Okayama » Okayama city, Ushimado, Bizen
This area in the southeastern part of Okayama Prefecture, adjacent to Hyogo Prefecture, is a very attractive tourist destination, with Okayama City, the prefectural capital, Setouchi City where Ushimado, also known as the Aegean Sea of Japan, is located, and Bizen City, famous for its Bizen Pottery.
In Okayama City, Korakuen Garden is one of the three most famous gardens in Japan, along with Kairakuen Garden in Mito and Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, and is a sightseeing spot that should not be missed. Korakuen was built by the Ikeda clan (Ikeda Tsunamasa), the feudal lord of the Edo period, and completed in 1700 (Genroku 13).
When the garden was first completed, it was called Gokouen because it was built behind Okayama Castle. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful seasonal expressions of the garden, especially during the autumn foliage season, when it is illuminated.
Other sightseeing spots include Okayama Castle, Inujima Island, and Kibitsu Shrine around Kibiji.
In addition, the Kaiyo, or naked festival, usually held on the third Saturday of February at Saidaiji Temple, is a nationally famous tourist event.
Meanwhile, as for gourmet foods, fruits such as muscats and white peaches are famous throughout Japan, and visitors can enjoy fruit-picking experiences and sweets when they are in season. In recent years, the city has also become known as "Fruit Parfait Town, Okayama.
Setouchi City, where Ushimado is located, borders Okayama City to the east. The inland town of Osafune is famous for the production of swords called Bizen Osafune, and the Bizen Osafune Sword Village and Bizen Osafune Sword Museum is one of the few museums in Japan specializing in swords.
Ushimado, a port town facing the Seto Inland Sea, is a scenic tourist destination reminiscent of the Mediterranean Sea. Ushimado Olive Garden is a symbolic sightseeing spot in Ushimado with a panoramic view of the beautiful archipelago, and has been certified as a holy place for lovers. The Bell of Happiness in the park should be added to the route when visiting on a date. The exquisite gelato is also not to be missed.
Furthermore, sappa (mamakari), a specialty fish, is often caught in the port town of Ushimado. Okayama's local delicacies, mamakari sushi and Bizen bara-zushi with mamakari on top, are local delicacies that you should definitely try when you visit not only Ushimado, but also other parts of Okayama Prefecture.
Bizen City is located further east of Setouchi City, on the eastern edge of Okayama Prefecture, bordering on Ako City in Hyogo Prefecture. There are many places to visit, such as Ibe, where Bizen ware is produced, Shizutani Gakko (Kanya School), which was opened by the Okayama Clan for the common people in the Edo period, Hattoji Furusato Village, and Gomi no Ichiba (market of five flavors).
Oysters, one of Okayama's representative delicacies, are cultivated in Hinase, and Hinase's oyster okonomiyaki, or okonomiyaki with oysters, is a must-try dish if it is in season. Gomi no Ichiba is also famous for its oyster soft serve, an unusual local soft serve called oyster soft serve.
Kibitsu Shrine is one of Okayama Prefecture’s most remarkable historic shrines, famous for its connection to the legend of Momotaro, the beloved Japanese folk hero known as the Peach Boy. Its magnificent main sanctuary and worship hall are designated National Treasures of Japan and are celebrated fo...»
Korakuen Garden is a traditional Japanese landscape garden located in Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. It is widely recognized as one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens. Created in the early Edo period under the direction of Ikeda Tsunamasa, lord of the Okayama Domain, the garden is a celebr...»
Okayama Castle is a historic castle in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. Its distinctive black exterior has earned it the nickname Ujō, or “Crow Castle.” The original castle was completed in 1597. Although its main keep was destroyed during World War II, it was reconstructed in 1966 and now houses e...»
Okayama Prefecture is a wonderful destination for ramen lovers, offering a diverse range of regional styles and distinctive flavors created by individual restaurants. The style commonly known as Okayama Ramen is particularly popular in and around Okayama City, where its rich, savory broth and simple...»
Ebimeshi is a signature dish of Okayama City, made by stir-frying rice with shrimp and other ingredients and seasoning it with a rich, savory sauce. Its distinctive dark brown color, fragrant aroma, and delicious combination of seafood and sauce have made it one of the city’s best-known local specia...»
Okayama Demi-Katsu Don is a regional specialty that offers a distinctive alternative to the traditional Japanese katsudon. It consists of a bowl of rice topped with pork cutlet and demi-glace sauce, usually served over a layer of cabbage, although some restaurants leave out the cabbage. The rich sau...»
A Local Specialty Celebrating Bizen Ware Bizen Curry is a regional comfort food that combines two much-loved elements of Japanese culture: curry, a popular everyday dish, and Bizen ware, the traditional pottery for which Bizen in Okayama Prefecture is famous. The celebrated gourmet and ceramic enth...»
Dodomeshi is a traditional Japanese dish made by mixing vinegar into seasoned rice cooked with various ingredients. It is widely regarded as a predecessor of Okayama’s famous bara-zushi, a colorful sushi dish featuring a variety of toppings. Its origins are said to date back to the late Kamakura per...»
Bizen Burger is a regional specialty from Bizen City in Okayama Prefecture, made with a juicy beef patty and fresh locally grown vegetables. The burger showcases the area's commitment to local ingredients, combining distinctive regional flavors in a satisfying and original creation....»
Mamakari-zuke is a traditional dish from Okayama Prefecture made by marinating small fish in sweetened vinegar. The fish, known locally as mamakari, is called “sappa” in the Kanto region of Japan. It is a small, flat-bodied fish belonging to the herring family, typically measuring around 10–12 cm in...»
Savor the rich flavor of locally grown oysters simmered with miso in this comforting regional specialty. Okayama Prefecture is one of Japan’s three major oyster-producing regions. The favorable natural environment along the Seto Inland Sea provides ideal conditions for oyster farming, allowing high...»
Yellow chives are a distinctive local specialty of Okayama Prefecture, known for their delicate texture, subtle sweetness, and refined flavor. For visitors to Okayama, sampling dishes made with these locally grown chives is a wonderful way to experience the region's unique food culture....»
Bizen Kurokawa pumpkin is a traditional Japanese pumpkin variety prized for its dense, moist texture, excellent flavor, and beautiful appearance when cooked. It is a valuable part of Okayama Prefecture's agricultural heritage and offers a taste of a style of Japanese cuisine that has become increasi...»
Senryo eggplant is a high-quality local specialty from Okayama Prefecture, prized for its glossy deep-purple skin, tender flesh, and crisp texture. Renowned for its exceptional quality, it is highly regarded in major produce markets and is even used as an ingredient in upscale Japanese restaurants....»
Somen kabocha is a remarkable variety of squash whose flesh naturally separates into fine, noodle-like strands when cooked. Also known as kinshi-uri, meaning “golden thread melon,” it belongs to the squash family but has a texture unlike that of ordinary pumpkins and squash. The fruit has an oblong...»
Among the many varieties of peaches grown in Okayama Prefecture, white peaches are the most widely cultivated. This variety was developed in 1901 by improving upon the Shanghai Suimitsu peach. It became one of Okayama's signature specialties thanks to its exceptionally pale skin, delicate flesh, and...»
Okayama oysters are a premium seafood specialty nurtured by the favorable natural conditions of the Seto Inland Sea. The region provides an ideal environment for oyster farming, with abundant supplies of phytoplankton that serve as food for the oysters. Thanks to these conditions, Okayama ranks amon...»
Mamakari is the local name used for a small fish found around the Seto Inland Sea. More commonly known throughout Japan as sappa, it belongs to the herring family and is a beloved specialty of Okayama Prefecture. The name “mamakari” has a charming origin. In Japanese, mama means cooked rice, while ...»
Sawara, known in English as Japanese Spanish mackerel, is one of the signature fish of Okayama Prefecture and an essential part of the region’s culinary heritage. The Japanese name is traditionally associated with the fish’s relatively narrow belly. Sawara is a type of fish whose name changes as it...»
In Okayama, the name “geta” refers to sole, a flatfish that has long been enjoyed as an affordable, everyday fish. To raise its profile and increase its value, the Okayama Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations introduced a new name for the locally caught fish: “Okayama Sole.” ...»
Made with the fragrant juice of ripe Shimizu Hakuto white peaches, this distinctive amazake is a delicious way to enjoy one of Okayama’s most celebrated fruits. Best served chilled, it offers an elegant sweetness, a gorgeous peach aroma, and a smooth, velvety texture. Despite its name, this amazake ...»
Kibi Dote Shita Beer is a locally brewed beer produced by Kibi Dote Shita Brewery, which began brewing in 2006. Made using only malt, barley, and hops, its beers reflect the brewery’s desire to be a familiar part of the local community—much like a neighborhood tofu shop where people can enjoy freshl...»
Junmai Umezake is a distinctive plum liqueur made by Toshimori Sake Brewery, founded in 1868 in Akaiwa, Okayama Prefecture, in an area formerly known as Karube Village. Crafted from specially brewed junmai sake and Japanese plums, this carefully prepared drink contains no additives and no added suga...»
Sakehitosuji Karakuchi Junbai-shu is a distinctive dry-style plum liqueur crafted by Toshimori Sake Brewery, a historic brewery founded in 1868 in Akaiwa, Okayama Prefecture, in an area formerly known as Karube Village. Made using specially brewed junmai sake developed specifically for plum liqueur,...»
Muromachi Sake Brewery began producing sake around 1688, during Japan’s Edo period. Drawing on centuries of brewing tradition, the brewery creates its Golden Plum Liqueur using locally grown green plums and sake made from Omachi rice, a distinctive rice variety originating in Okayama Prefecture. Th...»
Chocochofu is a contemporary take on Chofu, a traditional confection that has long been enjoyed in Okayama. Created by Yamawaki Sangetsudo, a long-established Japanese confectionery founded in 1881, this innovative sweet has attracted attention as a new local specialty. Traditional Chofu consists o...»
Founded in 1881, Yamawaki Sangetsudo is a long-established confectionery shop that continues to preserve the traditional flavors of Okayama’s famous sweets. Its signature kibidango rice dumplings have a distinguished history: they were presented to Emperor Meiji in 1907 and to Emperor Showa in 1930....»
Kibidango are traditional Japanese sweets best known for their connection to Momotaro, or Peach Boy, one of Japan’s most beloved folktales. Closely associated with Okayama Prefecture, these bite-sized dumplings are among the region’s most famous confectionery specialties and are popular souvenirs fo...»
Founded in 1957, Hakujuji is a long-established confectionery shop in Okayama Prefecture, beloved by local residents for its wide selection of Japanese and Western-style sweets. The company places great importance on the freshness and safety of its ingredients, carefully selecting quality materials ...»
When people think of Okayama, one of Japan’s best-known folktales, Momotaro, or the Peach Boy, often comes to mind. Inspired by the kibi dango dumplings featured in this story, Kinmando’s Kibi Dengaku is a distinctive local confection shaped like traditional dengaku skewered food....»
Chofu is a traditional Japanese confectionery that has long been cherished as a specialty of Okayama. It is made by wrapping gyuhi, a soft and chewy sweet made from glutinous rice flour and sugar, in a thin sheet of castella sponge cake baked slightly firmer than usual and shaped into a rectangle. ...»
Ote Manju is a traditional Japanese confection with a history dating back nearly two centuries. It has been made by Ote Manju Ibe-ya, a confectionery shop founded in 1837, during the Edo period. The sweet is said to have acquired its name because the shop was originally located near the main gate of...»
Hakujuji is a well-known confectionery shop with numerous locations throughout Okayama Prefecture. Loved by people of all ages, the shop offers a wide variety of Japanese and Western sweets. Among its many treats, the Butter Cake remains a longstanding favorite, enjoying enduring popularity among lo...»
Many Japanese children grow up listening to the famous tale of Momotaro, the Peach Boy, whose adventures are closely associated with kibi dango, a traditional Japanese dumpling. Among the many varieties available throughout Okayama Prefecture, one particularly memorable version is Muscat Kibi Dango,...»
Okayama Roll is a distinctive confection created by Seifuan, a traditional Japanese sweets shop. This indulgent roll cake brings together four of Okayama Prefecture’s celebrated local ingredients in one delicious dessert, offering visitors a chance to discover the region’s flavors in a single slice....»
Tsuru no Tamago, meaning “Crane Eggs,” is a celebrated confection from Shimoyama Shojuken, a traditional Japanese sweets maker known as Tsuru no Tamago Honpo. Around 1887, the shop’s founder, Jishiro Shimoyama, was watching the cranes at Okayama Korakuen Garden when he came up with the idea for this...»
Takehisa Yumeji was a celebrated poet and painter who embodied the romanticism of Japan’s Taisho era (1912–1926). Shikishimado, a confectionery founded in Oku Town, Okayama Prefecture, the birthplace of Yumeji, takes great pride in this distinguished local artist. The company even incorporated the n...»
Ebimeshi is one of Okayama Prefecture’s best-loved local specialties, often celebrated as a delicious example of Japan’s regional B-class gourmet cuisine—affordable, satisfying food cherished by locals. This fried rice seasoning mix recreates the distinctive flavor of ebimeshi with a special sauce ...»
The waters of the Seto Inland Sea are renowned throughout Japan for their rich variety of delicious seafood. Among the region’s traditional specialties is shio-mushi sakura-dai, a distinctive preparation of natural red sea bream that preserves the fish’s delicate flavor and texture through an age-ol...»
Flavored teas are popular, but some commercially available varieties have aromas that are overly strong or seem artificial, which can put tea lovers off. To offer a more natural alternative, Hikiryomon developed Monka, a flavored tea designed to preserve the authentic taste of tea while adding the d...»
Grilled conger eel from the Seto Inland Sea is a delicious regional specialty from Okayama Prefecture, where fishing has flourished for centuries. Conger eel is one of the area's representative catches and is prized for its rich flavor and satisfying texture....»
Seto Inland Sea Octopus Rice Seasoning Mix is a convenient way to enjoy takomeshi, a traditional Japanese rice dish made with octopus. Featuring fresh Japanese octopus caught in the Seto Inland Sea, this local specialty from Okayama is popular with both local residents and seafood lovers....»
Kibiji is the name commonly used for a historic area of Okayama Prefecture stretching from the northwestern part of Okayama City to Soja City. Rich in archaeological sites, ancient burial mounds, shrines, temples, and beautiful countryside, this region is one of the most rewarding destinations in we...»
Takebe Forest Park is a nature-filled recreational park located in Tajiko, Takebe-cho, Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. With beautiful seasonal scenery and a wide range of outdoor activities, the park is a popular destination for both local residents and visitors looking to enjoy the nat...»
Okayama City Handayama Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. Opened in May 1964, the garden covers approximately 110,000 square meters and is home to around 3,200 plant species, with a total of approximately 150,000 plants. Flowers and greener...»
Munetada Shrine is dedicated to Munetada Kurozumi, the founder of Kurozumikyo, a Japanese religious tradition. There are two shrines bearing this name, one in Kyoto and the other in Okayama, and both are important places of worship for followers of the faith. The Kyoto shrine is also known as Kagura...»
Okayama City Museum is a municipal museum located on the fourth and fifth floors of the south wing of the Ritt City Building, near the west exit of Okayama Station in Kita Ward, Okayama City. The museum was established to document and showcase the city's history and contemporary life, preserving its...»
Saijo Honzan Ontaki Ryusenji Temple is the head temple of the Saikyo sect of Nichiren Buddhism, located in Shimashimoashimori, Kita Ward, Okayama City. The temple is particularly known for its Buddhist paintings by Takezan Kimura and its deep connections with mountain worship, sacred waterfalls, and...»
Okayama Prefectural Museum is located on the outer grounds of Korakuen Garden in Kita Ward, Okayama City. Opened in August 1971 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Okayama Prefecture's administration, the museum collects, preserves, and exhibits cultural heritage from the region, particularly fr...»
The Hayashibara Museum of Art is a registered museum in Okayama Prefecture, located on the former grounds of Okayama Castle in Kita Ward, Okayama City. It is operated by the Hayashibara Museum of Art Foundation and is renowned for its outstanding collection of Japanese swords, traditional arts, and ...»