Have you ever walked through Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Area or the streets of Shimotsui and wondered, “What stories does this building hold?”
In the Takahashi River Basin, four cities—Kurashiki City, Takahashi City, Soja City, and Kasaoka City—have stories recognized as Japan Heritage. The cultural properties that make up each story are scattered throughout the basin.
The “Takahashi River Basin Digital Stamp Rally: Explore the Japan Heritage Component Cultural Properties” lets you visit and enjoy these cultural properties in person. It is held through Monday, November 30, 2026.
Here’s an introduction to the event, where you can collect stamps and enter a draw for prizes such as local specialties.
This article was edited and published by the Haretoco General Incorporated Association editorial team, based on information provided by Kurashiki City under the “Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on Disseminating Municipal Information” between Kurashiki City and the Haretoco General Incorporated Association.
The information presented was current when this article was published in September 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About the “Takahashi River Basin Digital Stamp Rally: Explore the Japan Heritage Component Cultural Properties”
The “Takahashi River Basin Digital Stamp Rally: Explore the Japan Heritage Component Cultural Properties” is a digital stamp rally that takes you to component cultural properties in the four cities in the Takahashi River Basin area recognized as Japan Heritage: Kurashiki City, Takahashi City, Soja City, and Kasaoka City.
Visit the sites in person to learn about and experience the appeal of each region’s Japan Heritage story.
The event runs from Tuesday, September 1, to Monday, November 30, 2026, and participation is free.
How to participate
- Scan the 2D code on the flyer, complete a short survey on the website that appears, review the terms of use, and agree to them
- Check the stamp rally locations on the website map
- Collect a stamp by scanning the 2D code on the POP display at a location or by using the GPS function
- Once you have collected enough stamps to reach the required points, enter for the prize you want
Prizes
You can enter for the following prizes depending on the number of points you earn. All prizes are awarded by lottery.
- Prize A (40 points; 1 winner drawn for each prize)
Kurashiki Afternoon Tea dining voucher, Fukiya products and experiences full set, Soja large set, Kasaoka deluxe assortment - Prize B (30 points; 1 winner drawn for each prize)
Small textile goods, Fukiya product set, Soja medium set, Kasaoka variety box - Prize C (20 points; 2 winners drawn for each prize)
Washuzan Rest House dining voucher, bengara dyeing or bengara pottery experience voucher, Soja small set, Kasaoka gourmet assortment - Prize D (10 points; 3 winners drawn for each prize)
Tatami-edging goods, Fukiya monaka and drink set, kofun coffee, Kasaoka little-luxury box
Stamp locations
There are 50 locations across the four cities.
Kurashiki City (22 locations)
- Kurashiki City Kurashiki Monogatari-kan
- Ohashi House
- Inoue House
- Kusudo House
- Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery (former Kurashiki branch of Daiichi Godo Bank)
- Kurashikikan
- Kurashiki Ivy Square
- Takahashi River East-West Irrigation Water Intake and Distribution Facilities
- Minki Isozaki Memorial Hall
- Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple
- Yuga Shrine
- Nozaki's Historical Residence
- Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum
- Tamashima Historical and Folklore Marine Materials Room
- Old Yunoki House (Saiso-tei)
- Kurashiki Archaeological Museum
- Ohara Museum of Art
- Haguro Shrine
- Gion Shrine
- Tatetsuki Site
- Yata Otsuka Burial Mound
- Koikui Shrine
Takahashi City (14 locations)
- Takahashi City Fukiya Traditional Buildings Preservation District
- Former Katayama House
- Fukiya Folk Museum
- Former Hirokane House
- Bengara Museum
- Sasaune Mine Tunnel
- Site of Yama Shrine
- Yama Shrine
- Enmeiji Temple
- Doeiji Temple
- Former Fukiya Elementary School Building
- Koshiori Jizo
- Takahashi City Library Tourist Information Center
- Takahashi City Tourist Parking Lot
Soja City (5 locations)
- Kinojo Castle
- Bichu Kokubun-ji Temple
- Komorizuka Burial Mound
- Sakuzan Burial Mound
- Tourist Information Center (inside Sun Road Kibiji)
Kasaoka City (9 locations)
- Kitagi granite quarry
- Manabe House
- Oishiyama
- Takashima
- Shiraishi-jima Island
- Former movie theater “Hikari Theater”
- Oasuka Site
- Minato Kobanshi (Kasaoka Port Passenger Ship Terminal)
- Kasaoka Bay Farm Roadside Station
A message from a Kurashiki City representative
A representative of the Japan Heritage Promotion Office, Kurashiki City, had this to say about the “Takahashi River Basin Digital Stamp Rally: Explore the Japan Heritage Component Cultural Properties.”
Representative
Each of the four cities in the Takahashi River Basin has its own Japan Heritage story, and the cultural properties that make up those stories are scattered throughout the area. What you can take in is very different when you see a place in person compared with seeing it in photographs or documents.
We are holding this stamp rally in the hope that it will give people a reason to visit. Some of the locations may be places you usually pass by without stopping.
You can get started right away with a smartphone, so please feel free to take part when you’re out and about.
Contact information
Kurashiki City Planning and Finance Bureau, Planning and Finance Department, Japan Heritage Promotion Office
640 Nishinakashinden, Kurashiki City, Okayama 710-8565
Phone: 086-426-3018
https://www.city.kurashiki.okayama.jp/culture/tourism/1002215/1026898.html
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