Specialties
Enjoy the nature and traditions of winter in Okayama
Winter Entertainment, Events, Foods
Fun with snow
The Chugoku Mountains offer snow in winter. Enjoy skiing and other snow fun.
Kyukamura Hiruzen-Kogen
- Accessible via public transportation
Kyukamura Hiruzen-Kogen
Visit huts made of snow and enjoy sledding, both free of charge, at Kyukamura Hiruzen-Kogen. Popular with couples and families, the onsen welcomes day-trippers as well as overnight guests.
Ibuki no Sato Ski Site
- Accessible via public transportation
Ibuki no Sato Ski Site
Six ski runs accommodate all levels, from beginners to advanced, and artificial snow machines ensure a stable amount of snow. The resort's onsen welcomes day-trippers and overnight guests, and everyone can enjoy famous Chiya Beef at the resort's restaurant.
Onsen featuring a winter landscape
Three major onsen areas in Okayama offer relaxation surrounded by a winter landscape.
Yubara Onsen
- Accessible via public transportation
Yubara Onsen
"Sunayu" is an outdoor onsen that looks out onto a dam. A hot spring wells up from the riverbed and is a wonderful way to enjoy the snowscape.
Okutsu Onsen
- Accessible via public transportation
Okutsu Onsen
Okutsu Onsen is surrounded by beautiful mountains and torrents, and has appeared in film.
Yunogo Onsen
- Accessible via public transportation
Yunogo Onsen
Yunogo Onsen's history stretches back more than 1,000 years and is very popular with women because it is said to do wonders for their skin. Yunogo offers a wide variety of accommodations and a free footbath.
Traditional winter events
A visit to the shrine during the New Year is a special event around the nation. Visitors express their gratitude for the happiness of the past year and pray for a safe and peaceful new year.
Saijo Inari
- Accessible via public transportation
Saijo Inari
Saijo Inari is Okayama's most popular shrine during the New Year holidays, and the many stalls lining both sides of the long approach offer unique souvenirs, tasty food and thirst-quenching beverages.
Kibitsu-jinja Shrine
- Accessible via public transportation
Kibitsu-jinja Shrine
Kibitsu-jinja Shrine is the home of Kibitsuhiko no Mikoto, the basis of the Momotaro Story. Kibitsu welcomes many visitors during the New Year holidays. It features a beautiful 400-meter long corridor, and the main shrine has been designated a National Treasure.
Kibitsuhiko-jinja Shrine
- Accessible via public transportation
Kibitsuhiko-jinja Shrine
Kibitsuhiko-jinja Shrine is the home of Kibitsuhiko no Mikoto, the basis of the Momotaro Story. Big, red Bizen guardian dogs welcome visitors to Kibitsuhiko-jinja Shrine. It is about 3 minutes by foot from JR Bizen-Ichinomiya Station.
A special event in Okayama
Saidai-ji Eyo
- Accessible via public transportation
Saidai-ji Eyo
One of Japan's three major eccentric festivals, it has been designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset. This event is held at Saidaiji Kannonin Temple in Okayama City on the third Saturday night in February each year. Thousands of men don traditional loincloths to compete in a race for two sacred wooden talisman.
Okayama Korakuen Garden
- Accessible via public transportation
Okayama Korakuen Garden
Admission is free on the 1st of January. Early Spring Festival (Traditional Japanese music performances, plays, and tea ceremony) is held in January, and grass and pine straw burning are held in February. The festival coincides with the presence of Japanese cranes roaming free in the park.
During the Girls' Festival, hina dolls are exhibited in the traditional townscape. This gives the town a grand and radiant look.
Kurashiki Hina Meguri (Hina Doll Display)
- Accessible via public transportation
Kurashiki Hina Meguri (Hina Doll Display)
Old and rare hina dolls are exhibited along streets in the shopping district, and in traditional-style houses and accommodations in Kurashiki City from late February to early March of each year.
Katsuyama Hina Festival
- Accessible via public transportation
Katsuyama Hina Festival
In Katsuyama, Maniwa City, about 160 houses and stores exhibit hina dolls. Visitors enjoy the hina displays as they stroll around the Katsuyama Historical Preservation District in early March of each year.
Oysters - Winter Treats
Oysters harvested in Okayama do not shrivel when cooked, and the fine texture is very tasty.
Oyster
- Accessible via public transportation
Oyster
Okayama boasts Japan's third largest oyster harvest. Bizen City's Hinase and Asakuchi City's Yorishima are famous for their oysters. Fried oysters and the local specialty kakioko are popular local favorites.
Winter shopping
Winter shopping in Okayama is great fun.
Feature great deals, Grab bags (fukubukuro)
- Accessible via public transportation
Feature great deals, Grab bags (fukubukuro)
Department stores and malls have sales that feature great deals on clothing and other items between December and January. Grab bags (fukubukuro) that contain popular items hidden from view are a big hit during the New Year holidays, but the offer is good only while supplies last.
