Two Days, Three Cities: Okayama, Kurashiki, and Onomichi

We chose Okayama as our base, thinking it would be a good midpoint for exploring the surrounding areas. However, once we arrived, we realised that Onomichi was actually much closer to Hiroshima-so our planning was a little off! Still, the train journeys were easy and comfortable, and we enjoyed having some time to wander around Okayama itself.

While there isn’t a huge amount to do within Okayama itself, it worked well as a practical and comfortable hub for exploring nearby spots.

Where we stayed

In Okayama, we stayed at Hotel LiveMax Okayama-West. The location was ideal- just a short walk from the train station, making it perfect for day trips. The hotel itself was comfortable; the rooms were compact but had enough space to move around, with a decent-sized bed and a large TV. The bathroom was fine, and the staff were friendly and helpful, which made for a pleasant stay overall.

Day 1- Arrival and a visit to Kurashiki 

We arrived in Okayama around midday on the bullet train, dropped off our bags at the hotel, and headed straight back to the station for a day trip to Kurashiki.

When we arrived in Kurashiki, we stopped by the visitor centre to get some tips and a rough itinerary, then made our way to the historic district.

We followed the main walking route along the canal, lined with charming little shops and perfect photo spots. There are also several museums along the way, though we decided to skip them this time. (Tip: the visitor centre offers a booklet with discounts for museum tickets if you’re interested.)

Next, we walked through Kurashiki Denim Street, browsed some of the denim shops, and stopped for a snack- Mitarashi Dango from Koeido Kurashikiyukeiten. It wasn’t really to my taste; I think the soy sauce glaze threw me off a bit.

After that, we wandered over to Kurashiki Ivy Square, where we browsed a few shops and admired the ivy-covered walls and ponds. From there, we climbed up to Achi Shrine, taking in the views and the cluster of small shrines along the way.

To be honest, while Kurashiki is undeniably pretty, we found it a bit limited once you skip the museums and canal tours. It’s lovely for a stroll but not somewhere that kept us busy for long.

We then took the train back to Okayama, and checked into the hotel properly, relaxed for a bit, and then headed out towards Okayama Castle. We didn’t go inside, but we enjoyed walking around the grounds and along the Asahi River, which was peaceful and scenic.

For dinner, we found a local favourite — Yamato, a small but lively katsu curry spot popular with locals. Their version of katsu curry had a distinctive Okayama twist — slightly more tomato-based than the traditional style — but it was delicious in its own way. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel for a quiet evening.

Day 2- Day Trip to Onomichi

The next morning, we set off on a nearly two-hour journey to Onomichi. By the time we arrived, it was lunchtime, so Adam tried a traditional Onomichi ramen, while I grabbed a quick bite from 7-Eleven. Onomichi ramen has a soy sauce, pork fat, and fish broth base — not really my thing — but Adam said it was excellent.

For something sweet, we stopped at Oyatsu-to-Yamaneko, where the lovely owner recommended their best-seller — the lemon pudding. It was creamy, light, and came with a cute little soy-sauce-style fish bottle of lemon syrup to drizzle on top. It was delicious!

We then took a walk to the Senkoji Temple Mountain Ropeway Base Station, paid for a one-way ticket, and rode up to Senkoji Park Observatory for sweeping views of the city and Mukaishima Island. From there, we walked back down, stopping at Senkoji Temple, Cat Alley, and a few scenic viewpoints for photos.

Once back at sea level, we caught the train back to Okayama. Where we grabbed a quick dinner at Coco Ichibanya (you can never go wrong with curry), picked up some snacks, and spent the rest of the evening relaxing at the hotel.

The next morning, we packed up, headed to the station, and boarded the train to Tokyo - our final stop in Japan!