In this landmark year marking the 10th anniversary of the creation of Japan Heritage, the Japan Heritage Festival was held in Kurashiki City on October 25 and 26, 2025.
It is the largest event of its kind related to Japan Heritage, bringing together all 104 certified stories from across Japan. Large crowds attended on both days, and the venue was full of energy.
At the main venue, Kurashiki Ivy Square, visitors enjoyed exhibitions and hands-on booths introducing Japan Heritage sites from around the country, as well as sales of local specialties and gourmet food. This report, with plenty of photos, captures the event, where the appeal of Japan Heritage from across Japan was showcased all in one place through a wide variety of activities.
The information presented 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”?
The Japan Heritage Festival brings together stories from all 104 Japan Heritage sites across the country. The event featured exhibitions and stage events where visitors could discover, learn about, and experience the appeal of local heritage and Japanese culture, as well as gourmet booths serving local specialties.
Kurashiki, the host city, is home to three Japan Heritage stories.
- A Kurashiki story beginning with a single cotton flower: A textile town woven from Japanese and Western influences
- A different world entwined with the dreams of men who overcame the stormy seas: Ports of call and shipowner settlements along the Kitamaebune route
- Okayama, Birthplace of the Legend of Momotaro: A tale of demon-slaying inspired by the heritage of ancient Kibi
When you visit Kurashiki, it is sure to be enjoyable to explore the cultural properties that make up these three stories.
![[Held October 25 (Sat.) and 26 (Sun.)] Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki — The 10th anniversary of Japan Heritage. An event bringing together the regions behind all 104 certified stories at Kurashiki Ivy Square](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/13154610/DSC04357-485x323.jpg)
The main venue is Kurashiki Ivy Square
The main venue, Kurashiki Ivy Square, is a facility renovated from the former Kurashiki Spinning Mill, a Meiji-era brick building. Visitors could enjoy stage events, exhibitions, and gourmet booths in a space steeped in history.
Aibi Red Brick Hall hosted exhibitions and sales featuring Okayama denim brands, including those from Kojima, the birthplace of domestically produced jeans.
Kurabo Memorial Hall offered free admission for the two days. It was fascinating to learn in detail about Kurabo’s history spanning more than 130 years.
The courtyard was bustling, with many gourmet booths and more.
All the gourmet booths were hugely popular throughout the two-day festival.
Discover, learn about, and experience Japan Heritage
At the Japan Heritage Festival, visitors can discover, learn about, and experience many Japan Heritage sites. One of the activities was trying out the role of a Kurashiki Japan Heritage Ambassador, the Suinkyo. Suinkyo performers played by students from Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Commercial High School welcomed visitors.
The charming Suinkyo performers wandered around the venue, and visitors could enjoy being gently tapped with a red fan. They delighted passersby by tapping them gently and saying, “May you be happy.”
Stories from all 104 Japan Heritage sites across Japan were gathered at the venue, and each was fascinating for its diversity, mystery, and appeal.
Listening to the people at the booths revealed unexpected histories and stories, sparking my interest in those places. I spoke with representatives at several Japan Heritage exhibition booths.
Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture apparently has a culture of stone.
The ports of Yokosuka, Kure, Sasebo, and Maizuru, with their histories as naval bases, have been designated Japan Heritage sites as towns where visitors can experience the dynamism of Japan’s modernization.
Iga and Koka are famous for ninjas. Visitors could experience throwing shuriken for real.
Yabakei in Oita Prefecture.
We were told that beautiful autumn foliage can be seen around the end of November. There are many historic scenic spots, making it a fascinating place.
The Murakami Kaizoku, said to be Japan’s largest pirate group.
You may think of pirates as villains, but the Murakami Kaizoku apparently protected navigation in the Seto Inland Sea.
Distinctive flame-style pottery. It has a unique shape.
We were told that this type of pottery is characteristic of the Shinano River Basin in Niigata Prefecture.
As I walked around and explored the many exhibits, each brimming with passion, I was drawn into the depth of Japan Heritage stories.
The calligraphy piece “Flight,” written by the calligraphy club of Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Commercial High School at the opening ceremony on the 25th, was displayed at the venue.
Stage events and a live broadcast open to the public
Events to liven up the festival were also held on the courtyard stage.
Among them, the fashion show by students of Kurashiki City College was especially glamorous. Dresses made with Kojima denim, featuring distinctive and imaginative designs, caught the eye.
Kaede Terasaki, a student in the Fashion and Art Department at Kurashiki City College, is researching headwear for her graduation project.
She had created headwear inspired by “G-Panda,” the character of Kojima in Kurashiki City, and was conducting a survey in which people placed stickers on the items they would like to wear or liked. The students’ free-spirited ideas and activities gave me a sense of the great potential of the next generation.
There was a live broadcast open to the public by FM Kurashiki, sharing the voices of exhibitors and performers.
Here is Suinkyo, who played a major role at the Japan Heritage Festival, speaking.
Savoring the flavors of the region
The festival offered plenty of gourmet food from Kurashiki City and the Takahashi River Basin.
There were also treats such as “barazushi,” a local Okayama dish and a Japan Heritage constituent cultural property.
There was also a wide selection of local sake chosen from Japan Heritage-certified regions across the country.
For 500 yen, you could choose three kinds of sake and enjoy one cup of each. The local sake looked especially delicious enjoyed beneath a metasequoia tree.
I tried octopus rice and aonori seaweed croquettes from Taketoyomaru in Shimotsui. They were so delicious that I came back for them on both days.
I realized that the delicious flavors of local food are also an important part of food culture that we should preserve for the future.
Japan Heritage to pass on to the future
I thoroughly enjoyed the two days of the “Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki.”
The 104 Japan Heritage stories from across the country are each rich in character, and the stories I heard at the exhibition booths were all fascinating. It was a lively event involving many people. The next Japan Heritage Festival, in 2026, will be held in Miyazaki Prefecture.
It was a valuable experience to encounter here in Kurashiki the many Japan Heritage stories whose depth becomes clearer the more you learn about them. I felt that we should protect the many important Japan Heritage sites and pass them on to future generations.
Articles about Japan Heritage in Kurashiki City
Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki Information
| Name | Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 25 (Saturday) and 26 (Sunday), 2025 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Location | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
| Website | Japan Heritage Festival in Kurashiki |
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