Okayama Prefecture Enjoy Golden Week in “Okayama, the land of sunshine”! Introducing 6 of the prefecture’s hottest outing spots where nature, history, and culture are in harmony, along with limited-time events.

[Okayama Prefecture] Enjoy Golden Week in “Okayama, the land of sunshine”! Introducing 6 of the prefecture’s hottest outing spots where nature, history, and culture are in harmony, along with limited-time events ​
Okayama prefecture Press release: April 24, 2025 Enjoy Golden Week in “Okayama, the Land of Sunshine”!
Introducing 6 of the prefecture’s hottest outing spots where nature, history, and culture are in harmony, along with limited-time events. Okayama Prefecture, known as the “Land of Sunshine,” has many sunny days as its name suggests, and is characterized by its warm and mild climate facing the Seto Inland Sea. Okayama Prefecture is blessed with abundant nature, and from late April to Golden Week, a variety of events are held in various locations that harmonize nature, history, and culture. This time, in addition to sightseeing spots in the prefecture, we will introduce notable events that are perfect for Golden Week. Enjoy the unique charm of Okayama, the land of sunshine, during this time of year when the fresh greenery is pleasant. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-865e9969e9c9b10b9817ba440db7cc10-865×311.png Photo provided by: Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation ■ Recommended sightseeing spots and events to experience history, culture, and art in Okayama 【Okayama Korakuen】 Okayama Korakuen is a feudal lord’s garden that represents the Edo period, and is one of the “Three Great Gardens of Japan” along with Kairakuen in Mito and Kenrokuen in Kanazawa. It has been designated as a national special place of scenic beauty, and various events are held throughout the year. It is a stroll-style garden where you can enjoy the changing scenery as you walk, with wide lawns, ponds, and buildings connected by paths and waterways. A 640-meter-long “curving water” loops around the park, forming ponds and waterfalls to create a waterscape. Event: Special night opening “Spring Fantasy Garden” From late April to early May, the garden will be open at night for a limited time as the “Spring Fantasy Garden.” This is an event where you can enjoy the spring evening in a fantastic space where the park is decorated with fresh greenery and flowers and is beautifully lit up. During this period, you can enjoy a variety of events, including the “Spring Color Garden,” where the lawn area is painted in spring colors with colorful spheres, and the “Spring Carp Swim,” where carp streamers illuminated by gentle lights swim on the surface of the pond. Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-4733d028c0e6566cc30b8cc4b316620c-679×486.jpg *The photo is a composite image. ＜Okayama Korakuen “Spring Fantasy Garden” Event Overview＞ ・Period: April 25th (Friday) to May 6th (Tuesday/Shinkyu) ・Venue: Okayama Korakuen (Korakuen 1-5, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture) ・Access: 20 minutes by car from Okayama IC, 25 minutes walk from JR Okayama Station, About 15 minutes by bus from JR Okayama Station, get off at “Korakuen-mae” immediately ・Hours: 18:00-21:30 (Entry until 21:00) ・Parking lot: Paid (570 spaces) ・Admission fee: Free for high school students and under / Adults 15 to 64 years old (excluding middle and high school students) 500 yen / Seniors 65 years old and over 200 yen ・Closed days: None ・Official website: https://okayama-korakuen.jp/index.html ・Event site: http://genso-teien.okayama.jp/ 【Okayama Castle】 Okayama Castle, located in Okayama City, has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 most famous castles. Hideie, the son of Naoie Ukita, who made Okayama the center stage of the Sengoku period, established his main castle on the hill of Okayama and built Okayama Castle, which remains today. The outer walls of Okayama Castle are covered with black clapboards, just like Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Osaka Castle, and it is also known as “Crow Castle,” which means crow. Highlights include the castle tower with its black clapboards and gold-leaf tiles, as well as the Tsukimi Yagura, which has been designated as a national important cultural property.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-f7a3f663f4a59eda9a61e14f71686583-1479×1109.jpg *The photo is a composite image. Event: “Spring Karasu Togenkyo” A light-up event that lights up the entire area of ​​Okayama Castle and Karasujo Park in a fantastical light. The jet-black castle appears in the darkness of the night, and you can enjoy a completely different view from the daytime. In addition, the surrounding space is surrounded by spring light, creating a special night time. ・Period: April 25th (Friday) to May 6th (Tuesday/Shinkyu) ・Venue: Okayama Castle and Karasujo Park (near 2-3-1 Marunouchi, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture) ・Access: From JR Okayama Station, 5 minutes to Higashiyama tram, get off at Joshio, and walk for about 10 minutes. Get off at the Kenchomae bus to Okaden Takaya and Saidaiji via Higashiyama to get off at the Kenchomae bus, and walk for about 5 minutes. About 20 minutes east from Okayama IC ・Time: 18:00-21:30 (Entry to Okayama Castle tower is until 21:00) ・Parking lot: Karasujo Park parking lot, paid ・Admission fee: Free *A separate admission fee is required to enter the Okayama Castle tower. ・Official HP: https://okayama-castle.jp/ ・Event site:
https://okayama-castle.jp/spring2025/ 《Gourmet market will also be held at Ishiyama Park! 》 At Ishiyama Park (7 Ishoseki-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture) overlooking Okayama Castle, the gourmet market “Golden Night Market” will be held from May 3rd (Saturday/Holiday) to May 6th (Tuesday/Shinkyu) from 14:00 to 21:00 each day. 【Wisteria Park】 Fuji Park in Wake Town, Okayama Prefecture was opened in 1985. It is made by collecting famous wisteria from all over the country, and boasts the largest variety of wisteria in Japan, with 140 trees of approximately 100 types. The wisteria trellis, which is approximately 7m wide and 500m long on a site of approximately 7,000 square meters, is filled with white, purple, and pink flowers that delight the eyes of many tourists.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-c3bc138459efefd7dd8f4912de5d9b2d-1200×800.jpg Photo provided by: Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation Event: “Wisteria Festival” The Wisteria Festival is held from late April to early May, when the wisteria is in full bloom. During the event period, stalls will be lined up, stage events will be held, and the area will be lit up after sunset. Experience the overwhelming beauty that can only be seen during this season at “Japan’s Best Wisteria Park,” where famous wisteria from 46 prefectures nationwide from Hokkaido to Kagoshima are in full bloom. ・Period: April 24th (Thursday) to early May (scheduled) *Opening ceremony and paid period will be determined depending on the flowering situation Opening Ceremony April 29th (Tuesday/Holiday) 10:00~, Wisteria Festival Taiko Battle 10:30~ *Stage events also available on other dates ・Venue: Fuji Park (1383-1 Fujino, Wake-cho, Wake-gun, Okayama Prefecture) ・Access: Approximately 15 minutes from Wake IC on Sanyo Expressway *When setting in the car navigation system, set “Wake Town History and Folklore Museum (Location: Wake Town Fujino 1386-2)” ・Time: 8:00-21:00 (Light-up starts around 18:00) ・Parking lot: 643 regular cars, 8 large cars ・Admission fee: Paid only during the wisteria festival period, 500 yen for junior high school students and above, 〇 ・Official HP: https://www.town.wake.lg.jp/kanko_bunka_sports/kankojoho/1236.html 【Yurinso】 Yurinso was the private residence of Magosaburo Ohara, a Kurashiki-based businessman who was the founder of Japan’s first private art museum focused on Western art, the Ohara Museum of Art, and was established in 1929 as a guest house in Kurashiki. Nearly 100 years have passed since its construction, and due to its
deterioration, renovation work was carried out in 2020, preserving its original appearance. Event: “Spring Yurinso Special Opening” Yurinso is usually closed to the public, but the “Spring Yurinso Special Opening” will be held as the first public appearance after
renovations. The interior of the residence is decorated with works by contemporary artists from the Ohara Museum of Art’s collection.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-17f34d8851495beeb5ed3db7e20d8b47-2959×1972.jpg Photo provided by: Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation ・Period: April 18th (Friday) to May 11th (Sunday) ・Venue: Yurinso (1-3-18 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture) ・Access: Approximately 20 minutes from Sanyo Expressway Kurashiki IC or Seto Chuo Expressway Hayashima IC Approximately 15 minutes walk from JR Kurashiki Station ・Time: 10:00-16:00 (Admission until 15:30) ・Parking: Use paid parking lots around the Bikan Historical Quarter ・Admission fee: Entry to Yurinso only; General 1,000 yen, High school, junior high school, and elementary school students (those under 18 years old) 500 yen Yurinso Ohara Museum of Art set ticket General 2,500 yen, High school, junior high school, elementary school student (those under 18 years old) 1,000 yen ・Official website:
https://project.ohara.or.jp/ohara_yurinso 《“Kojima Torajiro Memorial Museum” that you can enjoy together with Ohara Museum of Art and Yurinso》 Ohara Museum of Art’s annex “Kojima Torajiro Memorial Museum.” The works of Torajiro Kojima, a Western painter who contributed to the collection of the Ohara Museum of Art, as well as works of art from ancient Egypt, West Asia, and other areas are exhibited and stored. The building, which was completed in 1923 as the former Daiichi Godo Bank Kurashiki Branch, was designed by Kazue Yakushiji, who also designed the main building of the Ohara Museum of Art, and was selected as a national registered tangible cultural property in 1998. The grand opening took place on April 3, 2020.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-af9c71188c2289898791e8b82505411e-3900×2600.jpg Photo provided by: Ohara Art Foundation, Ohara Museum of Art ・Address: 3-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture ・Access:
Approximately 10 minutes from Sanyo Expressway Kurashiki IC or Seto Chuo Expressway Hayashima IC Approximately 10 minutes walk from JR Kurashiki Station ・Time: 10:00-16:00 ・Parking: Use paid parking lots around the Bikan Historical Quarter ・Admission fee: Can be viewed with an admission ticket to the main building of the Ohara Museum of Art. ※Adults 2,000 yen, Elementary, junior high and high school students (under 18 years old) 500 yen, Free for elementary school students and under ・Closed: Mondays (open on holidays) ・Official website: https://www.ohara.or.jp/ 【Bichu Branch Temple】 One of the Kokubunji temples built at the request of Emperor Shomu during the Nara period. The building is said to have been destroyed by fire during the Nanbokucho period, and the current building was rebuilt after the mid-Edo period. The only five-storied pagoda in the prefecture that stands within the precincts is approximately 34 meters high and has been designated as a national important cultural property. Event: “Kibiji Renge Festival” “Kibiji Renge Week” will be held from April 26th (Sat) to May 6th (Tuesday, Shinkyu), when the “Renge” designated as the flower of Soja City, where the Bicchu Branch Temple is located, is in full bloom. Among them, the Kibiji Renge Festival features local performing arts, tea ceremonies, and sales of local products, as well as a special opening of the first floor of the five-storied pagoda of Bicchu-bunji Temple.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/23972/467/23972-467-a2a87bad54499bca711e3a54391c2699-3184×2120.jpg Photo provided by: Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation ・Date: April 29th (Tuesday/Holiday) *In case of rain, postponed to May 3rd (Saturday/Holiday) *Cancelled in case of rain on May 3rd ・Venue: Around Bicchu Branch Temple (1046 Kanbayashi, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture) ・Access: Approximately 10 minutes from Okayama Expressway Okayama Soja IC or Sanyo Expressway Kurashiki IC Free shuttle bus will be available on the day (JR Soja Station starts from 9:00, service intervals approximately 15-20 minutes, last departure from the venue 4:00) ・Time: 10:00-15:00 ・Parking: If you are coming by car, please use the temporary parking lots at Yamate Elementary School, Yamate Community Center, and Soja Higashi Junior High School. There are no parking lots around the venue. ・Admission fee: Free ・Official HP:
https://www.city.soja.okayama.jp/kanko_project/kanko/inento_sonota/ibennto/renge_week.html#01 Photos provided (partially): Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation, Ohara Art Foundation Ohara Museum of Art