Kurashiki — Japan’s laid back town
A small town where you see Japan through the lens of history, nature and culture.
On my recent Japan road trip, I had a chance to visit Kurashiki, a historic city in western Okayama Prefecture that breathes a laid-back atmosphere.
You can easily reach there by taking Shinkansen (a bullet train) — 3 hours from Tokyo, 45 minutes from Osaka. But I came from the other side of country where I enjoyed the beautiful panorama along the 150-kilometer bus ride from Hiroshima.
With a population of only around 500 thousand, the city features the blend of new and old buildings. The way they are structured truly makes Kurashiki a one-of-a-kind.
Kurashiki has its history that stretches back to the Edo period, where the town was known as a hub for trading various commodities, such as rice and sugar, as well as other goods. Later, during the Meiji Restoration, Kurashiki was still a trading destination, with more goods on the list. The town was once a popular destination for trading textiles,
Unlike many other Japanese cities, Kurashiki survived World War II tragedy with most of the buildings unscathed. Many of the town’s original establishments, such as traditional houses, stores, mills and public facilities remain in beautiful condition. Today, they are still there, erected magnificently.
