Special Feature on Cultural Properties of Japan Heritage in Kurashiki City
Kurashiki City, where many historical landscapes remain. In the Bikan Historical Area, buildings symbolizing the development of the textile industry that has continued since the Edo period can still be seen today.
The scenery of Tamashima and Shimotsui, facing the Seto Inland Sea, is a townscape that flourished as a port of trade ships, Kitamae-bune during the Edo period.
In the northern part of Kurashiki City, in areas like Sho and Mabi, there are ruins related to the Legend of Momotaro, such as the Tatetsuki Site, Koi Kui Shrine, and Yata Otsuka Burial Mound.
There is a system in which the Agency for Cultural Affairs certifies a story that systematically compiles the region's historical buildings and townscapes, which are unique local assets, as Japan Heritage.
The three Japan Heritage sites certified in Kurashiki City are as follows.
A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower – A town of textiles woven from Japanese and Western influences
A different world entwined with the dreams of men who overcame the stormy seas – Port of Kitamae-bune and the shipowners' village
Okayama, Birthplace of the Legend of Momotaro – The story of demon-slaying invited by the ancient Kibi heritage
We will introduce the 47 cultural properties that make up these three stories.
A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower – A town of textiles woven from Japanese and Western influences
Most of the land in present-day Kurashiki City was once sea. During the Edo period, land created through reclamation began to be used for the cultivation of salt-resistant cotton and rush grass.
The townscape of the Bikan Historical Area begins with cotton cultivation from the Edo period. In the Meiji period, industrialization progressed, and with the establishment of the Kurashiki Spinning Company, the textile industry developed. The textile industry has changed shape over time, and today, Kurashiki City has come to be known as one of the leading "towns of textiles" in the country.
Kurashiki River Traditional Buildings Preservation District
Ohara House Katalyzer (Old Ohara Family Residence)
Ohashi House
Inoue House
Kusudo House
Ohara Museum of Art
Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery (Old Daiichi Godo Bank Kurashiki Branch)
Yurin-so Villa
Kurashikikan Tourist Information Office
Kurashiki Archaeological Museum
Kurashiki Ivy Square
Kurabo Memorial Hall
Kurashiki Byobu Festival
Suinkyo
Barazushi
Kurashiki Museum of Folkcraft
Folk Crafts
Takahashi River East-West Water Supply Facility
Ichinokuchi Water Gate
Minki Isozaki Memorial Hall
Kinkanen
Itaziki Water Gate
Yugasan Rendai-ji Temple
Yuga Shrine
Old Nozaki House
Textile Products
Shimotsui Preservation District
Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum
Shimotsui Bushi
Tamashima Preservation District
Old Yunoki House (Saiso-tei)
A different world entwined with the dreams of men who overcame the stormy seas – The Port of Kitamae Ships and Shipowners' Villages
Tamashima and Shimotsui were ports for Kitamae ships, which were trading vessels during the Edo period. Various products were brought in from all over Japan, and the area developed as a trading hub.
Many buildings from that time remain in Tamashima and Shimotsui, allowing visitors to feel the atmosphere of a town that thrived as a trading center.
Shimotsui Townscape Preservation District
Old Ogino Family Main House and Herring Store (Former Shimotsui Shipping Agent)
Shimotsui Bushi
Offerings at Gion Shrine
Scheduled for coverage after 2026
Shimotsui Gion Documents
Scheduled for coverage after 2026
Old Nozaki House
Old Nozaki Hama Lighthouse
Tamashima Townscape Preservation District
Old Yunoki House (Saiso-tei)
Offerings at Haguro Shrine
Okayama, Birthplace of the Legend of Momotaro – The Ancient Kibi Heritage Invites the Story of Demon Slaying
The northern part of present-day Kurashiki City was once part of a region called Kibi in ancient times. Ancient Kibi was said to have boasted a powerful influence due to its warm climate and its land suitable for trade facing the Seto Inland Sea.
In the northern part of Kurashiki City, there are heritage sites related to the Legend of Momotaro, such as the Tatetsuki Site, Koi Kui Shrine, and in Mabi, the Yata Otsuka Burial Mound.
