Tourist Information of Okayama

Hiruzen is a famous highland resort where you can enjoy activities such as trekking, camping, horseback riding, and skiing, making it one of the top leisure spots in western Japan. The historic hot spring, Yunohara Onsen, which was once known as the "Western Yokozuna," is a rare self-spouting hot spring in Japan where you can soak directly in the source. It is also called the "Mimasaka Three Hot Springs." It is a well-known hot spring among hot spring fans, as it is said that people in the Yayoi period healed their fatigue in Yunohara and the mother of one of the Toyotomi Five Elders, Ukita Hideie, was cured of her illness there.

In the town that flourished as a shogunate direct territory during the Edo period, there is a beautiful scenic area where white-painted walls line the Kurashiki River. Kojima, known as the birthplace of domestic jeans, developed as a textile town during the Meiji period, and at the shops on Kojima Jeans Street, you can even experience making your own original jeans. The Mizushima area, which has developed as an industrial town, is one of Japan's leading coastal industrial zones. You can enjoy industrial tourism and factory tours, and the factory night view seen from the Takahayama Skyline, which was selected as one of Japan's top 100 night views, is definitely worth seeing.

Tsuyama and Mimasaka are famous areas where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and the bounties of nature produced by the majestic mountains throughout the four seasons. They are tourist spots that are packed with the charm of Okayama. Chikamasa, the younger brother of Mori Ranmaru, a page of Oda Nobunaga, spent 12 years building Tsuyama Castle. From the castle, you can see a stunning view of the entire area covered in pink cherry blossoms, which has been selected as one of Japan's top 100 cherry blossom viewing spots. There are also many other attractions, such as the old-fashioned streetscape that makes you feel the history.

Korakuen, one of Japan's three famous gardens, is a pond-style garden created by the Ikeda family during the Edo period. It has a vast site, about three times the size of Tokyo Dome. Ushimado Olive Garden is a symbolic tourist spot in Ushimado, where you can overlook the beautiful island of Tajima. It is also recognized as a sacred place for lovers, and the Bell of Happiness near the observation deck is a spot that should be added to your date itinerary.