Okayama city is dotted with modern and contemporary buildings built from the post-war period through to the present day. This time, we will introduce the architecture that stretches from the Okayama Prefectural Office to the culture zone, which includes the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art, as well as spots worth stopping by on your stroll and delicious restaurants in the area.
2025.03.12-
Table of contents
- Okayama Prefecture Office Building
- Kitchen Horiguchi
- Okayama Shinkin Bank Uchisange Square
- Hayashibara Museum of Art
- Okayama City Orient Museum
- Breakthrough (Taro Okamoto)
- Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art
- Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Culture Plaza
- Yumeji Art Museum
- Conclusion
- Map of the facilities introduced
Okayama Prefecture Office Building
The Okayama Prefecture Office Building was built in 1957 and was designed by Kunio Maekawa, one of Japan's leading postwar architects. Earthquake-resistance renovations were completed in 2024, and the building has been registered as a national tangible cultural property as a building that clearly displays the characteristics of postwar modernist architecture. The Maekawa Architecture and Prefectural Office Building Gallery is located on the first floor of the main building, and is open to the public on opening days.
A distinctive feature of this building is the presence of a "pilotis" in the middle of the facade, which gives the building an open space despite its horizontal wall-like design. This is a technique introduced by Maekawa's mentor, Le Corbusier, as an element of modern architecture, and similar features can be seen in the Kurashiki City(now Kurashiki City Museum of Art) and Kagawa Prefecture Government Building, both of which were designed by his student, Kenzo Tange, in the same period. At a time when prefectural offices were perceived as somewhat authoritarian and closed off compared to city and town halls, you can sense the desire of our predecessors to create a government building that was more open to the people of the prefecture.
Passing through the pilotis, you will come to an open courtyard known as the Sunken Garden. The courtyard is home to a monument called "Ring," created by Yasuhide Kobashi, a sculptor from Kurashiki City. It was removed in 2021 for earthquake-resistance construction work, but its striking design drew many requests for its reinstallation, and it was reinstalled in 2023.
If you go down the stairs from the courtyard, you will find Okayama Hare no Kuni Shokudo in the basement, which was renovated and reopened in 2024. The day we visited was a holiday, so it was closed, but it is open on weekdays from 11:00 to 18:00 and is open to the public. [Okayama Hare no Kuni Shokudo]
Address: Okayama Prefecture Prefectural Government Office Kita Ward , 2-4-6 Uchisange ku, Okayama City City , Okayama Prefecture, 1st basement floor
TEL: 086-233-0080
Business hours: 11:00-18:00 (last order 17:30)
Holidays: Closed days
Parking: Available *1 hour free
The handrails on these stairs are made of precast concrete, which was pre-fabricated in a factory and then installed on-site. The curved design is an ingenious attempt to soften the cold texture of the concrete.
During the Okayama Art Summit, an international contemporary art exhibition held in 2016, numerous messages left by Kunio Maekawa were inscribed on the barricade in the front yard, which was under construction. Although some of the expressions may not be appropriate for today's society, the messages were written in their original form to convey his thoughts to future generations.
Okayama Prefecture Government Office: Address: 2-4-6 Uchisange , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-226-7499 ( Okayama Prefecture Building Guidance Division, Building Inspection Section)
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays (exterior and courtyard tours are available)
Kitchen Horiguchi
A recommended spot for lunch is the Western restaurant Kitchen Horiguchi, located just to the right of the Okayama Prefectural Office, with the exposed concrete West Building (completed in 1971) on your left.
This chic restaurant is located on the first floor of a retro building and has been known as a popular restaurant with long lines since it opened in 2015.
The writer's recommendation is the generously portioned fried chicken. It is a dish that is popular with both men and women, as it comes with plenty of vegetables.
[Kitchen Horiguchi] Address: 1F Uchisange F Mansion, 2-5-2 Uchisange , Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward
TEL: 086-206-3701
Opening hours: 11:00 - closes when sold out
Closed: Sundays, public holidays, and the first Monday of the month
Parking: None (use nearby paid parking) *Payment by cash only
Okayama Shinkin Bank Uchisange Square
This modern building with exposed concrete stands about a five-minute walk from the Okayama Prefectural Government Office, next to the Renaiss Hall (former Okayama branch of the Bank of Japan). Designed by Tadao Ando, a world-renowned Japanese architect, it was built in 2013 on the site of the birthplace of Okayama Shinkin Bank to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding. Tours of the building are available on business days.
Okayama Shinkin Bank Uchisange Square Address: 1-7-1 Uchisange, Kita Ward, Okayama City Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-223-1710
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays
Hayashibara Museum of Art
The Hayashibara Museum of Art was designed by Kunio Maekawa, who also designed the Okayama Prefecture Government Office, and opened as the Okayama Museum of Art in 1963. It is known for its collection, including swords designated as national treasures.
Upon entering the impressive gate, you will see a building designed to blend in with the Ishigaki in front of you, harmonizing beautifully with the surrounding landscape.
It has also been used as one of the venues for the Okayama Art Exchange, which has been held every three years since 2016 (the photo is from 2016).
Hayashibara Museum of Art : Address: 2-7-15 Marunouchi, Kita-ku , Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward
TEL: 086-223-1733 (Hayashibara Museum of Art)
Business hours: 10:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays, and exhibition changeover periods
Parking: Available
Okayama City Orient Museum
Opened in 1979, this museum houses artworks from the ancient Orient and was designed by architect Shinichi Okada, who has worked on many excellent public buildings, including the Supreme Court. The stone exterior, reminiscent of ancient ruins, is similar to his masterpiece, the Supreme Court, but the natural light coming in from the large windows gives the building a somewhat open atmosphere. This museum is also used as one of the venues for the Okayama Art Summit.
[Okayama City Orient Museum]
Address: 9-31 Tenjincho , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-232-3636
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays (December 28th to January 4th), and during exhibition changeovers (as needed)
Parking: None
Breakthrough (Taro Okamoto)
Between the Okayama City Oriental Museum and the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art is the RSK Sanyo Broadcasting building, which moved to a new building in 2021. One place you should definitely stop by is this avant-garde ceramic mural at the outdoor entrance. It was created by Taro Okamoto, one of Japan's leading postwar artists who left behind many works, including the Tower of the Sun. It was originally installed at JR Okayama Station to commemorate the opening of the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama in 1972. It was relocated here in conjunction with the renovation of JR Okayama Station and the relocation of Sanyo Broadcasting to its new building.
[RSK Sanyo Broadcasting]
Address: 9-24 Tenjincho , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
* "Leap Forward" is an outdoor work and is open to the public.
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art
This art museum opened in 1988 next to the Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Cultural Plaza and hosts a variety of fascinating special exhibitions throughout the year. Like the nearby Okayama City Orient Museum, it was designed by Shinichi Okada and has a unified exterior.
Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art: Address: 8-48 Tenjincho , Kita Ward , Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-225-4800
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (the following day if Monday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays, and during exhibition changeovers
Parking: Available
Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Culture Plaza
It opened in 1962 as the Okayama Prefecture Prefectural Cultural Center, and is currently used primarily as a base for artistic and cultural activities for the prefecture's residents.
Like the Okayama Prefecture Office and Hayashibara Museum of Art, this building was designed by Kunio Maekawa, and features modernist architecture built around 1960 can be seen throughout.
The "Bird Pillar" is a relief that runs through the atrium of the building, which is built to jut out from the slope of the mountain. It is 18 meters high and represents life with the motif of a bird soaring from the sea into the sky (excerpt from the leaflet).
The first floor piloti is compact yet brightly colored, giving it an open feel.
A floating staircase and lobby lighting that evokes the image of a starry sky.
Additionally, at the Cultural Information Center inside the museum, you can watch videos and read reference books about the building.
[Okayama Prefecture Tenjinyama Culture Plaza]
Address: 8-54 Tenjincho , Kita Ward, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Prefecture
TEL: 086-226-5005
Closed: Mondays, New Year's holidays (December 28th to January 4th)
Parking: Available
Yumeji Art Museum
Located a 10-minute walk from the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art and just across the bridge from the main gate of Okayama Korakuen Garden , this museum features a distinctive red brick exterior. Since its opening in 1984, it has been run by the Ryobi Cultural Promotion Foundation and exhibits works by Takehisa Yumeji, a Japanese painter from Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture , who is a representative of Taisho Romanticism.
The building was designed by Shizutaro Urabe, an architect from Kurashiki who has left behind many buildings that are deeply rooted in the city of Kurashiki , such as Kurashiki Ivy Square and Kurashiki City . The elegant building, made using brick, which is Urabe's specialty, blends in with the landscape along the Asahikawa.
Yumeji Art Museum : Address: 2-1-32 Hama , Naka Ward , Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture
TEL: 086-271-1000
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday), New Year's holidays, and during exhibition changeovers
Parking: Available
Conclusion
What did you think of the many modern and contemporary buildings scattered along the Asahikawa from the Okayama Prefectural Office? You can easily walk around in about an hour, but we also recommend taking your time and enjoying the exhibits at each facility. Also, if you combine your visit with a visit to Okayama Korakuen Garden or Okayama Castle , you can return to the starting point of the Okayama Prefecture Office, so it might be a good idea to combine your visit with these.
Map of the facilities introduced
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