Kurashiki or Okayama? where to stay

We'd like to visit both Kurashiki and Okayama on the way to Matsue. Which is the best to stay in? Although we often stay in Toyoko Inns it would be good to stay in a rather more atmospheric ryokan along the way too as long as it is on the cheaper end of the scale. Does anyone know of any eg in Kurashiki?

Kurashiki looks more traditional and smaller perhaps?

I used the Toyoko Inn in Kurashiki as my base for three days in the area - I did day trips to Hiroshima, Okayama and Onomichi as well as sightseeing in Kurashiki. If I were to do this again I think I would be better off staying in Okayama as it is more centrally located for the shinkansen although I was able to go directly to Onomichi from Kurashiki. I'm sure there are ryokan there, but the TI was about ten minutes from the station and it was not the least bit quaint...

Of course, the restored section is very lovely but that is off the main street from the station.

It really doesn't make a difference which you stay in. If you find a nice hotel in one city, then stay there. Transportation between the two cities is very convenient, and trains run frequently, so you can stay at either place.

If you are planning on using it as a base to go to other cities (like Takahashi, Tsuyama, Himeji, Takamatsu), then Okayama is probably slightly more convenient, since it's the main train hub in the area, and the Shinkansen is there (Shin-Kurashiki Station is not where the Bikan area is located). As I said, though, you can travel between the cities easily enough, so just choose whichever city you find a suitable hotel in.

Well thank you - but actually we have just left Kurashiki this morning, having decided to stay there and glad we did. We stayed at the Toyoko Inn (our membership is making them so cheap!) and found it a lovely little town and it was easy to go back to Okayama to visit the truly lovely garden... we then came on here to Matsue with a stop at Takahashi and were able to do that directly from Kurashiki without going back to Okayama. Takahashi is definitely a worthwhile stopover. We took a 'taxi-bus' up to the castle and walked down through the paddies and village, stopping at samurai houses and the temple and old church... a pleasant downhill 4 kms.

It's funny that my response came the day you actually did the trip!

I'm a big fan of Okayama, so I'm glad you were able to enjoy it! Okayama city is highly underrated (even on this site), and Takahashi is a gorgeous city, the way it's surrounded by mountains, and the sites are well worth leaving the Shinkansen line to see!

I hope you also enjoyed Matsue! The coastal area up there is also very beautiful!

Do you happen to know a temple near here called Ichibata Yakushi - 640 steps up to 84,000 statues of the medicine and healing Buddha? I just read a blog that raved about it and we'd would love to go there but can't work out the transport... seems to be close- ish to the Ichibata railway line that takes you to Izumo but how do we get from the closest railway stop?

I didn't visit Ichibata Yakushi, but I found this information:

From Ichibataguchi Station, Ichibata Yakushi Temple（Tel: 0853 67 0111) is a ten minute ride by bus or taxi.
Entrance is free.

Their official website appears to be under construction, but it looks like an interesting place. If the ride is really 10 minutes from the station, then the taxi may not be such a bad idea, since you don't know where it is.

If you do go, perhaps you could come back and tell us how it was? Good luck!

If there is a bus, though, I would ask those working at the station. They should be able to tell you when the bus will come and where to get off, as well as how much the taxi will cost, so you can weigh your options.

Today we found our way to Ichibata Yakushi and were very glad we did. We got the Ichibata line train to Ichibata-guchi - lovely ride along the lakeside - and then the bus was waiting at the station - 200Y to the top avoiding the 1300 stairs which used to be the main entrance. The temple and the whole mountain top is really lovely. It has a real feel to it and the monk who came in to lead prayers spoke some English and was very kind. We ate a delightful lunch at one of the restaurants overlooking the great view and had planned to walk back - only 6kms and all downhill - but got talking to a lovely couple in the wood-carving shop who insisted on driving us... so kind. All in all it was great trip out and a touch of real life rather than the attractive but rather touristy sights of Matsue. By the way you can get a bus back to the station but it means being at the temple for about 3 hours - not too hard really. There are taxis too - about 1,500Y we were quoted for the chap to come and get us if we rang from the top.

I will have to keep that in mind if I go back to Matsue. It sounds like a great place!

If you don't mind me being nosy, where else are you going on your trip? You've visited so many of my favorite places!