Okayama Shopping Guide: A Must-Read for Travelers Who Want to Enjoy Both Sightseeing and Shopping

This Okayama-born department store started as a small sundry shop in 1829, and marked 100 years as a department store after changing its business format in 1925.
Inside, you’ll find a wide variety of products, from clothing to jewelry, watches, cosmetics, and more.
If you’re looking for souvenirs from Okayama, check out the “Okayama-biiki” section on the food and lifestyle goods floor. It brings together local specialties and famous products, along with clothing and home goods created by local artists.

Mitsui Outlet Park Kurashiki is an outlet mall with excellent access, just a 3‑minute walk from JR Kurashiki Station.
The spacious, open grounds are lined with shops from famous Japanese and international brands. You’ll find fashion, lifestyle goods, sports, outdoor items, and more. Carefully selected, high‑quality products are available at outlet prices.

This shopping complex is directly connected to JR Okayama Station, so it’s easy to pop in between sightseeing spots.
It has three areas — North, South, and West — split by an east‑west passageway.
Around 98 shops offer apparel, lifestyle goods, souvenirs, restaurants, and more, covering a wide range of needs.
On the 2nd floor of the South Building, “Omiyage Kaido” is open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. It’s perfect for dropping by during Shinkansen or local train transfers.
Inside, you’ll find Okayama specialty souvenirs, including “kibi dango” dumplings in flavors like matcha, kinako, and brown sugar.

Ario Kurashiki is a large shopping complex directly connected to the north exit of JR Kurashiki Station, with approx 100 specialty stores. It has a wide variety of shops, from trendy fashion and lifestyle goods to pharmacies and other specialty stores offering different services.
Dining options are also plentiful, with many cafes that are perfect for a break while shopping. The food court is bright, spacious, and designed to feel comfortable and relaxing.

Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture is home to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, a popular sightseeing area lined with historic buildings along the canal and full of old-town charm.
Tenmaya Kurashiki, a long‑loved local department store, is just a 1‑minute walk from the south exit of Kurashiki Station. Unlike other branches that use red and white as their main colors, this store stands out with a black signboard that blends in with the townscape.
It offers all the usual department store items like clothing and cosmetics, plus a great selection of souvenirs.

The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter preserves the classic streetscape of old Kurashiki. Located in this area, Hayashi Genjuro Shouten is a complex that brings together a variety of shops related to clothing, food, and housing, all centered on the idea of a “rich and fulfilling lifestyle.”
Stylish shops line the complex, offering practical yet well-designed daily goods, handcrafted items from artisans across Japan, denim suits, jewelry, and more.

Okayama Takashimaya is a long‑established department store that opened in 1973. It’s a 5‑minute walk from JR Okayama Station and is directly connected to the underground mall in front of the station, so access is very convenient.
Inside, the calm atmosphere is filled with a wide variety of tenants, including fashion, gourmet food, cosmetics, and lifestyle goods, offering the full range you’d expect from a major department store.
The food floors on B1 and B2 are especially popular. You’ll find many great souvenir options such as kibidango, a local Okayama specialty, and sweets made with white peaches.
In summer, a beer garden opens on the rooftop, making it a fun place to relax after shopping.

This is one of the largest underground shopping complexes in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, directly connected to the underground ticket gates at the JR Okayama Station East Exit.
The approx 8,000㎡ floor on the first basement level is home to around 90 shops, including fashion, cosmetics, lifestyle goods, restaurants, and cafés. It’s convenient for both daily use and sightseeing.
At “Harechika Plaza” in the center of the complex, eye‑catching pop-up events are held regularly.

This arcade shopping street in Kita Ward, Okayama City, stretches approx 1.4 km. It has a history of more than 400 years and is now the largest shopping street in Okayama Prefecture, made up of eight connected arcades.
From large retailers such as Tenmaya Okayama Main Store to long‑established specialty shops, it offers a wide range of places that draw crowds for shopping and dining.
There are many food options too. Highlights include “Shokudo Yamato,” known for its sauce katsudon and Chinese noodles, “Udon Oyobe Omotecho Main Store” for creative udon, and “Horaiken,” famous for its fried rice.
For sweets, try the shaved ice at “Kanidon,” a café founded in the Taisho era, or the cute cookies from “BLAC SHEEP COOKIES.”
At “Hareno Kuni Okayama-kan,” you can also find Okayama’s local sweets, Bizen ware, and local sake, which makes it a handy spot for souvenir shopping.

Blending into the historic townscape of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, “Kurashiki Denim Street” is a denim‑themed complex that opened in 2014.
It has four zones: a men’s building, a women’s & kids’ building, a goods building, and a food corner. Denim‑themed photo spots are scattered throughout.
You’ll find a variety of items, including the exclusive denim brand “Wakura” and around 700 kinds of denim accessories.
The food corner is also popular for its unique eats such as “Denim Man” steamed buns and “Denim Soft” soft‑serve ice cream.

More than 40 jeans shops, cafés, and galleries now fill the vacant storefronts of Ajino Shopping Street, which was once the busiest area in Kojima.
You’ll find denim with carefully crafted finishes, jeans made by fabric manufacturers with over 20 years of history, shirts that go well with denim, denim suits, dresses made with denim, denim goods shops, and many other uniquely themed stores lined up along the street.

Tamashima Shopping Street in the Tamashima area of Kurashiki is a nostalgic arcade with a charming Showa-era retro feel.
It still reflects its history as a prosperous port town, with long-established sake breweries, Japanese confectionery shops, and tea shops lining the street.
You can enjoy lots of local bites on the go, from old-school snacks to healthy doughnuts made by a local tofu shop, all with a simple, comforting flavor.
There are also places where you can try matcha sweets and monthly tea gatherings, giving you a chance to experience Japanese tea culture.

Miyake Shouten, in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, is a café inside a traditional townhouse built more than a hundred years ago.
Their signature item is the seasonal parfait. These parfaits are lavishly topped with seasonal fruit, look gorgeous, and are perfect for social media. Of course, they taste incredible too.
The special curry, made with plenty of seasonal vegetables and just the right touch of spice, is also popular. You can order it as a set with drinks and cake.

A “meikyoku kissaten” coffee shop with Approx 10,000 classical music records and Approx 1,500 CDs.
The space is inspired by European orchestra halls. Enjoy famous pieces played through high-quality audio equipment, together with house-roasted coffee.
The beans include premium Ethiopian varieties carefully sourced by the owner, as well as select beans from around the world.
Each origin has its own distinct flavor and aroma, so start by trying coffees from different countries.

Ujo Coffee Shop is on the first floor of Hotel Excel Okayama in central Okayama City. It’s close to Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden, so it’s easy to stop by while sightseeing.
The interior and menu are inspired by Okayama Castle and feature a chic black look.
Besides three fragrant original press coffee blends, you can enjoy local specialties. These include the “Ujo Dog” with squid-ink buns, demi-katsudon, and ebi-meshi (shrimp fried rice).
Relax in the calm atmosphere and soak up the unique tastes and vibe of Okayama.

The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is known for its charming townscape, with white-walled storehouses, traditional namako-kabe walls, and willow-lined streets. Historic buildings and the retro-modern scenery along the Kurashiki River are especially popular with visitors.
There are plenty of highlights, including the Ohara Museum of Art, Japan’s first private museum of Western art, and Kurashiki Ivy Square, a Meiji-era factory beautifully renovated into a multi-purpose complex.

The Great Seto Bridge connects Okayama Prefecture on Honshu with Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku. The name refers to the six bridges that span a total of 9.4 km across the strait.
For the best views of the Great Seto Bridge, head to the Yoshima Parking Area, which sits roughly in the middle of the Seto-Chuo Expressway section over the sea.
From the observation deck you can enjoy sweeping views of the Seto Inland Sea and the Great Seto Bridge.

Okayama Castle was built by the warlord Ukita Hideie and completed in 1597. The main bailey was constructed on a hill called Okayama, and the keep was built with the rerouted Asahi River at its back.
The castle town was developed at the same time by bringing in merchants and craftsmen. It later became the center of today’s city, and the construction of Okayama Castle laid the foundations for the city and its name.
The castle keep has a rare shape, with the first floor forming an irregular pentagon. In the past, its walls were covered with black lacquered boards, which gave rise to its nickname “U-jō,” or Crow Castle.