Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter – A beautiful town with willow trees and white walls

What is Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area?

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area is a townscape preservation and sightseeing district in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.Kurashiki is the name of a place, and Bikan means beautiful.

Incidentally, Kurashiki was the sea 400 years ago.The shallow sea has been turned into land by reclamation.

 

History of Kurashiki

Since the area was reclaimed from the sea, the salt from the sea water remained in the area. Therefore, the land was not suitable for rice cultivation.

Therefore, cotton and rush grass, which are resistant to salt, were cultivated. This was the beginning of Kurashiki’s growing textile industry.

In 1642, Kurashiki was placed under the direct control of the then Japanese Shogunate. Kurashiki became the political and economic center that controlled the surrounding area, and merchants gathered near the Kurashiki River that flowed through the center of the city.

There were also wholesalers there who dealt in cotton, and the white-walled buildings lined the street, symbolizing that the cotton industry was profitable.

In 1881 a private spinning mill opened for business, and in 1889 a company with English-style opportunities and factory facilities was founded. Kurashiki’s textile industry grew and developed significantly from here.

Sewing techniques were also improved, and the production of textile products such as tabi (split-toed socks) and school uniforms flourished. After the war, jeans were produced and spread as the birthplace of domestically produced jeans.

Having escaped the war, Kurashiki was desired to preserve its traditional streetscape, and in 1968, an ordinance was enacted to preserve the traditions and beauty of Kurashiki City. Then, in 1981, Kurashiki was selected by the government as an Important Preservation District for Traditional Buildings.

With its traditional buildings and beautiful willow trees, Okayama’s Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area is now a popular tourist destination in Japan, where just walking the streets is fun.

 

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area Recommendation

Fresh willow street

The Kurashiki River flows through the center of the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. Willow trees are planted on both sides of the river, creating a beautiful scene.
On a fine day, the green of the willows reflects on the surface of the river, creating a very refreshing scene. We also recommend taking a riverboat ride to see the city scenery.

 

Distinctive “Namako-kabe”

Buildings in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area are characterized by a distinctive exterior wall finish called “Namako-kabe”.
This is a method of attaching square tiles and filling in the joints with plaster by heaping them up. This streetscape has been selected as a national Important Preservation District for Traditional Buildings.

 

Ohara Museum of Art

Founded in 1930, Okayama Museum of Art was the first private western art museum in Japan. The museum houses approximately 3,000 works of art, including Western paintings by famous artists such as El Greco, Monet, Picasso, Munch, and Rousseau, as well as Japanese Western paintings associated with Okayama.

 

Kurashiki Ivy Square

Inside the ivy-twined red-brick building are a studio where visitors can experience pottery making, a store where Kurashiki handicrafts, folk crafts, and famous confections can be purchased, and a hotel.
The reason why the building is so tangled with ivy is that when the building was originally used as a factory, ivy was planted to regulate the temperature inside.
Inside, the Kurabo Memorial Hall displays the history of the spinning industry.

 

Souvenirs to buy in Kurashiki

Kurashiki Canvas

It is durable, lightweight, and features a design that is easy to use in everyday life.
It also has a soft texture, and the more it is used, the more beautiful its color and texture become.

Kurashiki Denim

Kurashiki is the birthplace of Japanese domestic denim.Many of the products are of high quality and high price, and the indigo-dyed shades that craftsmen spend a lot of time and effort to produce are popular.

Kurashiki Glass

Kurashiki glass pursues the “beauty of use”.Kurashiki glass is easy to use, beautiful, and fits in well with daily life.This glassware is fun to use, as the glass appears to sparkle when held up to the light, or to glow when water is poured into it.

 

tradition, and where products for everyday use are made. Please visit Kurashiki, a profound town.