If you come to Okayama, I really recommend visiting **Okayama Korakuen and Okayama Castle** together!
Okayama Korakuen is one of Japan's three great gardens. Built in 1700, stepping into the garden immediately feels like you've suddenly gone back 300 years.
The entire garden has a strolling layout, with lawns, ponds, small bridges, and teahouses connected along the way. As you walk around, every angle looks like a classical Japanese painting. My favorite part was climbing Yuishinzan Hill for a view over the entire garden, with Okayama Castle visible in the distance. The scenery is really relaxing!
Sawa-no-ike Pond has artificial islands, and water actually flows through the middle of one of the buildings. It's easy to imagine the feudal lord cooling off and composing poetry here in the past—the scene really comes to life.
Each season has its own charm: cherry blossoms in spring, lotus flowers in summer, fall foliage in autumn, and plum blossoms in winter. Chishio-no-Mori Grove is especially unbelievably beautiful in the fall.
If I could visit only one attraction in Okayama, I'd choose this one. If you have enough time, visiting Korakuen and Okayama Castle together is ideal!
Okayama Korakuen | Review by 王小鈞
Other Reviews by 王小鈞
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Teppanyaki Bisai
A teppanyaki restaurant where premium ingredients from the mountains and sea, including Okayama’s specialty black wagyu beef Chiya-gyu and carefully selected branded beef from around Japan, as well as exceptionally fresh seafood, are dynamically and fragrantly grilled right before your eyes. You can fully savor the chef’s skillful technique and the rich flavors that fill your mouth.
If you're in Okayama and looking for a restaurant with a view where you can enjoy teppanyaki, try Teppanyaki Bisai.
The restaurant is on the 19th floor of Hotel Granvia Okayama. From a window seat, you can look out over Okayama City. The daytime view is expansive, and the overall atmosphere feels quite refined.
The most interesting part is sitting in front of the grill and watching the chef skillfully cook everything right before your eyes. From the moment the ingredients hit the grill until each dish is served, you can experience the appeal of food cooked right in front of you. It was super delicious, and the pace of the meal was also very relaxed. -
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Okayama Orient Museum
The only public art museum in Japan specializing in the Orient region, from ancient Mesopotamian civilization to the Islamic era. Its collection of around 5,000 items includes relics from a wide range of civilizations, from stone tools dating back Approx. 500,000 years to ceramics, glassware, and metalwork. Among them, the Assyrian relief "Winged Eagle-Headed Protective Spirit" excavated from an ancient Mesopotamian royal palace is especially impressive, offering a chance to reflect on the distant world of West Asia.
Okayama Orient Museum looks understated from the outside, but stepping inside feels like being instantly transported to the ancient Eastern world. Its collection of precious artifacts from the Middle East, Iran, China, and other regions is quite extensive. Seeing the Buddha statue excavated in Iran and the replica of the Code of Hammurabi stele especially gives you a real sense of the depth of ancient civilizations.
Photography is prohibited inside, so I could only keep this one photo, but that also made it easier to focus on the exhibits. There weren't many visitors, and the overall atmosphere was very quiet and comfortable.
Admission is only JPY 310, and even the restrooms cleverly incorporate Eastern elements. Unassuming yet full of character, this is a small Okayama attraction well worth remembering! -
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Okayama Station
JR Okayama Station is a major terminal in the Chugoku and Shikoku area, served by the Sanyo Shinkansen and several JR lines. The Sanyo Line, Hakubi Line, Tsuyama Line, Ako Line, and Uno Minato Line all run through the station, making it a convenient transportation hub for destinations in and beyond Okayama Prefecture, including Kurashiki, Korakuen Garden, Okayama Castle, Uno Port, and Naoshima.
Okayama Station is a major transportation hub that is very convenient for traveling around the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. The Sanyo Shinkansen and various JR lines meet here, making it easy to travel to both the San'in and Shikoku regions. There is also plenty to explore around the station, with lots of restaurants, souvenirs, and shops at Sansute Okayama and Okayama Ichibangai. From here, you can take the streetcar to Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden. For a nearby excursion, you can also take a JR train to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. If this is your first time in Okayama, it's very convenient to use the station as your starting point!
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