Okayama

Okayama Symphony Hall

岡山シンフォニーホール

The third largest symphony hall in Japan, it hosts shows by the resident Okayama Symphony Orchestra as well as performers from across Japan and all over the world.

The ticket center is open 10AM-6:30PM. It's closed on the second and fourth Tue of every month·Prices vary by show

Okayama 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 season·Prices vary by activity or event

Inariyama Kenko Center

稲荷山健康センター

"Temporarily Closed" from 2020. Many of the baths here contain kampo (Chinese remedies), so they are supposed to have healing powers. In addition to the onsen, there is a home theater, game corner, manga corner, restaurants, chairs for relaxing, a souvenir shop and other facilities.

10AM-9PM·¥800 for 120 minutes, ¥1800 all-day

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-3:30PM·Free

Kubo Farm

くぼ農園

Okayama is known throughout the county for producing some of the most delicious fruits Japan has to offer. Most visitors are aware of the local peaches, but the Japanese will often cite Okayama's muscat grapes (葡萄 Budō) as its premier offering. Visitors can tour the farm to see how the grapes are grown and harvested. You are also permitted (and even encouraged) to eat as much as you like, making a tour of the farm as delicious as it is interesting! Although the grapes are the star attraction, you can also see the harvesting of shiitake mushrooms, persimmons, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts. Visitors are also permitted to picnic and camp here.

10AM-6PM, harvests from September to early November·Prices vary by crop; muscat grapes are ¥2270 for anyone 13 years or older, peonies for ¥1700. Camping costs an additional ¥330

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

Momotaro Onsen

桃太郎温泉

A decent onsen with some jacuzzi-style baths inside and a rotemburo (outdoor onsen). There is a hotel here, too, for those who really want to relax.

10AM-11PM·¥900

Yuba Onsen

湯迫温泉

"Temporarily Closed" Despite being within the city limits, this onsen is not well known even by locals. Although the exterior leaves much to be desired, inside is a genuine hot-spring with good facilities and a variety of baths. The onsen is part of Hakuunkaku Ryokan, but visitors can come and enjoy the onsen without staying at the ryokan.

10:30AM-10PM (last entry at 9PM)·¥1580 if not staying in the ryokan

Kōraku 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 am·Wheelchair accessible · Built 1700

Okayama Dome

岡山ドーム

A multi-purpose space for events from indoor sports to an exhibition of embalmed bodies. It is also the site of Okayama's biggest monthly flea-market.

Wed-Mon 9AM-9PM·Prices vary depending on the activity. For use of the sports facilities, you pay per hour

Naked Man Festival

Hadaka Matsuri 裸祭り

During the coldest month of the year, men wearing only fundoshi (traditional Japanese loincloths) fight to obtain one of two lucky sticks thrown by the temple priests. The men who catch the sticks will have an entire year of good fortune and also receive a cash reward from the festival's sponsors. All the lights in the temple are temporarily blacked out and other "less-lucky" sticks are also thrown down into the crowd of participants to create even more confusion. Spectators too jostle for viewing spots, but you can choose to pay to watch from the temporary spectator grandstand. The festival originated in the 16th century when people would request special talismans thrown out by priests. As word spread that the talismans were bringing those who possessed them good luck, more and more people came to get them, fights broke out and the talismans were damaged. Later this all evolved into a midnight festival with only male participants dressed in loincloths. Today, the festival continues to evolve, with the midnight highlight of the festival has been moved forward 2 hours to finish at 10PM.

3rd Sat in February·Price depends on seating proximity

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

Momotarō Festival

桃太郎祭り

Held annually in commemoration of the lead character of the children's fairytale and his rival, Ura the ogre. The festival involves Okayama's biggest display of fireworks and numerous public dances and parades throughout the city and its numerous shopping malls. The largest dance parade, the Uraja Dance (うらじゃ), is held in the center of Okayama on the street leading from Okayama Station towards City Hall (Shiyakusho-suji). Dance participants paint their faces to look like ogres and each team has its own unique homemade costumes. Some dance teams are active all year round, performing at smaller local festivals or as Uraja ambassadors at festivals throughout Japan. Free parking for the event is available around Okayama Dome.

Two days at the beginning of August

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

岡山芸術創造劇場 ハレノワ

岡山県岡山市北区表町３丁目１１−５０

西川緑道公園

北区田町

岡山メルパ

北区中山下1-10-30

Misaoyama

169 m high

AEON Cinema

1, 北区

Desperado

北区表町3丁目11-105

IMAGE

Omotecho, 1 Chome−8−48 ＩＭＡＧＥ

YEBISU YA PRO

1 Chome-10-30 Nakasange

ぽかぽか温泉

北区青江2丁目4-15

後楽座

北区田町2丁目2-1

こどもの森

3 Chome-6-1 Gakunancho

下石井公園

北区幸町10

枝川緑道公園

北区大供1丁目

操山公園里山センター

Sawada, ６４９−2−649

さん太ホール

Yanagimachi, 2 Chome−1−1 ビル

大元中央公園

北区大元上町4