The Setouchi Eastern Route With Travel Blogger Kelley Ferro

The Setouchi region offers products and experiences unavailable even elsewhere in Japan. This itinerary rounds up a number of these in a convenient three-day package. It takes you to Kojima Jeans Street, a unique area focused entirely on high-quality Japanese denim, offers some unmissable sights both natural and historical, immerses you in the culture of the Japanese sword, offers relaxation in inns with a flavor of old Japan, and tempts the taste buds with local specialties such as Kobe beef and Nada sake.

Kojima Jeans Street

In addition to its beautiful location directly facing the Seto Inland Sea, the Kojima district of Kurashiki City offers another attraction to visitors: Kojima Jeans Street, a collection of jeans stores directly managed by local jeans makers. Here, you will find around 40 jeans shops and cafés, attracting jeans enthusiasts from throughout the world who are seeking “Kojima Quality.” If that doesn’t satisfy your denim craving, just three kilometers away the women’s jeans manufacturer Betty Smith has opened a jeans shop and jeans museum. A variety of jeans-related experiences await, including a visit to Japan’s oldest jeans factory, and hands-on experience of customizing jeans.

Washuzan Observation Decks

Located about 40 minutes from Kurashiki City by car, Washuzan (Mt. Washu) offers one of Japan’s most impressive vistas. Two observation decks on the mountain, at the Washuzan Visitor Center (Observation Deck No. 1) and the Washuzan Rest House (Observation Deck No. 2), allow visitors to gaze out over the majestic Great Seto Bridge linking Kojima in Okayama Prefecture and Sakaide in Kagawa Prefecture. Observation Deck No. 1 is particularly famous for its position close to the Great Seto Bridge, overlooking this series of magnificent spans joining the islands in the Inland Sea.

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter (Traditional Boat Tour of Kurashiki Canal)

Streets lined with traditional townhouses and white-walled warehouse/residences in the kurazukuri style, dating from the 1600s, run alongside the Kurashiki River. These townscapes bring the region’s history and culture alive for the visitor. The area is now known as the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, and has become one of Okayama’s most popular tourist destinations. Here you will find numerous cafes and shops operating from former townhouses, tempting you to pass the time strolling and shopping. Alternatively, you may wish to explore a different aesthetic experience with a visit to the Ohara Museum of Art, where you will find a large collection of works by western masters, including Rodin, Monet, El Greco and Picasso. And for a truly special experience, take the Traditional Boat Tour of Kurashiki Canal, and enjoy the historical scenery from the still waters of the Kurashiki River as you are poled along on a traditional canal boat. But remember that tickets are only available on the day and are sometimes already sold out before the afternoon, so be early.

Ryokan Kurashiki

The long-established traditional inn Ryokan Kurashiki nestles on the bank of the Kurashiki River in the very center of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. A refurbished late-Edo residence and rice storehouse, the ryokan has only eight guest rooms, each of which has been tastefully designed with the comfort of guests in mind. At night, guests can enjoy the romantic illumination of the historical quarter’s streetscapes from their window, as they relax and restore their energy after their travels. The Ryokan Kurashiki is located only a 15-minute walk from JR Kurashiki Station, making it the perfect choice as a base for your further exploration of Kurashiki.