Kurashiki has been recognized for three Japan Heritage stories, with 47 constituent cultural properties spread throughout the city.
Until now, there have been few opportunities to visit the constituent cultural properties all at once. However, at the “Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki,” held on October 25 and 26, 2025, excursions were held to visit constituent cultural properties in each area.
It was a great opportunity, so I also joined an excursion to visit Kojima’s constituent cultural properties.
Here’s a look at the excursion, which was so packed with activities that it was hard to believe it was only a half-day tour.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in November 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki excursion?
The Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki was held at Kurashiki Ivy Square on Saturday, October 25, and Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The 104 Japan Heritage stories from across the country gathered in Kurashiki. Through a variety of programs—including PR booths showcasing the appeal of Japan Heritage, folk performing arts on stage, and mini-symposiums to deepen learning—the festival provided an opportunity to share the appeal of Japan Heritage with many people.
Of the many programs, I took part in the excursion held on the second day. It was a half-day tour, visiting Japan Heritage stories scattered throughout Kurashiki City.
There were three courses:
- “White” and “Blue” that color Kurashiki: A day trip to enjoy spectacular views of the many islands and experience local craftsmanship
- Reflecting on the Kitamaebune of the past: A day trip featuring a Seto Inland Sea cruise and a visit to the atmosphere of port towns that prospered through trade
- Exploring the history of ancient Kibi: A day trip visiting some of the country’s leading archaeological sites and experiencing a legendary Shinto ritual
I chose Course 1. It was a tour where I could enjoy hands-on craftsmanship and feel the romance of history.
The excursion around Kojima
At around 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 26, the bus departed from Kurashiki Ivy Square as a steady rain continued to fall.
It took about 40 minutes to reach Kojima.
“Nozaki's Historical Residence Annex Taikado,” usually closed to visitors
Our first stop was “Nozaki's Historical Residence Annex Taikado.” We made our way into the magnificent garden while listening to an explanation from a guide at Nozaki's Historical Residence.
Taikado was built by Nozaki Bukichiro, the grandson of Nozaki Buzaemon, who made his fortune in the salt-making industry in Kojima and was also known as the “Salt King.”
Taikado is usually closed to the public, and visitors can enter only for a limited period from February to March, when Hina dolls are on display. We were given special access during this excursion.
According to the guide, Taikado was built about 130 years ago and has an area of 100 tatami mats.
“They used to keep cormorants in this vast garden, but when the war began, they donated them to Korakuen Garden in Okayama, partly because of what people around them might think.”
“Apparently, Nozaki Bukichiro held a grand 60th-birthday celebration in this garden.”
As I gazed at the garden while listening to the guide, scenes of life there in the past naturally came to mind.
“Nozaki's Historical Residence,” designated as both a National Important Cultural Property and a constituent cultural property
Next, we visited “Nozaki's Historical Residence,” located a one-minute walk from Taikado.
It was the residence of Nozaki Buzaemon, who made his fortune as the Salt King, and was built in the late Edo period.
There is a salt-making experience center on the grounds, where we tried our hand at making salt.
On the table were a pot on a portable gas stove, a bamboo spatula, work gloves, and a spoon. The pot contained “brine,” the base ingredient for making salt.
Seawater has a salt concentration of 3%, while brine has a salt concentration of 18%. I learned that salt is made from water with a highly concentrated salt content.
While the brine heated, we watched a video to learn how the Nozaki family made salt.
By the time the video ended, the brine was boiling, and salt had already begun to stick to the pot. We continued heating it, stirring the brine with a bamboo spatula.
As we stirred, the brine thickened, and before we knew it, solid salt had formed. When dry-roasting it, the salt popped like popcorn.
The original salt was ready in no time after the brine came to a boil.
We were able to take the freshly made salt home as a souvenir.
We chatted with the other participants at our table about what we could make with it. I think I’ll use mine for simple salted rice balls or boiled edamame.
After finishing the salt-making, we toured the residence with our guide.
When we visited, works by Bizen-yaki artists were also on display. The sight of sea creatures swimming across the tatami mats was quite unique.
I had visited Nozaki's Historical Residence about four times before, but this was the first time I was shown around by a guide, and I learned that there is a shrine on the grounds.
Salt-making depends on nature's blessings. It certainly makes sense that there is a shrine where people can give thanks to nature.
Even on my fifth visit, touring with a guide brought new discoveries.
After touring Nozaki's Historical Residence, we strolled along Kojima Jeans Street before boarding the bus. We were so satisfied that it was hard to believe this was only our first stop, and we headed to the next destination.
Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum, preserving the history of the Kitamaebune ships
On the way to our next destination, Shimotsui, we traveled by bus along the foot of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge. The Seto-Ohashi Bridge looming close by is impressive no matter how many times you see it.
After about 15 minutes on the bus, we arrived at the “Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum,” a registered component cultural property. A local volunteer guide welcomed us.
The Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum is a facility that shares the history of Shimotsui, which once flourished as a port of call for Kitamaebune ships. It displays valuable materials that show what Shimotsui was like from the late Edo period through the Meiji period.
The large bamboo ship displayed in the courtyard was apparently a handmade Kitamaebune ship prepared especially for this occasion. It was such an impressive work that I wished they would keep it on display permanently rather than just for a limited time.
We entered the exhibition room and learned about Shimotsui's history.
“Kojima was once reclaimed land, where cotton was grown. The herring meal used as fertilizer for cotton cultivation was brought from Hokkaido by Kitamaebune ships.”
“The crew of a Kitamaebune ship apparently earned as much as 1,000 ryo (about 100 million yen in today's currency), but they enjoyed drinking parties at every stop and spent their money freely. Shimotsui even has a song called ‘Shimotsui-bushi,’ which was sung to entertain the sailors.”
Shimotsui-bushi is also a component cultural property, so they performed it for us on the spot. As we all clapped along, I felt as though I was experiencing the atmosphere of the hospitality offered in Shimotsui at the time.
Upstairs on the second floor of the Shimotsui Shipping Agent Museum, many valuable materials from that time were on display.
A ship's chest that was carried aboard Kitamaebune ships is also on display. We were told that it was designed with a weight on one side to keep water out and prevent the contents from getting wet if it fell into the sea.
Children gazed intently at the charming miniature model.
The exhibits were extensive, so I would like to come back and take my time looking around.
Lunch at Washuzan Rest House, with panoramic views of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge
We had been active since early morning and were hungry, so we enjoyed our long-awaited lunchtime at the local diner in Washuzan Rest House.
Washuzan Rest House is a multipurpose facility that has just reopened after renovations in April 2025. It offers a place to take a break while enjoying shopping and food, with a souvenir shop, local diner, bookstore, and rest area.
The meal was a special bento not listed on the menu. This lunch, featuring Okayama delicacies such as seafood and fruit, was truly something only a tour could offer.
One participant said, “I’m happy because I didn’t expect to be able to eat sashimi.” The sashimi was fresh and delicious.
After finishing our meal, we took a look around the souvenir shop.
There was a wide selection of items showcasing Kurashiki’s pride, including foods made with salt from Kojima and Kurashiki’s signature textile products, such as Sanada-himo, tatami edging, tabi shoes, and denim products.
The selection is extensive, so if you want to take your time shopping, we recommend allowing plenty of time for your visit.
Another highlight of Washuzan Rest House is the panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea from indoors. Even in the rain, we were able to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge.
Make a strap at Betty Smith, Japan’s first women’s jeans manufacturer
Our final stop was Betty Smith, Japan’s first women’s jeans brand.
Here, we toured the Jeans Museum with a guide from Betty Smith’s president, Oshima Yasuhiro.
The Jeans Museum is an archive established by Betty Smith for children’s school field trips. It displays many items related to jeans, including rare pairs and sewing machines that were actually used in the past.
First, Oshima told us about the history of jeans.
“Jeans were first made in America during the era when we wore topknots.”
“I think Kojima is called the birthplace of domestically made jeans because it was the first place in Japan to succeed in mass-producing them. In the past, neither denim materials nor production centers existed in Japan, but as jeans began to sell, fabric and materials also started being made domestically.”
“Kojima was the first place to make jeans an industry.”
Listening to Oshima’s tour, we learned how the ingenuity and hard work of the people of Kojima helped jeans become popular in Japan.
“Made in Japan” is associated with high quality, but Oshima says the greatest feature of Japanese jeans is their finishing techniques.
At Jeans Museum 2, the children tried their hand at abrasion finishing. They placed a wavy, textured mold beneath the fabric and rubbed it in one direction from above, creating wrinkles.
Finishing not only gives jeans a stylish look, but can also make them comfortable and easy to wear by helping them conform to the body.
The Jeans Museum is lined with valuable historical materials from different eras, making it hard to believe admission is free. There is so much to see.
Along with jeans and machinery, there were magazines and posters, too, offering a glimpse into the denim trends of the time.
Betty Smith is currently working to create a cycle for the clothes it produces. The recycled denim T-shirts, made from fabric scraps and well-worn jeans, felt softer than I expected, and I found myself wanting one.
Next, we headed to the shop to try our hand at making a denim strap.
First, we chose our favorite combination from denim strips sewn with colorful thread and more than 20 types of rivets.
Rivets are metal parts used to reinforce jeans. I usually don't give much thought to the rivets on the jeans I wear, but with so many colors and shapes to choose from, it took me a while to decide.
Once we had chosen the strip and rivets, we used a machine to attach the rivets and finished making the strap together with a staff member.
When I pressed down hard on the lever at my feet, there was a loud “Ka-chunk!” and the strap was complete. It took more force than I expected, and when I struggled, a staff member helped me press down.
The finished denim strap is one of a kind. It made for a wonderful memento of the excursion.
From the Writer
The excursion was so fulfilling that it was hard to believe it lasted only half a day. Getting to try hands-on activities such as salt-making and denim strap-making also made for wonderful memories.
Living in Kurashiki City, I was reminded that the component cultural properties are naturally woven into everyday life. Even at places I had visited before, hearing the guide’s explanations helped me recognize anew the depth of their history.
It may seem obvious, but this excursion gave me a real sense that the component cultural properties are treasures that many people have carefully protected over many years.
I hope to share what I learned on this excursion with the people around me.
Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki: Excursion Information
| Name | Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki: Excursion |
|---|---|
| Date | October 26, 2025 (Sunday) 8:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| Location | Kojima |
| Website | Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki |
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