Free Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
Free Cancellation
June 14100% refund
June 15No refund
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Kurashiki Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
2 Adults x $194.73
$389.46
Approx Total
$389.46
Pickup included
Inclusions / Exclusions
Mobile ticket
Offered in: Japanese, English
Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Kurashiki
Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
Customizable Tour of your choice of 2-3 sites from 'What to expect' list
Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
Private Vehicle
You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.
Overview
This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Kurashiki!
The main attraction in Kurashiki is its atmospheric Bikan quarter, an area of historic buildings along an old willow-edged canal, laneways lined with old wooden houses and shops, and perfectly preserved Edo period mills. Visiting Kurashiki Bikan is like takling a step back in time!
Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you!
Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Note*2: National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
APA Hotel Kurashiki Ekimae1-7-2 Achi, , Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, JP, 710-0055
Business Hotel Appoint1-14-29 Miwa, , Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, Japan, JP, 710-0052
This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If ...
you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7. Read more â–Ľ
Itinerary
Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter
Canals were built to allow boats and barges to navigate between the city's storehouses and the nearby port. A central section of the city's former canal system has been preserved in the Bikan Historical Quarter (倉敷美観地区, Kurashiki Bikan Chiku). The weeping willow trees that line the canal and the stone bridges that cross over the water make for a picturesque scene.
1 hour
Ohara Museum of Art
The Ohara Museum of Art (大原美術館, Ōhara Bijutsukan) was Japan's first museum of Western art. It is a private museum consisting of three adjacent buildings next to the canal and a separate building located in Ivy Square.
The Main Gallery building was constructed when the museum was founded, and features most of the museum's highlights. On display are masterpieces of Western art by Picasso, El Greco, Gauguin, Modigliani, Rodin, Klee, Pollock and Kandinsky among others. The artists in the collection span a wide variety of periods and nationalities.
1300 yen (includes entrance to the Kojima Museum)
1 hour
Ohara Museum of Art Torajiro Kojima Memorial
Beside the Main Gallery are the Annex building and a building housing the Craft Art Gallery and the Asiatic Art Gallery. The Annex features a number of works by Japanese artists, and includes both oil paintings and sculptures. The Craft Art Gallery displays ceramics, woodblock prints, stencil dyeing, and other crafts. The Asiatic Art Gallery includes artefacts from Egypt and antiques from China.
The final building, the Kojima Museum, is located a five minute walk away in Ivy Square and is included in the admission fee. It is a gallery for Kojima Torajiro, a Japanese artist who painted in the Western style. Kojima purchased much of the art on display at the Main Gallery on behalf of Ohara Magosaburo, the owner of the Kurabo textile company and founder of the Ohara Museum. In fact, the Ohara Museum was built by Ohara in 1930 to commemorate Kojima, who had died the year before.
1300 yen (includes entrance to the Kojima Museum)
Ivy Square is a complex of brick buildings covered in ivy that include museums, restaurants and a hotel. The area was the site of the first modern cotton mill in Japan, and the brick buildings were originally built as part of the mill in 1889. During the Edo Period (1603-1867), before the construction of the mill, the site was used as the office of the local magistrate, who exercised control of the city as a direct representative of the shogunate.
In building Japan's first modern cotton mill, the Kurashiki Bosekijo (Kurashiki spinning mill) company, also known as Kurabo, reaped the profits of introducing new industrial techniques to the country. The company is still active today in the textile and various other industries. Kurabo has built a memorial hall in one of the former cotton warehouses which traces the company's history to the present day. A number of other museums are located within and around Ivy Square:
1 hour
Kurabo Memorial Hall
The Kurabo Museum illustrates the history of the Kurashiki Bosekijo (Kurashiki spinning mill) company. There are five rooms each devoted to a different time period, from the company's foundation in 1888 to the present day. Artefacts are displayed for each time period.
Admission: 250 yen
1 hour
Kojima Jeans Street
This museum is dedicated to the artist Kojima Torajiro (1881-1929), who painted in the Western style. A number of his works are on display, as well as works of Egyptian and Islamic art from his own collection. The museum is part of the Ohara Museum, which houses many European works Kojima purchased on behalf of the owner.
1 hour
Kurashiki Denim Street
Okayama has been Japan's denim capital since the 1970s, and Kurashiki's textile heritage lives on in vintage-styled denim, especially in this quirky lane of popular Japanese clothing brands. Denim fanatics should come for the denim-hued ice-cream, burgers (¥350) and steamed buns – all tinted with natural blue dyes. Even the benches and bathroom are jeans-inspired.
1 minute
Kurashiki Museum of Natural History
This museum is housed in an attractive complex of rice warehouses dating from the late 18th century, with interesting exhibits of exquisite household items from across Japan, including ceramics, glassware, textiles and furniture. There is little explanation but it's available in English.
1 hour
Momotarou-no-Karakuri-Hakubutsukan
Part gallery and part fun-house, this small museum is devoted to local legend Momotarō, with memorabilia, toys and depictions of the 'peach boy' from over the years. On the ground floor is a collection of amusing displays designed to trick the eye – get a photo of yourself emerging from a peach like Momotarō himself. The 'interactive' displays are dated (think high-school projects before computers), but this is part of the charm. Silly fun for a rainy day.
1 hour
Sample Menu
Additional Info
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
Free Cancellation
June 14100% refund
June 15No refund
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
5 stars
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We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her We had a great experience touring New York City with Jonathan. He's a great tour guide and he made it very memorable and enjoyable. The tour was also super informative and I'm glad to have had a great tour guide during my visit in NYC. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a tour her
Reviews by TravelOne travelers
Showing 1-5 of 7 reviews with 5 stars
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Knowledgeable and friendly tour guide
Published on Mar, 2024
Sato-san was very knowledgeable with many great stories!! It was a great tour for having only a day to spend in kurashiki, we were able to go see the things that interested us the most with her help.
Knowledgeable and friendly tour guide
Published on Mar, 2024
Sato-san was very knowledgeable with many great stories!! It was a great tour for having only a day to spend in kurashiki, we were able to go see the things that interested us the most with her help.
We highly recommend Sato!
Published on Mar, 2024
So great! I would highly recommend. We went places we didn’t even know where there and Sato kindly translated whatever we couldn’t understand. I so appreciated having her as a guide! Very knowledgeable and good company!
We highly recommend Sato!
Published on Mar, 2024
So great! I would highly recommend. We went places we didn’t even know where there and Sato kindly translated whatever we couldn’t understand. I so appreciated having her as a guide! Very knowledgeable and good company!
Great customized tour! Sato-san was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and eager to accommodate us. Highly recommend!
Published on Dec, 2023
Even before our tour day, Sato-san began communicating with us to find out more about our interests to customize our half-day tour together. She then offered to meet us in our hotel lobby when we were uncertain of train usage to meet her in Kurashiki.
She was knowledgeable and enthusiastic and brought maps with her to explain history, geography, and context. Although not initially interested in the Ohara Museum, we were glad she encouraged us to visit: it was a treasure trove of Western art and an amazing curated collection of art while also showing artist Kojima’s stylistic evolution.
After our time together, she recommended we eat udon at Furuichi Bukkekan, a local noodle specialty. Delicious! We highly recommend Sato-san and would hire her again for any future trips in the area including Naoshima.
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