{"id":2189,"date":"2017-09-26T14:01:10","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T12:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/?p=2189"},"modified":"2018-05-17T17:38:49","modified_gmt":"2018-05-17T15:38:49","slug":"okayama-travel-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide","title":{"rendered":"Okayama travel guide: Access and what to see"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Okayama is a city where history meets modern technology. It originated as a castle town during Japan\u2019s Edo Period, which spanned from the early 1600s to mid-1800s. Today, Okayama is the second largest city in the region, being somewhat smaller than Hiroshima. It is a railroad transportation hub, located at the junction of the Sanyo Shinkansen Line to Shikoku\u2019s only rail connection.<\/p>\n<p>What is there to see and do in Okayama and the surrounding cities? How do you get there from popular destinations such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/tokyo-travel-guide\">Tokyo<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/kyoto-travel-guide\">Kyoto<\/a>? Consider this helpful travel guide.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_white no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#How_toget_to_Okayama\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> How to\u00a0get to Okayama<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Getting_around_Okayama\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Getting around Okayama\u00a0<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#Okayama_map\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_2\">2.1<\/span> Okayama map<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Things_to_do_in_Okayama\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> Things to do in Okayama\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Side_trips_from_Okayama\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> Side trips from Okayama<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"How_toget_to_Okayama\"><strong>How to\u00a0get to Okayama<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You may arrive in Okayama by air at the Okayama Airport (OKJ). The airport is located about 35 minutes north of the city center when traveling by direct <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/how-to-use-the-local-bus\">buses<\/a> connecting with Okayama Station. If you are arriving from another city, travel by train is simple using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/how-to-use-japan-rail-pass\">Japan Rail Pass<\/a>.<em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>From Tokyo to Okayama.<\/em> <\/strong>From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/getting-around-tokyo-metro\">Tokyo Station<\/a>, take the Hikari train on the JR Tokaido\/Sanyo Shinkansen Line to Okayama Station. The trip takes about four hours and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.<em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>From Kyoto to Okayama.<\/em><\/strong> From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/getting-around-kyoto\">Kyoto Station<\/a>, take the Hikari train on the JR Tokaido\/Sanyo Shinkansen Line to Okayama Station. One such train departs from Kyoto each hour, and the trip takes about 90 minutes. It is also covered by the JR Pass.<em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>From Osaka to Okayama. <\/em><\/strong>If traveling from Osaka, you will also take the JR Sanyo Shinkansen Line. The trip from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/osaka-city-loop-line\">Osaka Station<\/a> to Okayama Station takes about 45 minutes. The Hikari train is covered by the JR Pass, and additional trains may be covered by other area-wide passes.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>From Hiroshima to Okayama.<\/em><\/strong> From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hiroshima-travel-guide\">Hiroshima Station<\/a>, take the JR Sanyo Line to Okayama Station. This trip takes around three hours and 15 minutes and is covered by the JR Pass.<em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n            <a class=\"fasc-button banner-button-shortcode fasc-size-large fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-after fa-chevron-circle-right fasc-style-bold\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/the-japan-rail-pass\">\n                Buy your JR Pass\n            <\/a>\n        <\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Getting_around_Okayama\"><strong>Getting around Okayama<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You\u2019ve seen how easy it is to arrive at Okayama using the Japan Rail Pass. <strong>You might also consider the Sanin Okayama Area Pass.<\/strong> This four-day pass costs \u00a54,500 \u2013 half this amount for children under age six &#8211; and allows unlimited travel on JR trains in and around Okayama, as well as the non-JR Chizukyu Express Line.<\/p>\n<p>For travel around the city, the Sanin Pass also offers free bicycle rental from Ekirin Kun outlet stores, and discounts on admission to such attractions as the Korakuen Garden and Okayama Castle.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Two tram lines, the Higashiyama and Sekibashi, depart from Okayama Station.<\/strong> Within the city, these cost a flat rate of \u00a5100 per ride; the trams may be covered by some local passes. When taking the Higashiyama Line, consider stopping at Shiroshita. Many of the best attractions in Okayama are situated within a 15-minute walk from one another, and they are within walking distance of this stop. Several bus lines also operate within the city.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Okayama_map\">Okayama map<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=1coXyJjuSaFqumIwnlpW8bYdDCro&amp;hl=en_US\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Things_to_do_in_Okayama\"><strong>Things to do in Okayama<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Korakuen Garden<\/strong>, a famous Okayama garden, and park, is ranked among the three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/best-gardens-japan\">best Japanese gardens<\/a>. The landscape garden spans both sides of the waterway known as Asahi-gawa. The nearby <strong>Okayama Castle<\/strong> provides the backdrop for the popular Japanese fairy tale <em>Momotaro<\/em>, or \u201cthe Peach Boy,\u201d and references to this legend can be seen throughout the city. The reconstructed castle, also known as the \u201ccrow castle,\u201d was originally built in 1597, and rebuilt in 1966. The main building contains a museum.<\/p>\n<p>Another outdoor activity is the <strong>Kibi Plain and cycling route<\/strong>. This scenic bicycle road winds through rural land dotted with historic sites, temples, shrines, and farms.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Side_trips_from_Okayama\">Side trips from Okayama<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you will be traveling in the region for a number of days, consider a visit to nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/himeji-castle-travel-guide\">Himeji<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/hiroshima-travel-guide\">Hiroshima<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/miyajima-travel-guide\">Miyajima<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/naoshima-travel-guide\">Naoshima<\/a> Island.<\/p>\n<p>At <strong>Himeji<\/strong>, you will witness the beautifully restored White Heron Castle. Hiroshima is known for its Peace Memorial Park and Museum, the UNESCO World Heritage Site which marks the location of the destructive atomic bomb unleashed on the city during World War II. Miyajima, or the \u201cshrine island,\u201d is a spiritual retreat famous for its mountainous beauty and \u201cfloating\u201d torii gate. It is also a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/unesco-world-heritage-sites-in-japan\">World Heritage Site<\/a> and has been considered one of the Three Views of Japan for nearly 400 years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Naoshima Island<\/strong> is known for its unique art installations and museums such as the Chichu Museum, Benesse House museum and hotel, Lee Ufan Museum, Ando Museum, and Art House Project.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, you can take the JR Marine Liner to <strong>Takamatsu and Shikoku<\/strong> <strong>island<\/strong>,\u00a0via the Great Seto Bridge. With a top speed of 130 km\/h (80 mph), the full journey from Okayama to Takamatsu takes approximately one hour.<\/p>\n<p>Where will your travels take you? <strong>Whichever sights you choose to visit, your trip to Okayama is certain to be a memorable one<\/strong> in this region rich in history and culture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Okayama is a city where history meets modern technology. It originated as a castle town during Japan\u2019s Edo Period, which spanned from the early 1600s to mid-1800s. Today, Okayama is the second largest city in the region, being somewhat smaller than Hiroshima. It is a railroad transportation hub, located at the junction of the Sanyo Shinkansen Line to Shikoku\u2019s only rail connection. What is there to see and do in Okayama and the surrounding cities? How do you get there from popular destinations such as Tokyo and Kyoto? Consider this helpful travel guide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[],"acf":{"bread_1":null,"bread_2":null,"bread_3":null,"bread_4":null,"bread_5":null,"bread_6":null,"bread_7":null,"bread_last":null,"custom_guide":null,"pageresume":null,"shortcodes":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.10 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Okayama Travel Guide: Access and What to See - JRailPass<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Okayama Castle and the Korakuen Garden are a must-see in southern Japan. Check out this beautiful city, how to get there by train and its best side trips!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Okayama Travel Guide: Access and What to See - JRailPass\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Okayama Castle and the Korakuen Garden are a must-see in southern Japan. Check out this beautiful city, how to get there by train and its best side trips!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-09-26T12:01:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-05-17T15:38:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/okayama-korakuen.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"459\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"JRailPass\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"JRailPass\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2\"},\"headline\":\"Okayama travel guide: Access and what to see\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-09-26T12:01:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-05-17T15:38:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\"},\"wordCount\":802,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Destinations\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\",\"name\":\"Okayama Travel Guide: Access and What to See - JRailPass\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2017-09-26T12:01:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-05-17T15:38:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"Okayama Castle and the Korakuen Garden are a must-see in southern Japan. Check out this beautiful city, how to get there by train and its best side trips!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Japan Travel Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Okayama travel guide: Access and what to see\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass\",\"description\":\"Discover Japan by train with the Japan Rail Pass\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png\",\"width\":214,\"height\":60,\"caption\":\"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2\",\"name\":\"JRailPass\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Okayama Travel Guide: Access and What to See - JRailPass","description":"Okayama Castle and the Korakuen Garden are a must-see in southern Japan. Check out this beautiful city, how to get there by train and its best side trips!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Okayama Travel Guide: Access and What to See - JRailPass","og_description":"Okayama Castle and the Korakuen Garden are a must-see in southern Japan. Check out this beautiful city, how to get there by train and its best side trips!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide","og_site_name":"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass","article_published_time":"2017-09-26T12:01:10+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-05-17T15:38:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":459,"url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/okayama-korakuen.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"JRailPass","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide"},"author":{"name":"JRailPass","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2"},"headline":"Okayama travel guide: Access and what to see","datePublished":"2017-09-26T12:01:10+00:00","dateModified":"2018-05-17T15:38:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide"},"wordCount":802,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Destinations"],"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide","name":"Okayama Travel Guide: Access and What to See - JRailPass","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2017-09-26T12:01:10+00:00","dateModified":"2018-05-17T15:38:49+00:00","description":"Okayama Castle and the Korakuen Garden are a must-see in southern Japan. Check out this beautiful city, how to get there by train and its best side trips!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/okayama-travel-guide#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Japan Travel Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Okayama travel guide: Access and what to see"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/","name":"Japan Rail Pass Travel Blog | JRailPass","description":"Discover Japan by train with the Japan Rail Pass","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/logo.png","width":214,"height":60,"caption":"Japan Rail Pass S.L. - JRailPass.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0af8e877c84593eb4df7dcd8cc76bbb2","name":"JRailPass","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jrailpass.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}