Visited 17.04.2015 (Fri)
Nostalgia. Kurashiki Bikan Chiku or Historical Quarter 倉敷美観地区 is a national historical preservation district and a sense of nostalgia hits you instantaneously upon stepping foot into this well preserved town. During the Edo Period (300 years ago), this area flourished as a merchant's quarter where goods/commodities trading took place. The town is made up a narrow canal with distinct white walls warehouses and merchants' houses lined up on both sides. Though the bustling scene of river boats crowding on the canal, merchants engaging in their trade and workers transferring goods from one place to another is no longer in existence, the restored shop houses and warehouses are now occupied by ryokans, shops, cafes, restaurants, bank and tourist information center, and continue to play an essential role to showcase how life has been in the past for many future generations to come. Spent an afternoon here; strolling along the sides of the waterway, stopped by the specialty shops housed in the charming refurbished houses every now and then, and eventually joined a river boat tour to wrap up my fruitful expedition of the historical quarter.
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Highlights
(1) Kurashiki River Boat Tour くらしき川舟流し
Operating hrs: 0930 - 1700 hrs, one river boat setting off every 30 minutes.
Boat fee = 500 yen
Disembarkation / embarkation point: Nakabashi 中橋, near Kurashiki-kan 倉敷館
https://www.kurashiki-tabi.jp/see/3598/
One of the best way to walk down the memory lane in Kurashiki is to hop onto a leisure boat tour of Kurashiki River, which was once packed with incoming and outgoing boats ferrying goods in the olden days. The boat transverses between Takasagobashi 高砂橋 and Imabashi 今橋, and the entire tour takes approx 20 minutes. The last time when I embarked on a similar river boat ride was the river punting along the canal of Yanagawa city in Fukuoka Prefecture. Kurashiki's version is less than half of the distance covered in Yanagawa, and the boat only goes beneath one bridge (Nakabashi) during the journey. As the boat gradually moved through the calm waters, passengers can admire the white walls houses neatly lined up on the sides of the canal, imagining how lively and busy the town had been in the past.
(2) Kurashiki Ivy Square 倉敷アイビースクエア
https://www.ivysquare.co.jp/
One instagram worthy spot not to be missed is hidden within this compound. Do keep a look out for the picturesque, ivy covered red brick walls in this former cotton mill, which has been converted into a multi purpose public space comprising of hotel, restaurants and souvenir shops. During autumn, the creepers transform into various shades of red, further elevating its allure and attractiveness.
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Kurashiki Bikan Chiku / Bikan Historical Quarter 倉敷美観地区
How to get there?
(1) By foot. It takes approx 15 minutes walk from Kurashiki JR Station.
Commemorative stamp:
Nostalgia. Kurashiki Bikan Chiku or Historical Quarter 倉敷美観地区 is a national historical preservation district and a sense of nostalgia hits you instantaneously upon stepping foot into this well preserved town. During the Edo Period (300 years ago), this area flourished as a merchant's quarter where goods/commodities trading took place. The town is made up a narrow canal with distinct white walls warehouses and merchants' houses lined up on both sides. Though the bustling scene of river boats crowding on the canal, merchants engaging in their trade and workers transferring goods from one place to another is no longer in existence, the restored shop houses and warehouses are now occupied by ryokans, shops, cafes, restaurants, bank and tourist information center, and continue to play an essential role to showcase how life has been in the past for many future generations to come. Spent an afternoon here; strolling along the sides of the waterway, stopped by the specialty shops housed in the charming refurbished houses every now and then, and eventually joined a river boat tour to wrap up my fruitful expedition of the historical quarter.
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| Kurashiki River. |
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| One distinct feature of the buildings here in Kurashiki is the white coloured walls. Bottom right: Beautiful stained glass windows of Chugoku Bank. |
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| Top right: Ohara Museum of Art; Bottom right: The wooden, western style building was originally Kurashiki Town Hall. Now it has been converted into a tourist information center. |
Highlights
(1) Kurashiki River Boat Tour くらしき川舟流し
Operating hrs: 0930 - 1700 hrs, one river boat setting off every 30 minutes.
Boat fee = 500 yen
Disembarkation / embarkation point: Nakabashi 中橋, near Kurashiki-kan 倉敷館
https://www.kurashiki-tabi.jp/see/3598/
One of the best way to walk down the memory lane in Kurashiki is to hop onto a leisure boat tour of Kurashiki River, which was once packed with incoming and outgoing boats ferrying goods in the olden days. The boat transverses between Takasagobashi 高砂橋 and Imabashi 今橋, and the entire tour takes approx 20 minutes. The last time when I embarked on a similar river boat ride was the river punting along the canal of Yanagawa city in Fukuoka Prefecture. Kurashiki's version is less than half of the distance covered in Yanagawa, and the boat only goes beneath one bridge (Nakabashi) during the journey. As the boat gradually moved through the calm waters, passengers can admire the white walls houses neatly lined up on the sides of the canal, imagining how lively and busy the town had been in the past.
(2) Kurashiki Ivy Square 倉敷アイビースクエア
https://www.ivysquare.co.jp/
One instagram worthy spot not to be missed is hidden within this compound. Do keep a look out for the picturesque, ivy covered red brick walls in this former cotton mill, which has been converted into a multi purpose public space comprising of hotel, restaurants and souvenir shops. During autumn, the creepers transform into various shades of red, further elevating its allure and attractiveness.
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Kurashiki Bikan Chiku / Bikan Historical Quarter 倉敷美観地区
How to get there?
(1) By foot. It takes approx 15 minutes walk from Kurashiki JR Station.
Commemorative stamp:
