Okayama & Kurashiki Tour: Korakuen Garden & Historic Quarter

Walk through two centuries of Japanese gardens and preserved merchant houses in a single day.

A full-day guided tour from Okayama takes you to Korakuen Garden, one of Japan's Three Great Gardens, then by train to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, where you explore a 300-year-old townhouse and wander riverside streets lined with museums and cafes. An English-speaking National Government Licensed guide leads the route. You choose whether to include a hands-on sushi-making lunch or explore Okayama Station on your own at midday. The tour runs roughly 7 hours 40 minutes with public transportation included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Okayama Korakuen Garden1h · entry included
2. Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter1h

Explore Okayama and Kurashiki

• Ride tram to Shiroshita Station
• Walk to Okayama Korakuen Garden
• Visit Okayama Korakuen Garden and view Okayama Castle
• Return to Okayama Station by tram and foot
• Participate in Kakushi Sushi making and lunch
• Take JR train from Okayama to Kurashiki
• Visit Inoue House in Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
• Free time for sightseeing in Kurashiki Bikan Quarter
• Take JR train from Kurashiki to Okayama

The experience

The day starts at Okayama Station, where you board the Okayama Electric Tramway for a 4-minute ride to Shiroshita Station, then walk into Korakuen Garden. This 13-hectare landscaped garden dates to the Edo period and holds ponds, a teahouse, and seasonal flowers arranged so the garden shifts its mood through the year. From across the water, Okayama Castle (known as "Crow Castle" for its black exterior) rises into view. You spend time here on your own, then return to the station by tram and on foot.

Lunch depends on which option you chose at booking. If you selected the sushi-making experience, you'll craft your own chirashi sushi by arranging fresh sashimi, seafood, and vegetables on sushi rice, then eat what you've made alongside miso soup and dessert. If you chose no lunch, you have free time around Okayama Station to buy your own meal. After lunch, you take the JR local train to Kurashiki, a 30-minute journey.

In Kurashiki, the guide shows you the Inoue House, a 300-year-old townhouse designated as an important cultural property and one of the largest structures in the Bikan Historical Quarter's preservation district. Then you have free time to wander the riverside streets, visit museums, stop at cafes, and explore on your own pace. The tour ends with a train ride back to Okayama. Walking distance across the day is roughly 3 miles, so wear comfortable shoes. Public transportation is unreserved, so seating is not guaranteed.

What’s included

• National Government Licensed English-speaking guide.
• Okayama Electric Tramway and JR local train fares.
• admission to Okayama Korakuen Garden.
• access to the Inoue House in Kurashiki.
• sushi-making lunch with miso soup and dessert (if you select the "With Lunch" option).

Options for this experience

2 options

No LunchGuide in English · Only on 27 Nov · 09:20Lunch is not part of this tour.

With LunchGuide in English · Only on 27 Nov · 09:20A vegetarian meal is available if you request it when booking; however, meal choices cannot be changed on the day of the tour. Vegan, allergy-friendly, halal, gluten-free and other meal requests are not offered.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesFridayDeparts at 09:20

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc.

Is this one for you?Pick "With Lunch" to learn sushi-making hands-on during the day. Choose "No Lunch" if you prefer to eat independently once you arrive at Okayama Station.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What is Okayama Korakuen Garden like, and how much time do I spend there?

Okayama Korakuen is a 13-hectare landscaped garden from the Edo period with ponds, a teahouse, and seasonal flowers that change throughout the year. You explore it on your own after arriving by tram, with enough time to take in the garden and view Okayama Castle across the water from the grounds.

Do I have to make sushi, or can I skip the lunch experience?

The sushi-making lunch is optional. You choose at checkout: the "With Lunch" option includes a hands-on sushi-making experience where you arrange sashimi, seafood, and vegetables on rice, then eat your creation with soup and dessert. The "No Lunch" option gives you free time at Okayama Station to buy your own meal instead.

How do I get between Okayama and Kurashiki?

You take the JR local train from Okayama to Kurashiki, a journey of roughly 30 minutes. The train fare is included in the tour price, and seating is unreserved since public transportation is used throughout the day.

What is the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, and what do I do there?

The Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter is a preserved district of traditional merchant houses and riverside streets. Your guide shows you the Inoue House, a 300-year-old townhouse designated as an important cultural property, then you have free time to wander, visit museums, explore cafes, and take in the historic scenery at your own pace.

How much walking is involved, and what should I wear?

The total walking distance is roughly 3 miles spread across the day. Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing suitable for walking, since you'll be on foot between train stations, through the garden, and around the Kurashiki streets.