Roadside Station Kasaoka Bay Farm (Kasaoka City)

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This roadside station is next to flower meadows that change with the four seasons, including sunflowers (1 million), cosmos flowers, and canola flowers (10 million). Popular purchases are locally grown fruit and vegetables, and soft-serve ice cream made from local milk and grapes. You can also enjoy a buffet meal.

Kasaoka Municipal Horseshoe Crab Museum (Kasaoka City)

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This is the only museum in the world dedicated to the horseshoe crab. It looks out over the Konoshima Channel which is a horseshoe crab breeding ground and a nationally designated natural monument. The building itself is designed in the shape of a horseshoe crab. Visitors to the museum can see live horseshoe crabs up close in the large tanks.

Sami Coast (Kurashiki City)

This public swimming beach has been chosen as one of Japan’s 100 best beaches and visitors can enjoy a cooling dip while taking in the view over the placid waters of the Seto Inland Sea. The Nishihama artificial beach created in 1989 is another must-visit spot.

Entsu-ji Temple (Kurashiki City)

This ancient temple of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism is known as the place where the Edo-period monk Ryokan undertook his training. Points of particular interest are the rock garden and the impressive and imposing thatched buildings in the temple grounds. In the temple grounds and its neighbor Entsu-ji Park, visitors can appreciate a variety of flowers all year round.

Makibi Park (Kurashiki City)

Makibi Park was created to honor the memory of the great scholar and nobleman Kibi-no-Makibi for future generations. This Chinese style garden is one of few such gardens in the whole of Japan. Within the park are the Makibi Museum, the Takenoko Tea Room, and the Bamboo Workshop.

Onigadake (Ibara City)

Onigadake is situated along a 4 km stretch of the Miyama River, a tributary of the Oda River, where the riverbanks are formed from distinctive rock formations known as platy joints. Also, it is awesome to see that the river has carved a varied and contrasting waterscape of pools, shallows, and waterfalls. The best time to visit is in the autumn when the golden leaves are shining.

Hoshi-no-Sato Open-air Market (Ibara City)

This market sells a variety of produce, including fresh local fruit and vegetables from Bisei Town in Ibara City as well as cut flowers, locally sourced Bisei milk, other milk products, and grilled pork. Almost all items are sold at very reasonable prices and the market is extremely popular with both locals and visitors.

Chusei-Yumegahara (Ibara City)

Chusei-Yumegahara is a park exhibiting village life in the Kibi highlands from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods (12th-16th centuries) based on accurate research. The facility also offers various hands-on experiences, including making a bamboo dragonfly toy, indigo dyeing, making country-style soup, rice pounding, and making items from lavender blossoms (reservations required).

Yakage Honjin Former Ishii Residence (Yakage Town)

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The honjin functioned as a lodging house for feudal lords, nobles, and other members of samurai clans who had to travel regularly to Edo (modern-day Tokyo). This smart and stylish old residence shows just how prosperous Yakage was back in its heyday. The Yakage Shukuba Matsuri (festival) is held on the second Sunday of November each year and recreates the procession of a daimyo (feudal lord).

Kasaoka Ramen Noodles (Kasaoka City)

As home to many chicken farms, over the years, Kasaoka has built up a wealth of knowledge about the best ways to use all parts of chickens young and old. One of the most famous dishes is Kasaoka ramen noodles, made using a flavorful stock made from chicken bones and slices of roast chicken. Although not a heavy soup, you will find its rich umami flavors irresistible!