Fun things to do in Okayama

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The former Ashimori Clan merchant house was a place where soy sauce was produced from the Edo Period until around the mid-20th Century. It was also a residence. Today the house is filled with authentic examples of the items and machines used in soy sauce production including old advertising signs. You can also look at the building itself from the inside, which can be interesting if you have not been inside this type of building before.

Entrance to the merchant house is free. If you take the time to visit the Ashimori area then it's worth stopping here.

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During the Edo Period, this was the home of Sugihara from the Ashimori Clan who ruled Bit'chu Province. He was the chief retainer of the Ashimori. Today you can walk around the grounds of the building and look inside. You cannot roam around inside the residence but the outside doors are open so that you can see everything inside, including many artifacts placed where they would have been when Sugihara lived here.

The grounds also feature a small garden. The building has been designated an Important Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture.

You can enter and walk around the house for free. If you'd like to make a donation, the pamphlets about the house ask you to give just 50 yen to take one.

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The Okayama Digital Museum is often described as an Okayama history museum, and indeed one of the goals of the museum is to foster pride and educate people about Okayama however, the actual exhibits showcase a much broader range of subjects from local history to art to science. Many exhibits are interactive, so it can be a great place for those traveling with children. I visited during the "Oceans" exhibit, so it was more like a science museum and there were many families with kids enjoying the exhibits and I actually learned some things too. It was fun.

They do still have exhibits on local history though. Some previous exhibits featured information, pictures, and artifacts from Okayama during WWII, treasures from the Ikeda clan, etc.

Because the special exhibits characterize the museum, it is important to check to see what the exhibit will be during your visit so that you can best determine whether it will interest you or not.

Admission is listed as 300 yen, but since the museum seems to always feature special exhibits, the cost is usually a bit higher (but not likely to ever be over 1000 yen).

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Saidaiji Temple was originally built in the 8th century by Anryu Shonin after having a vision of a god with a rhinocerous horn telling him to build the Kannon temple here (he was already enroute to rebuilding the Bizen Kannon Temple which was also said to have come from a vision while he was a priest at Hasedera Temple in Nara).

The original temple was destroyed and rebuilt over the years, but the structures you see today are all still quite old. The pagoda dates back to 1678, the Hondo was built in 1863, the Niomon Gate is from 1740, the Ishimon Gate was built in 1819, etc. The characters used to write the original temple's name meant "Rhino Temple" which came from the rhino horn but the first character was later changed so that today it means "(Large) Western Temple".

The temple is impressive. There is a large painting inside the temple on the ceiling of the the Saidaiji Eyo, also known as the Hadaka Matsuri or Naked Man Festival. It's the largest event held here and the largest Naked Man Festival in the nation! The painting is quite beautiful and the overall architecture of the temple is intriguing. There are many other paintings painted on the actual temple ceiling, as well. The Ishimon Gate is unique, appearing to have a Chinese influence.

The temple is also the first temple of the Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage route.

The temple is free to visit.

The Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art is museum that tries to feature art from artists who came from Okayama Prefecture or artists whose art is connected to Okayama. Special exhibits may not always be tied to Okayama but often the special exhibits also have some sort of relationship to Okayama.

The museum has exhibits on three floors of exhibits (1F, 2F and B1). The basement contains the permanent exhibits, the 2nd floor contains the special exhibits, and the 1st floor may contain special exhibits if the 2nd floor is not enough to display them or more from the permanent collection. The permenant exhibits are very interesting and they try to get special exhibits of high interest so it's usually well worth the visit.

Entrance to the permanent exhibits costs 350 yen. Special exhibits cost more, but they often take up most of the museum, so it's best to pay the fee to see the special exhibit which includes admission to the permanent collection. Prices vary for special exhibits but typically will not be more than 1000 yen.

Check the website to see what special exhibits will be on display during your visit.

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Hokai-in Temple is a little-known temple in Okayama. The temple's Hondo dates back to 1855. At the entrance to the temple is the Nitenmon Gate, built in the Edo Period. Before ascending to the temple, be sure to look up at the large paintings on the ceiling of the gate. There are four of them, and they're quite impressive. The Nio Guardian Statues in the gate are also interesting.

Behind the temple on the mountainside is a large graveyard visible from far away. In the graveyard are statues representing the 88 temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage. Walking along the paths to see each temple will lead you up to the top where there are great views of the temple below and Okayama in the distance (It's a good place to watch the Shinkansen from a distance as well). The path ends near the same place where it began. There is also a Mizukake Jizo in the grave. The way to pray is to throw water on it. I was told this jizo is here to pray for people who have disappeared/gone missing.

The temple has gained a little fame from its designation as the 5th temple of the Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage.

Entrance is free.

Yumeji Takehisa was an Okayama native born in 1884 most known for his paintings of bijin (beautiful women). He did not have any formal education in art or painting and he is known for his quote, "Enough of artists!" a response to the idea that an artist needed to fit into a certain mold and that his art had to follow certain rules in order to be "good" art. Not surprisingly, he was not popular among the art critics of his time, but he was well-liked among the common people.

Even though he had no training, he studied art on his own and was influenced by European modernist art and combined it with Japanese style to create art that is uniquely his. The faces of the women in his paintings are long but soft and the eyes in particular convey introspective emotions that I think are easy for the viewer to feel. Because of his unique style, it is easy to identify his bijin art.

Although he is most famous for his paintings of women, he actually has a diverse range of artwork. The museum features rough sketches, book covers painted by him, art showcasing various interests and facets of his talent, and of course, his paintings of women. It seems that the more of his art that you see, the more you want to see! Indeed, it's an excellent museum, and Yumeji Takehisa's fame and popularity has actually grown in recent years as the Japanese rediscover this great modern artist.

Entrance is 700 yen.

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Tokoen was built sometime at the beginning of the 17th century and has remained here since that time, making it the oldest garden in Okayama. It was built as a private villa for relaxation by Tadakatsu Ikeda, head of the Ikeda clan that once ruled over Bizen (the southern portion of Okayama Prefecture). Later it became the residence of a feudal lord.

Today it is privately owned and maintained. It consists of a large central pond with walkways along the outer edge. The historic villa buildings are here as well and the best views are of the villa from the opposite side. The view from the villa is also nice.

Entrance is 400 yen. Some visitors may think that this is too much considering it is the same as the entrance fee to Korakuen which is much larger and more famous however, keep in mind that because it is privately owned, the family that owns it relies on these funds to maintain the garden. I visited in the fall, but I think that summer is probably the best season for Tokoen.