Kurashiki is located in Okayama Prefecture, just beside the prefectural capital of Okayama City. The city has a preserved canal area that dates back to the Edo Period (1603-1867), when Kurashiki served as an important rice distribution center. In fact, the name "Kurashiki" can be roughly translated as "town of storehouses", which refers to the storehouses in which the rice was kept.
Many of Kurashiki's former storehouses have been converted into museums, boutiques and cafes. The Ohara Museum is the most impressive of Kurashiki's museums, exhibiting a large collection of works by famous Western artists. The canal area is a ten minute walk from Kurashiki Station's south exit. Directly north of the station is the now defunct Tivoli amusement park, which was based on the park of the same name in Denmark.
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Canal lined by willows and old storehouses.
A former merchant house open to the public.
