A handy day trip from Osaka, Kurashiki is commonly visited together with Okayama (which is just 17 minutes away by train!). There aren’t many tourists here at Kurashiki, bestowing the town with an enigmatic allure of quiet streets, picturesque canals, and weeping willow trees.

Most visitors are drawn to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter — Kurashiki means “town of storehouses” and Bikan means “beautiful view”, and both descriptions couldn’t be more apt! 

The area is filled with gorgeous storehouses with white walls and black tile trim. These have been restored from the Edo period, with some built with walls as thick as 30 centimetres to protect the interiors. Kurashiki was an important merchant town for rice, which was transported along its canals in boats.

Built more than 300 years ago, the historic buildings have now been converted into various shops, restaurants, teahouses, and galleries. 

Take your time to explore the shops, and pick up a knick knack or two.

There are also plenty of shops selling snacks, ice cream, and the like.

The best way to see the town would be on a traditional boat tour. Each tour lasts for 20 minutes, and costs approximately JPY500 (~SGD5). The boat rides operate daily from 9.30am to 5pm; it was easy to buy tickets upon arrival too. Enjoy the view of the houses and trees as you float down the canals, guided by a punter as he navigates the ride.

Alternatively, take a nostalgic rickshaw tour around Kurashiki. The tour is a little pricier, and can go up to SGD100! However, look at it like a tour of sorts: the rickshaw puller will bring you to popular sightseeing spots, and even act as your personal photographer. 

Believe it or not, but the rickshaw puller is often so fit that he'll run whilst pulling you and your travel companion along the narrow streets!

Before you leave, drop by Denim Street to snag some quality denim products. The street is full of products that hail from the nearby Kojima, said to be the birthplace of Japanese denim. For a quirky meal, dig into foods that are coloured blue, such as buns and so on. Kurashiki is also the birthplace of washi tape, so get your hands on some too.

Did you spot any of these cute manhole covers during your visit?

How to get to Kurashiki

Kurashiki is a mere 17-minute train ride from Okayama. From Kurashiki Station, embark on a short 10-minute walk through the Kurashiki Hondori covered shopping street to reach the Bikan historical quarter.