Okayama has been Japan's denim capital since the 1970s, and Kurashiki's textile heritage lives on in vintage-styled denim, especially in this quirky lane of popular Japanese clothing brands. Denim fanatics should come for the denim-hued ice-cream, burgers (¥350) and steamed buns – all tinted with natural blue dyes. Even the benches and bathroom are jeans-inspired.
Kurashiki Denim Street
Western Honshū
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.42 MILES
Konpira-san or, more formally, Kotohira-gū, was originally a Buddhist and Shintō temple dedicated to the guardian of mariners. It became exclusively a…
10.63 MILES
Kōraku-en draws the crowds with its reputation as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. It has expansive lawns broken up by ponds, teahouses…
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24.04 MILES
One of the most beautiful gardens in the country, Ritsurin-kōen dates from the mid-1600s and took more than a century to complete. Designed as a walking…
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15.76 MILES
In Honmura, half a dozen traditional buildings have been turned over to contemporary artists to use as the setting for creative installations, often…
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25.87 MILES
The island of Sensui-jima is just five minutes across the water from Tomo-no-ura town, though vastly different for its rugged natural beauty, as there are…
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25.39 MILES
Zentsū-ji, Temple 75 of the sacred 88, is the largest of the temples – most of the other 87 could fit in its car park. This is where Kōbō Daishi was born,…
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19.63 MILES
Teshima's art 'museum' impresses for its architecture – a monumental concrete shell, forming a low teardrop-shaped dome on the hillside, designed by Tokyo…
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25.86 MILES
About 500m north of Yashima station, Shikoku-mura is an excellent village museum that houses old buildings transported here from all over Shikoku and…
Nearby Western Honshū attractions
0.03 MILES
Four rooms are crammed with displays of wooden toys, masks, dolls and spinning tops (including a world-record breaker), as well as a colourful array of…
2. Kurashiki Museum of Folk-craft
0.05 MILES
This museum is housed in an attractive complex of rice warehouses dating from the late 18th century, with interesting exhibits of exquisite household…
3. Momotarō Karakuri Hakubutsukan
0.07 MILES
Part gallery and part fun-house, this small museum is devoted to local legend Momotarō, with memorabilia, toys and depictions of the 'peach boy' from over…
0.11 MILES
Present-day Ivy Square was once the site of Ōhara's Kurabō textile factories. The company moved into more modern premises a long time ago, and the ivy…
0.11 MILES
Learn about the history of the Japanese textile industry at this museum at historic Ivy Square.
0.13 MILES
This is Kurashiki's premier museum, housing the predominantly Western art collection amassed by local textile magnate Ōhara Magosaburō (1880–1943), with…
0.2 MILES
Buddhist temple with interesting wooden carvings of animal spirits in the eaves, near Kurashiki's Bikan quarter. Enter from the side street off Honmachi…
0.22 MILES
Buddhist temple on the edge of Tsurugata-yama-kōen park, with fine views across town.