Okayama City: Features, Popular Tourist Attractions, Gourmet

Okayama City, located in Okayama Prefecture, is a core city blessed with a mild climate facing the Seto Inland Sea. With a population of approximately 700,000, it is one of the largest cities in the Chugoku region. Known as the “Land of Sunshine” due to its many sunny days, the city enjoys weather suitable for tourism throughout the year.

During the Edo period, the city flourished as a castle town of the Okayama Domain, and today its two major tourist attractions, Okayama Castle and Korakuen Garden, remain at the heart of the city. Korakuen, in particular, is one of Japan’s three great gardens alongside Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Kairakuen in Mito, attracting numerous visitors with its beautiful seasonal landscapes.

In terms of cuisine, the city is famous for its fruits such as white peaches and muscat grapes, earning it the nickname “Kingdom of Fruits.” The local food culture has also developed unique dishes like “Demi-katsu don” (cutlet rice bowl with demiglace sauce) and “Matsuri-zushi” known for its chewy rice.

Transportation access is convenient, with JR Okayama Station serving as a stop on the Sanyo Shinkansen line, allowing travelers to reach the city in about 1 hour from Osaka and approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes from Tokyo. The city’s streetcar and bus networks make it easy to access major tourist spots.