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A fusion of historic buildings and nature

Graduate Graduate School of Law 1-year Master's Program Waseda LL.M in Intellectual Property Law
Naotaka Horita

With the Kurashiki River at your back

A place that is important to me because it has a space that has not changed since ancient times and allows me to enjoy an extraordinary experience. That is the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. This is my favorite place in my hometown of Okayama Prefecture. This area once flourished as a land under the direct control of the Edo Shogunate, where people gathered. Today, you can still enjoy the scent of history throughout the city.

The Kurashiki River flows from the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter to Lake Kojima. There are weeping willows along the river, creating a beautiful town atmosphere. Riverboat floats are also held, and you can feel the atmosphere of the Bikan Historical Quarter from the boat.

Many old buildings remain in this area. The building uses a traditional wall painting style called namako wall, which plays an important role in adding color to the beautiful Kurashiki landscape.

Photo left: Kurashiki River flowing through the city. It is famous for its rows of willow trees along the river.
Photo right: Namako-wall, which can be seen in many buildings in the Bikan Historical Quarter.

​The Inoue family residence, a nationally designated important cultural property, stands along the main street in the center of Kurashiki. This is one of the typical large townhouses in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter. The interior has been beautifully preserved and you can see what it was like back then.

Behind it is Achi Shrine. This shrine is located on Mt. Tsurugata in the Bikan Historical Quarter, and is located at the top of over 180 stone stairs. You can see a panoramic view of Kurashiki from the precincts, and I have often visited here since my middle and high school days when I wanted to take a break.

Photo left: Interior of the Inoue family residence. You can see the courtyard on the other side of the room
Photo right: Looking down on the cityscape from the stone steps leading to Achi Shrine

Lastly, I would like to introduce my favorite scenery of the Bikan Historical Quarter at sunset. As the sun goes down, the street lamps that emit a soft glow begin to light up, illuminating the buildings in the Bikan Historical Quarter, and the rows of small restaurants raise their curtains, creating a peaceful time where you can forget your noisy daily life.

When I was little, I used to visit a community center in the Bikan Historical Quarter every week to practice Hyakunin-Isshu. Since I came to Tokyo, I don't go there often anymore, but when I go back home and visit, I feel nostalgic as I reminisce about my childhood. I think this is a place where everyone who visits can escape from their busy daily lives and be enveloped in the gentle atmosphere of the city. Please come and visit Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter in Okayama Prefecture, which has so many attractions.

A street lined with small restaurants and other shops

◎ Okayama Prefecture is like this ◎

岡山県は中国地方に位置し、東は兵庫県、北は鳥取県、西は広島県と境界線を接し、南は瀬戸内海に面している。面積は約7,114平方キロメートル。県の人口は約185万人（2023年10月1日現在）。温暖な気候で災害も少なく、“晴れの国”と呼ばれている。桃やブドウの生産が盛んで、備前焼の工芸品も有名。また、倉敷市の児島地区は国産ジーンズ発祥の地。