Okayama Prefecture offers tourist attractions such as the Seto-ohashi Bridge, Yubara Hot Springs, and Okayama International Circuit; sightseeing events such as the Hanzaki Festival, Tsuyama Cherry Blossom Festival, and Heartland Kurashiki; and local delicacies such as kibi dumplings, Tsuyama hormone udon, and Hiruzen yakisoba.
Okayama Prefecture is located in the southeastern part of the Chugoku region and has about 90 islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Once called Kibi Province, Okayama Prefecture is home to the Zouzan burial mounds, the Sakusan burial mounds, and the large Ryomiyama burial mounds, and the size of these mounds suggests that in ancient times Okayama was a larger power than the Yamato Imperial Court.
After Kibi Province became a vassal state to the Yamato Imperial Court, it became Bizen Province, Bichu Province, and Bingo Province, and Mimasaka Province was created from Bizen Province.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), the area was ruled by the Ikeda and Mori clans, but Kurashiki City was considered as a natural domain, and that city, located in the southern part of Okayama Prefecture, has become a famous tourist destination as the Bikan Historical Quarter with its beautiful scenery of white walled towns along the river.
In addition to ancient ruins scattered throughout the prefecture, Okayama Prefecture is also home to places and historic sites associated with historical events, such as the Battle of Mizushima and the Battle of Fujito, which were fought in the Genpei War, and the path taken by Emperor Godaigo when he was exiled to Oki during the Nanbokucho Period (1336-1568). Okayama Prefecture is a national historic site.
There are two castles in Okayama Prefecture: Okayama Castle, a national historic site, and Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, a national historic site and an important cultural property.
Okayama Castle, also known as Karasu Castle or Kin Karasu Castle, is built on a small hill. Okayama Castle was built by Ukita Naoye on the Ishiyama Castle, and served as an important fortress in each period.
On the other hand, Bitchu Takamatsu Castle, also called Takamatsu Castle, is famous for being attacked by water by Hideyoshi Hashiba, and both are nationally famous tourist attractions.
When you are tired after touring historical sites, it is your turn to heal your body and soul. Okayama Prefecture is dotted with hot springs, and the hot springs of Shimoyubara Onsen, Ashi Onsen, Maga Onsen, and Goroku Onsen are called Yubara Onsen-kyo, and together with Yunogo Onsen and Okutsu Onsen, are known as Mimasaka Sanyu, and are visited by many people.
Okayama Prefecture includes the production area of Bizen ware, which is one of the six oldest kilns in Japan. Bizen Pottery kilns are scattered around Bizen City, where visitors can not only acquire pottery, but also experience pottery making.
Okayama Prefecture is a land of flourishing agriculture, and produces the largest amount of grapes in western Japan. In addition, the production of fruits such as pears and peaches is also thriving, and many B-class gourmet foods have been created. Kakioko is an okonomiyaki with oysters, and has even been registered as a trademark by the Bizen Higashi Commerce and Industry Association. Bukkake udon, now famous throughout Japan, is a specialty of Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture.
The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is renowned for its picturesque streets, traditional Japanese architecture, and rich cultural heritage. Graceful willow trees line the banks of the Kurashiki River, their branches swaying gently in the breeze and casting reflections across the water. The contra...»
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle is a historic Japanese castle located in Uchiyamashita, Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture. Renowned as one of Japan’s finest examples of a mountain castle, it is officially called Matsuyama Castle. To distinguish it from other castles with the same name, it is commonly known...»
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...»
The Former Senkyō Jinjo Elementary School is a historic school building in Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture. Completed in 1907, this striking two-story wooden structure served as a school until 1990. With its elegant Western-inspired design and carefully crafted architectural details, it is a rare ex...»
Tsuyama Hormone Udon is a popular local dish from the area around Tsuyama City in northeastern Okayama Prefecture, a region with a long history of Japanese beef production. Made with udon noodles stir-fried with beef offal, this hearty specialty has been enjoyed since the latter part of the Showa pe...»
Kurashiki Burger is a distinctive local hamburger that brings together carefully selected ingredients from Okayama Prefecture. Loved by people of all ages, it has grown from a regional specialty into a popular food recognized well beyond the area....»
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 Taste of the Seto Inland Sea Okayama Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading octopus-producing regions. The octopus caught off Shimotsui, in Kurashiki City, is particularly prized for its firm texture and rich flavor. The Seto Inland Sea currents around Shimotsui are especially strong, helping give ...»
A Traditional Dish from Tsuyama Sozuri nabe is a hot pot dish that has long been enjoyed in Tsuyama, Okayama Prefecture. Its defining ingredient is sozuri meat—beef scraped from the bones rather than simply cut away. This traditional technique makes use of flavorful meat that might otherwise be lef...»
A Unique Twist on Japanese Beef Bowls Gyu mochi don is an inventive regional dish that puts a new spin on the classic Japanese beef bowl. Instead of serving sweet-savory simmered beef over rice, it uses soft rice cakes made from the locally prized Hime no Mochi variety. Smooth, chewy mochi is toppe...»
Experience the Delicate Flavor of Fresh Mantis Shrimp Mantis shrimp sashimi is a distinctive seafood delicacy made with fresh mantis shrimp caught in the Seto Inland Sea. The key to enjoying this dish is freshness. After the shrimp dies, enzymes in its body begin breaking down its own flesh, causin...»
A Food Project to Put Soja on the Map Soja Dog was created in Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, with the aim of revitalizing the local community and promoting the area's agricultural produce. To qualify as an official Soja Dog, a hot dog must contain at least two ingredients produced in Soja City. Onl...»
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...»
A Regional Specialty Inspired by Niimi’s Wildlife Niimi City, in Okayama Prefecture, is home to a substantial wild boar population, and dishes made with boar meat, including the traditional hot pot known as botan nabe, have long been part of the local food culture. To turn this familiar regional in...»
Kasaoka Ramen is a local specialty from Kasaoka City in Okayama Prefecture, known for its soy sauce broth made from chicken bones and its distinctive topping of niwatori-niku, or simmered chicken, in place of the more common pork chashu. This simple yet deeply satisfying bowl offers a rich chicken f...»
Hinase Kakioko is a beloved local specialty from Hinase, a historic fishing town on the southeastern tip of Okayama Prefecture. Located along the Seto Inland Sea, Hinase is known for its abundant fresh seafood, especially oysters. Kakioko is a style of okonomiyaki—a Japanese savory pancake—topped wi...»
Hiruzen Yakisoba is a beloved local noodle dish from the Hiruzen area of Okayama Prefecture, near the border with Tottori Prefecture. It has been enjoyed by local residents since the 1950s and is known for its rich, sweet-and-savory miso sauce, tender pieces of chicken, and crisp cabbage grown on th...»
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...»
Shino udon is a distinctive local noodle dish from the Tamashima area of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. Its most striking feature is its unusually wide, long noodles, measuring approximately 2 cm across and around 1 meter in length. The noodles have a satisfyingly chewy texture, making this a hearty...»
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...»
Ujō Ōgon-zushi is an imaginative take on Okayama bara-zushi, one of Okayama Prefecture's signature dishes. Inspired by Okayama Castle, also known as the “Golden Crow Castle,” this striking sushi celebrates the castle's distinctive architecture while showcasing the region's finest local ingredients....»
Hiruzen okowa is a traditional dish from the Hiruzen region in northern Maniwa, Okayama Prefecture, near the border with Tottori Prefecture. This richly flavored seasoned sticky rice is an essential part of local festivals and celebrations, cherished for its generous variety of ingredients and the c...»
Bukkake udon is a popular noodle dish made with freshly boiled udon topped with a generous selection of ingredients and seasonings, then finished with a small amount of flavorful broth. In Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, this local specialty is known for its wide variety of toppings and its distincti...»
Tsuyama Beef Ichiyaboshi is a traditional local delicacy from the Tsuyama area of Sakushu, a region in Okayama Prefecture with a long history of beef culture. Made from carefully selected beef without any additives, this distinctive dried meat is prepared by hand using a time-honored process that br...»
Okayama bara-zushi is a traditional regional sushi dish featuring an appealing assortment of fresh seafood and colorful seasonal vegetables arranged over seasoned sushi rice. Also known as Okayama-zushi or matsuri-zushi (festival sushi), it is now a beloved celebratory dish served at festivals, fami...»
Misaki Tamago Kake Gohan is a regional specialty from Misaki Town in Okayama Prefecture, celebrating one of Japan's simplest and most familiar dishes: freshly cooked rice topped with a raw egg and seasoned with soy sauce. As part of an effort to revitalize the town through its local food culture, Mi...»
A delicious local burger featuring a purple sweet potato bun and a flavorful flounder patty. Tamageta Burger is a regional specialty from Tamano City in Okayama Prefecture. Its playful name combines “Tama,” a reference to Tamano, with “geta,” the local name for tongue sole, a type of flatfish prize...»
Enjoy a tender, light-tasting patty made from 100% Jersey beef raised for meat in the Hiruzen Highlands. Hiruzen Burger is a local specialty sold exclusively at the Hiruzen Kogen Service Area on the outbound side of the Yonago Expressway. Set in the scenic Hiruzen Highlands of Okayama Prefecture, t...»
A local favorite combining savory sea eel with a rich, silky soft-cooked egg for an irresistible harmony of flavors. Tamano Ontama Meshi is a specialty from Tamano City in Okayama Prefecture. It is made by stir-frying plump, locally prized sea eel (anago), adding rice blended with assorted grains, ...»
Haribari-zuke is a refreshing Japanese pickle made from dried daikon radish, prized for its wonderfully crisp texture and tangy flavor. It is a delicious accompaniment to everyday meals and can also be customized with a variety of additional ingredients....»
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....»
Hiruzen daikon is a locally prized Japanese radish grown in the naturally rich environment of the Hiruzen Highlands in northwestern Okayama Prefecture. Thanks to the area's cool climate and distinctive volcanic soil, these radishes develop excellent flavor and quality, with cold-weather cultivation ...»
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...»
Black soybeans from Okayama Prefecture are grown primarily in the central and northern parts of the prefecture. Known for their large size and excellent flavor, these beans are also valued for their well-balanced nutritional content. When simmered, they develop an attractive appearance, a rich arom...»
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 Prefecture is Japan's leading producer of Pione grapes. This popular Japanese grape variety was developed by crossing Kyoho grapes with Cannon Hall Muscat grapes. The result is a distinctive fruit with large, deep-purple berries, an appealing fragrance, a satisfying texture, and an abundance...»
Among Okayama's white peaches, renowned throughout Japan for their exceptional flavor, fragrance, and beauty, Shimizu Hakuto stands at the very top. Often regarded as the finest of all white peach varieties, it is treasured for its sweet, captivating aroma and exquisitely pale skin that appears almo...»
Okayama is Japan’s leading producer of Muscat of Alexandria, accounting for approximately 90% of the nation’s total production. This prestigious grape has become one of the prefecture’s signature specialties. Okayama is celebrated as a fruit-growing paradise, and Muscat of Alexandria is one of its ...»
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 ...»
Located in southwestern Okayama Prefecture along the Seto Inland Sea, the former town of Yorishima, now part of Asakuchi City, is well known for its abundant seafood. Among its local specialties is gazami, a type of swimming crab prized for its rich flavor and succulent meat....»
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...»