Kurashiki City (倉敷市) is a historic city located to the west of Okayama Prefecture (岡山県), sitting on the Takahashi River (高梁川; also called as the Kawabe River [川辺川]), on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea [瀬戸内海].  In August 2006, the neighboring towns of Mabi (吉備郡真備町) and Funao (浅口郡船穂町) merged with Kurashiki.  As of March 1, 2008, the city has a population of 472,309 (2nd largest city of Okayama Pref.).  The total area is 354.71 sq. km.
  The modern city of Kurashiki was founded on April 1, 1928.  Previously, it was the site of clashes between the Hei-shi (平氏) and Gen-ji (源氏) clans during the Heian Period (794-1185).  It gradually developed as a riverport; during the Edo Period (1603-1867), it became an area directly controlled by the Tokugawa Shogunate.  Distinctive white-walled, black-tiled warehouses were built to store goods.  During the Meiji Restoration (Japan's Industrial Revolution Period), factories were built, including the Ohara Spinning Mill (大原紡績工場; demolished) whose building (now called "Kurabo-kinen-kan" [倉紡記念館; Kurabo Memorial Museum]) still stands as the nostalgic tourist attraction Ivy Square ([倉敷] アイビースクエア).
  Kurashiki is the home to Japan's first Western art museum, the Ohara Museum of Art.  Established in 1930 by Magosaburu Ohara (大原 孫三郎, 1880-1943), it contains masterpieces by El Greco, Monet, Matisse, Gauguin, and Renoir.  The collection also has fine examples of Asian and contemporary art.  The museum itself is housed in a neo-Classical building.  19th-century warehouses line this quay in the Bikan district of Kurashiki. Nowadays, many of them host merchants of artisanal local wares.
  The ancient merchant quarter, called the Bikan Historical Area ([くらしき]美観地区).  This area of the city is surrounded by almost unique examples of 17th century wooden warehouses called "kura" (倉) painted white with traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows (シダレヤナギ) and filled with carps (鯉).  The area has no electric poles in order to make the area more closely resemble the look of the Meiji period.  One of the city's former town halls was located in the Kurashiki-kan Hall (倉敷館), a European style building constructed in 1917.  Kurashiki Tivoli Theme Park (倉敷チボリ公園) was built in 1998, based on the theme park of the same name in Copenhagen, and is not popular with local Japanese or tourists as having lost money every year it has been in operation would indicate.  Seto-o-hashi Bride (瀬戸大橋; The Great Seto Bridge) connects the city to Sakaide City (坂出市) in Kagawa Prefecture (香川県) across the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海).

IMAGE	IMAGE NO.	DATA
JR Kurashiki Station		JR Kurashiki Station (JR倉敷駅)
	okr2008-001	(Monday 17 March) JR Kurashiki Station
	okr2008-002	(Monday 17 March) JR Kurashiki Station
Ichiban-gai Mall		Kurashiki Ichiban-gai Shopping Mall (倉敷一番街) is a roofed shopping street near IR Kurshiki Station
	okr2008-003	(Monday 17 March) Ichiban-gai Shopping Mall
	okr2008-004	(Monday 17 March) Ichiban-gai Shopping Mall
Bikan Historical Quarter		The Bikan Historical Quarter (美観地区).  Merchant homes and storehouses dating back to the Edo Period (1603-1867) and Meiji Period (1868-1912), have been restored in this area around the canal, which is designated as an Important Preservation District for Historic Buildings.  Many of these buildings are now leading new lives as museums and galleries such as the Ohara Museum of Art (大原美術館), the Kurashiki Museum of Folkcrafts (倉敷民藝館), and the Kurashiki Archaeological Museum (倉敷考古館).  With the green background of Tsurugatayama Hill Park (鶴形山公園), the willow-lined canal and exquisite buildings combine to create a unique and beautiful historical area.   Personally I have been here three times.  This is my favorite place in Western Japan!
	okr2008-006	(Monday 17 March) The Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-007	(Monday 17 March) "Kiyu-tei" (亀遊亭), a traditional Japanese-Western (洋食) restaurant in the Bikan Historical Quarter (1-2-20 Chuo, Kurashiki [倉敷市中央1-2-20])-
	okr2008-008	(Monday 17 March) "Azumi" (あずみ), a soba [buckwheat vermicelli noodles ] at "Ohara-Bijyutsu-kan-Nishi-Yonkenme" (大原美術館西四軒目; four-door west of Ohara Museum of Art) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-009	(Monday 17 March) Swans in the Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-010	(Monday 17 March) Swans in the Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-011	(Monday 17 March) "Ima-hashi" Bridge (今橋) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-012	(Monday 17 March) "El Greco" coffee house in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-013	(Monday 17 March) Ohara Museum of Art (大原美術館) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-014	(Monday 17 March) The Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-015	(Monday 17 March) The Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-016	(Monday 17 March) The Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-017	(Monday 17 March) The Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-018	(Monday 17 March) The Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-019	(Monday 17 March) The Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-020	(Monday 17 March) The Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-021	(Monday 17 March) "Tsurugara" (鶴形), restaurant and "rhokan" (traditional Japanese hotel) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-022	(Monday 17 March) "Naka-hashi" Bridge (中橋) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-023	(Monday 17 March) "Naka-hashi" Bridge (中橋) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-024	(Monday 17 March) "Naka-hashi" Bridge (中橋) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-025	(Monday 17 March) The Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-026	(Monday 17 March) The Kurashiki River (倉敷川) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-034	(Monday 17 March) "Koei-do Hon-ten" (廣榮堂本店, est. 3rd year of Ansei [安政3年] or 1856), a traditional Japanese sweets shop in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-035	(Monday 17 March) "Jizake-no-Dotemori" (地酒の土手森), a sake shop in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-036	(Monday 17 March) "Mingei Teika" (民芸 定家), traditional pickle shop at 4-13 Hon-cho (本町4-13) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-037	(Monday 17 March) "Bizen-yaki Yoshida" (備前焼 よしだ), a Bizen ware shop at 4-12 Hon-cho (本町3-12) or along the Ivy-dori Street in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-049	(Monday 17 March) Hon-cho--dori Street (本町通り) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-050	(Monday 17 March) Hon-cho-dori Street (本町通り) in the Bikan Historical Quarter
Sen'ichi Hoshino Museum		Sen'ichi Hoshino Museum (星野仙一記念館) in the Bikan Historical Quarter.   Born on April 13, 1947 in Kurashiki City and graduated from Kurashiki Commercial High School ([岡山県立] 倉敷商業高校) and Meiji University (明治大学), Sen'ichi Hoshino (星野仙一, 1947-) was a good pitcher of Chunichi Dragons (中日ドラゴンズ) between 1968-1982, Nagoya.  His NPB [Nippon Professional Baseball] data is as follows: pitching for Dragons throughout his career mainly as a starting pitcher (1968-1982): Win-Loss: 146-121; Earned run average: 3.60; Strikeouts: 1225.   After retirement, he became a commentator of NHK and in 1987 he was appointed as the field manager of Dragons where he kept the position between 1987 and 1991.  Working as a commentator again for the following four years, he came back to Dragons as the field manager between 1996 and 2001.   Then he was surprisingly designated as the field manager of Hanshin Tigers (2002-2003).  However, he resigned it due to his health problem at the end of 2003 and became the senior director of Tigers.  As a NPB field manager, Hoshino won the Central League championships three times but he has never won the title of the Japan Baseball Championship so far.   On January 25, 2007 Hoshino was chosen as the field manager of the national team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
	okr2008-027	(Monday 17 March) Sen'ichi Hoshino Museum in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-028	(Monday 17 March) Sen'ichi Hoshino Museum in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-029	(Monday 17 March) Sen'ichi Hoshino Museum in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-030	(Monday 17 March) Sen'ichi Sen'ichi Hoshino Museum in the Bikan Historical Quarter
Yumiko Igarashi Museum		Yumiko Igarashi Museum, Kurashiki (いがらしゆみこ記念館・倉敷) at 9-30 Hon-cho (本町9-30) or north next to Kurashiki Ivy Square in the Bikan Historical Quarter.   Yumiko Igarashi (いがらしゆみこ; 五十嵐 優美子) was born in 1950 in Asahikawa City, Hokkaido (北海道旭川市).  She liked Kurashiki very much, so she decided to move her museum here from Yamanakako Village, County Minami-Tsuru, Yamanashi (山梨県南都留郡山中湖村) in 2000.  She has been writing many girls' comic books including the original pictures of Candy Candy (『キャンディ・キャンディ』1975-1979; authorship: Kyoko Mizuki [水木杏子]; now renamed Keiko Nagita [名木田恵子]) and Georgie (『ジョージィ』1982-1983; authorship: Man Izumi [井沢満]), that much have impressed many people.
	okr2008-043	(Monday 17 March) Yumiko Igarashi Museum at 9-30 Hon-cho or north next to Kurashiki Ivy Square in the Bikan Historical Quarter
	okr2008-044	(Monday 17 March) Yumiko Igarashi Museum at 9-30 Hon-cho or north next to Kurashiki Ivy Square in the Bikan Historical Quarter
Yasuharu Oyama Memorial Hall		Yasuharu Oyama Memorial Hall (大山 [康晴] 名人記念館), 1-18-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City (倉敷市中央1丁目18番1号).   Yasuharu Oyama (大山 康晴, 1923-1992) was born in the 12th year of taisho (1923) in Nishiachi-machi, County Asaguchi (浅口郡西阿智町; now part of Kurashiki City).  After graduating Kawauchi-jinjo-koto Elementary School (川内尋常高等小学校), he became a home-pupil (内弟子) of the prominent shogi master Kinjiro Kimi (木見金次郎), Osaka at the age of 12 in the 10th year of Showa (1935).  With great continuous efforts, he attained a shogi title of "Meijin" (名人; the grand master) in the 27th year of Showa (1952) at the age of 29.  Then he captured al the five major titles in 1963 and established his immovable status in the shogi world.  He was decorated with the 15th Shogi-meijin (将棋15世名人).
	okr2008-039	(Monday 17 March) Yasuharu Oyama Memorial Hall
	okr2008-041	(Monday 17 March) Yasuharu Oyama Memorial Hall
Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple		Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple (寶壽山 観龍寺) off the Bikan Historical Quarter or near Tsurugatayama Park (鶴形山公園).   Kanryu-ji Temple was founded by Master Gyoseitsu (堯勢津師) in the 1st year of Kanna (寛和元年) or AD 985 in Nishioka, Kurashiki as a branch temple of Jisho-in Temple (慈照院) or Seian-ji Temple (西安寺): It was called Kokuto-san Hoseki-in Temple (北斗山 宝積院).  During the Muromachi Period, it moved to the present parking lot of the temple.  In the 1st year of Kan'ei (寛永元年) or 1624, it removed to the present site and renamed as Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple.  It belongs to the Shingon-shu-Omuro-ha sect (真言宗御室派) of Buddhism.
	okr2008-053	(Monday 17 March) Stone steps to Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-054	(Monday 17 March) San-mon Gate (山門) to Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-055	(Monday 17 March) "Kuri" (庫裏; the priests' living quarters), Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-057	(Monday 17 March) "Shoro" (鐘楼; the Belfry), Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-058	(Monday 17 March) "Kyaku-den" (客殿; the reception hall), Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-059	(Monday 17 March) "Hon-do"(本堂; the main hall), Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-060	(Monday 17 March) Interior of "Hon-do"(本堂; the main hall), Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-061	(Monday 17 March) Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-062	(Monday 17 March) A house next to Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
	okr2008-063	(Monday 17 March) A garden of the house next to Hojyu-zan Kanryu-ji Temple
Achi-jinjya Shrine		Achi-jinjya Shrine (阿智神社) in Tsurugatayama Park (鶴形山公園) off the Bikan Historical Quarter, Kurashiki City.  Although the exact foundation date is unrecorded, this shrine was the oldest shrine of this area.   More than 1,500 years ago when the present Kurashiki was a part of "Kibi-no-kuni" (吉備国), the Bikan Historical Quarter was called "Kibi-no-Anaumi" (吉備の穴海; lit. the Pocket Sea of Kibi) under the sea with two small islands (now Tsurugata-yama [鶴形山] and Mukai-yama [向山]).  In the early Heian Period, the area was land-tied and the surrounded area was called "Achi-gata" (阿智潟), a tideland.  As "Kurashiki" was first recorded in modern times and "Kurashiki-mura" (倉敷村) first appeared in 1584, "Achi" was much older than Kurashiki as the place name.  According to the shrine record, "Achi-no-omi" (阿知使主) and his son "Tsuka-no-omi" (都加使主) from the Korean Peninsula were naturalized here with their men from 17 Korean counties in the reign of Emperor Ojin (応神天皇) around the fifth century.  They were advanced technicians of stones, iron and fabric (織).   This shrine was built as the Achi family's sacred garden.  They introduced the Korean culture here borrowing some Japanese religious elements, the Chinese lucky symbols of longevity, crane and tortoise, and the Chinese idea of yin-yang.   It enshrines "Munakata Sanjo-jin" (宗像三女神) which is the generic name of the Three Goddesses of Pillars originally enshrined at Munakata-taisha Shrine (宗像大社), Munakata CIty, Fukuoka (福岡県宗像市).  They are the guardian goddesses of "Genkainada" (玄界灘; 玄海灘; Kr. Hyeonhae), the sea area between the Korean Peninsula and West Kyushu District of Japan.   Achi-jinja Shrine is also famous for the Japanese wisteria called "Akebono-Fuji" (アケボノフジ) known as "Achi-no-Fuji" (阿知の藤).  They have an annual "Fuji Festival (藤まつり) between the end of April and May 5.
	okr2008-067	(Monday 17 March) Stone Shrine Gate (石鳥居) to Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-068	(Monday 17 March) Another gate (not in the traditional Shinto style) to Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-069	(Monday 17 March) "Hai-den" (拝殿; Worshippers' Hall) looked through the gate, Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-070	(Monday 17 March) (拝殿; Worshippers' Hall), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-073	(Monday 17 March) The pair of sacred stones, Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-074	(Monday 17 March) "Mai-den" (舞殿; Sacred Dance Hall), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-075	(Monday 17 March) "Ema-do" (絵馬堂; the ex-voto gallery hall), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-077	(Monday 17 March) "Arakami-sha" Shrine (荒神社) enshrining "Susano-ono-mikoto" and other three wild gods, Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-078	(Monday 17 March) A shrine dedicated to "Homusubi-no-kami" (火産霊神; the God of Fire), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-079	(Monday 17 March) "Fude-zuka" (筆塚; the shrine for writing brushes), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-080	(Monday 17 March) "Inari-sha" (稲荷社; Hall of the God of Harvests or the Fox Deity), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-081	(Monday 17 March) "Inari-sha" (稲荷社; Hall of the God of Harvests or the Fox Deity), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-082	(Monday 17 March) Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-083	(Monday 17 March) A small shrine dedicated to "Amaterasu-o-mikami" (天照大神; the Japanese God of the Sun), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-084	(Monday 17 March) "Mokkoku" (もっこく) or the "En-musubi-no-ki" (縁結びの木; the Tree of Marriage; Hymen or Cupid), Achi-jinjya Shrine
	okr2008-085	(Monday 17 March) "Mokkoku" (もっこく) or the "En-musubi-no-ki" (縁結びの木; the Tree of Marriage; Hymen or Cupid), Achi-jinjya Shrine.  Do you like to try?
N's Shokusai Swan		N's Shokusai Swan (N's食彩スワン), a western-style restaurant, 1-10-13 Chuo, Kurashiki City (倉敷市中央1-10-13) in the Bikan Historical Area
	okr2008-031	(Monday 17 March) N's Shokusai Swan
	okr2008-032	(Monday 17 March) The main dish of Chef's special lunch, N's Shokusai Swan
	okr2008-033	(Monday 17 March) The dessert of Chef's special lunch, N's Shokusai Swan

        

Copyright (c) 2008 Eishiro Ito.  All rights reserved.