Kurashiki is a city of approximately 500,000 people. From a tourist perspective, they are known for the Bikan Historical Quarter, which has a picturesque canal, surrounded by intact historical buildings filled with quaint shops and eateries. The Japan Guide website describes the area as follows:
“During the Edo Period (1603-1867), Kurashiki was an important point along the distribution route of Japan’s most important commodity, rice. Large quantities of rice from the surrounding area were brought into Kurashiki and intermediately stored there in storehouses before being shipped to Osaka and Edo. Because of the city’s importance in the rice trade, Kurashiki was put under direct control of the shogunate, and the city was even named after its many storehouses (kura).
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). “
It is also known for being the manufacturing centre of 70% of all denim produced in Japan. There is an area called the Kojima district that even has a History of Jeans Museum. In the Bikan Historical quarter, there is a Denim street where there are several stores selling Japan’s best selling creative denim designers.
Also around the station, is a huge mall complex and then next to the mall there is a giant outlet mall. The mall itself had several mature trees that the mall was designed around so they would not have to cut them down.
As a rule, I am not a fan of malls, but this one was a cultural experience. In the mall there were many restaurants, an arcade, a food court, a toy capsule store, a cat cafe, and many retail stores. Around the mall there was green space and fake green space where there were many people of all ages just hanging out and socializing .
There was also a public piano open for anyone to play. Here is a student who played for quite a long time – apparently this is anime music.
I can’t forget to mention the unusual vending machines:
Erez is thinking of travelling for close to three weeks after his contract is finished, so we went to the Mont Bell outlet store and bought him a proper backpack. I may take one of his monstrous hockey bags home for him so he can travel lighter. I think his other bag weighs 9 kg even when empty.
After the mall we went out for sushi together – finally!
Believe it or not, that was my quiet, down day. I was fighting off a bit of a headache. Perhaps my frenetic travel pace and lack of sleep was catching up to me. I even took a nap in the afternoon 🙂 Seeing Erez and eating sushi definitely ended the day on a high note. I am looking forward to seeing Norie and her daughter Maria tomorrow!