Okayama Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Description
This value-packed trip with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual tour guide is a fantastic and efficient way to explore Okayama! The jewel of Okayama City is Korakuen Garden, considered one of Japan's top three gardens. You can enjoy pink cherry blossoms in the spring, multi-colored maple trees in autumn, and the crow-black exterior of nearby Okayama Castle all year. Okayama also serves as a transportation hub, linking the Shinkansen to rail service on Shikoku Island. Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a six-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Okayama Castle (岡山城, Okayamajō), also known as "crow castle" due to its black exterior, was built in 1597 in the style of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. The original castle was destroyed in the last year of World War 2, but a reconstruction was made in 1966. The castle is located on the Asahi River, which was used as a moat. Korakuen Garden is located just across the river. Only one of Okayama Castle's original buildings escaped destruction during the war, the Tsukimi Yagura ("moon viewing turret"), which dates back to 1620. There are also reconstructions and unearthed foundations of a few other former buildings, which help illustrate the former extent of the castle complex.
Korakuen (後楽園, Kōrakuen) is a beautiful landscape garden and Okayama's main attraction. Along with Kanazawa's Kenrokuen and Mito's Kairakuen, Korakuen is ranked as one of Japan's three best landscape gardens. It is located just beside Okayama Castle, which can be seen from the garden as "borrowed scenery". The local feudal lord ordered the construction of Korakuen in 1687 as a place of entertainment for the ruling family and a location for receiving important guests. Occasionally, the public was permitted to enter the garden.
The Kibi Plain (吉備路, Kibiji) is a charming, rural flatland just outside of central Okayama City that is covered in sprawling fields and dotted with shrines, temples and small clusters of farmhouses. The plain is best explored from an attractive cycling trail which visits several historic sights along the way. During the 4th century the Kibi Plain was the center of the Kibi Kingdom, an ancient clan that controlled much of modern day Okayama Prefecture and whose power rivaled that of the dominant Yamato Clan in today's Nara Prefecture. A few historic sights related to the kingdom, such as large burial mounds and some shrines, can be found scattered around the plain.
Our absolute favourite cherry blossom spot in Okayama wasn’t Korakuen or the Asahi River, but the magical Handayama Botanical Garden. This hillside garden has views of the city and an incredible 1000 cherry trees—they stretch on and on and you feel fully immersed in the blooms. Best of all, this hidden gem is not very crowded (even on a sunny weekend in full bloom). There are plenty of grassy areas to lie back and gaze at the flowers or enjoy a picnic.
The Nishigawa Canal Park isn’t a top Okayama tourist attraction, but it is a pleasant place for a jog or stroll, especially in cherry blossom season. The canal runs through the city and is lined with flowers, cherry trees, and sculptures with benches to sit and enjoy them.
Kurashiki is the most popular day trip from Okayama and it’s only a 20-minute train ride away. It’s the city’s Bizan Historical Quarter that attracts visitors. This picturesque area features traditional Japanese houses and a canal lined with weeping willow trees. The area dates back to the 1600s when it was an important location on Japan’s rice trade route. Rice was brought there on barges on the canals and then kept in storehouses before being shipped off to the cities. The storehouses with their white walls and black tiles have been preserved and are now shops and cafes.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This private tour is a walking day tour. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to arrange for a private vehicle, please contact us directly. All Private vehicles must be booked 5 days in advance. Maximum number of passengers: 7.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
Reviews(9)
We did a 4-hour trip with Shoko Seku and it was very nice. She has told a lot about the history of the temples we visited and fun facts. She also showed us around by bus in Osaka. It was a fun and informative trip. Shoko has humor and tells you a lot. Super nice woman.
Dear guests on March 12, Thank you very much for giving a wonderful comment about me as a guide. Kyoto has a lot of attractions and UNESCO's cultural heritage sites. And it was my pleasure to have shared some of them with you. If we have more time, I will be happy to share more with you. Please come back again to Japan some time in the future. Thank you again indeed. Your guide, Shoko
Naoki san is a great guide. He's very friendly, adaptive, and helpful. We ended up touring not only inside Okayama, but also Kurashiki area. And after knowing that I wanted to check out Kibitsu shrine and Naoshima island, he spent time writing down how to go to those places very carefully after our day trip. The additional help was much appreciated!
Thank you very much for your kind comments! It was really a big pleasure for me to show you around. I was also grateful for your interest in Okayama (where still not super popular as of today) and in other topics, including pets. I hope you had a good further trip. I will be prepared for more hidden gems in the region for your next visit! Naoki
Very poor English , and little knoledge She was on a hurry to finish but she helped us to find vegetarian food
Thank you very much for submitting a review of your experience on your tour. We are sorry to hear that you did not feel that the guide lived up to your expectations. We will speak with the guide about this tour. Japan Guide Agency
Yoko Sunflower is an outstanding guide who knows the territory, listens to requests, and is flexible. I never would have seen as much without her help. She is pleasant, intelligent, curious, and funny,Our email communications in advance made for a most enjoyable day. When it was time to move, she moved quickly and confidently. When it was time to take a break, she knew a quiet bamboo garden with a dessert cafe. Highly recommended.
Thank you for your nice review. I also had a good time with you. You shared your passion to the Japanese garden with me. I learned that there are nice Japanese gardens in the USA and in Hawaii. I am very happy to know that many people in other countries like the Japanese gardens. I appreciate you. Yoko
The Okayama Garden was so beautiful. Our tour guide, Sato, made sure that we had pictures in all the wonderful parts of the garden.
It is my pleasure to have a tour with a happy family like you. I am very honored that I was able to share with you the history, culture, and charms of Okayama through the garden and castle. I especially hope that the experience of the tour will have a positive impact on your wonderful kids and will be an unforgettable family memory for them. Keep well and see you again someday. Yoshiko
The tour guide with Ray was Ana amazing and awesome experience. It was super nice to have someone who had extensive knowledge of the area and could tell us about it in great detail. Ray was also a great at recommending us another experience to do alongside the Garden and Castle, and we would have never gone to the Historical District otherwise had she not suggested it. It was a great experience as she took us to some different shops and even helped us book a little canal boat ride. It was super awesome to have someone who could really tell us about the area and it’s history. A lot of Okayama is in Japanese such as the Castle, and it was nice to not have to use a Japanese to English app to translate the history when. She could tell us about it and let us know the history behind it. Highly recommend to experience Okayama with a guide as there are certain historical contexts you would miss out on otherwise. She also got some nice photos of us that she shared with us, which was nice for our group to get some cool shots together.
Thank you for giving me a very nice comment! I really enjoyed guiding you around my hometown. I was glad you had much interest in Japanese culture and listened to me enthusiastically. I genuinely enjoyed spending time with you, whose memory will stay in my mind. I hope you would return to Japan some day to explore some other fascinating spots! Ray
Had a great time visiting the castle and the garden the guide was very knowledgeable about the area.
Thank you very much for your kind review. I hope you experienced a lot about Japan's culture and history. Please bring back many good memories of Japan when you return home. I hope that Okayama and Kurashiki will be among them. Take care. Yoshiko
Although Okayama didn’t have very much to see and do, our guide, Satosan took really good care of us. She portrayed Okayama in a very positive way.
Thank you for your review. It was very hot on the day of the tour, but thank you for walking so much. I heard that you had visited Japan several times before and there may have been little new to you this time. But you were very cooperative and kind guests. I hope you enjoyed the tour. See you again and all walk together on a cooler day next time. Sato
Very efficient and professional guide .we are happy from her experience and knowledge the tour was very successful
We appreciate your kind feedback and our guides do too! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with your guide. We look forward to your next visit to Japan.
