
3 Chome-6-1 Gakunancho
- DoPark
下石井公園
北区幸町10
- DoPark
枝川緑道公園
北区大供1丁目
- SeeMemorial
烏城公園
丸の内2丁目3-3
- DoPark
操山公園里山センター
Sawada, ６４９−2−649
- DoPark
大元中央公園
北区大元上町4
- DoPark
池の内大池湖畔公園
- DoPark
石関緑地
北区石関町
- SeeAttraction
龍ノ口グリーンシャワーの森
祇園
- DoPark
今５丁目公園
- DoPark
御成川河川公園
7 Furugyocho
- DoHot springs
後楽温泉ほのかの湯
北区奥田南町6-27
- DoPark
野田公園
北区野田2丁目12
- DoPark
塚山公園
大内田770
- DoHot springs
岡山みやび温泉大家族の湯
岡山県岡山市北区久米１９７−１
- DoPark
百間川緑地公園
中区原尾島
- DoPark
大多羅公園
東区大多羅町
- DoPark
岡山城&後樂園
- DoPark
岡山後楽園
北区後楽園1-5
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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).