What comes to mind when you hear “Kurashiki”?
You probably picture the white-walled streetscape represented by the Bikan Historical Area.
The white-walled streetscape we see today took shape from the Edo period onward. But what was the area like before then, and how did a town come to be established there? The walking event “Kurashiki Aruku,” which explores these mysteries, will be held over two days, Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, 2025.
The event was planned by KURASiX, a group of architects based in Kurashiki.
Here, we introduce this project, which explores the history of a town that may seem familiar but is actually little known.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in February 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About “Kurashiki Aruku”
The event’s theme is “The Formation of Kurashiki Village, Interpreted Through Its Relationship with Water.” On each of the two days, participants will walk through a different area (Click here to register).
On both days, the program begins in the morning with a classroom session to learn background information, followed in the afternoon by a walking tour to see the places discussed in class with your own eyes.
For an overview, please see the leaflet below.
About KURASiX
A collective of six architectural design firms in Kurashiki, formed to promote architectural culture.
Since 2021, it has organized cultural activities related to architecture, including exhibitions, model-making workshops for children, architectural tours, and walking tours, with the aim of fostering interest in living environments and landscapes and contributing to the advancement of architectural culture in Kurashiki.
Source: KURASiX official website
Kurashiki Village Seen from Outside
On the first day, participants will walk a 3-kilometer route exploring the origins of Hamamura (present-day Hamamachi), which was located northeast of present-day JR Kurashiki Station (west of present-day Kurashiki Municipal Manju Elementary School), and its connection to Kurashiki Village.
The title “Kurashiki Village Seen from Outside” reflects the approach of looking at Kurashiki Village from neighboring Hamamura, which had developed earlier thanks to its own irrigation canal system, to see what new insights might emerge.
In the morning, as preparation for the walking tour, participants will attend a classroom session at Kurashiki Circle, located inside MITSUI OUTLET PARK Kurashiki. The session will be led by Kazuyoshi Hata of the Kurashiki City Historical Materials Preparation Office and will use historical maps and other materials.
In the afternoon, participants will walk through the area and visit the places discussed in the classroom session.
As the theme of this walking tour suggests, “our relationship with water” is a key focus. The tour will also explore the Ukita Embankment, said to have once stretched from the Takahashi River to Hamamura, as well as the irrigation canals along the route.
Participants will also investigate why Hamamura was established northeast of present-day JR Kurashiki Station and how it was connected to Kurashiki Village.
Kurashiki Village Seen from Within
On the second day, participants will walk a 1.5-kilometer route centered on the Bikan Historical Area, exploring the origins of Kurashiki Village, particularly the area south of Mt. Tsurugata (near the present-day Kurashiki Community Center).
The schedule is similar to Day 1: a classroom session at the Kurashikikan Tourist Information Office in the morning, followed by a walking tour in the afternoon.
The area around Kurashiki was once known as “Kibi no Anaumi” (the Sea of Kibi’s Coves), and the area south of present-day Mt. Tsurugata was once covered by the sea.
The inlet was located around the present-day Kurashiki Community Center, and it is thought that Kurashiki Village first developed in this area as a port town.
The title “Kurashiki Village Seen from Within” also expresses the desire to capture the true story of the village’s establishment and transformation as revealed from the place where it began.
As they walk, participants will explore maritime transport across the Seto Inland Sea, Kurashiki’s subsequent development, and its connections with Hamamura, visited on the first day.
About the Project: An Interview with the Organizers
We spoke with the two people who initiated this event and are members of KURASiX: Nishina Masahiro of Nishina Architectural Design Office and Yamaguchi Shinsaku of Kurashiki Architectural Studio, Yamaguchi Shinsaku Design Office.
Could you tell us how you came to plan this event?
Nishina (honorifics omitted)
As part of a Kurashiki City project, the Urban Development Promotion Division asked us to put together a project that would offer new perspectives on the city center and help people rediscover its appeal. That led us to plan this walking tour.
As you might imagine from the slogan “the town of white walls,” Kurashiki is often thought of as a place to see streetscapes from the Edo period.
That is certainly true, and it is one of the town’s wonderful qualities. But we also hear people, especially younger generations, say that it is so pristine that it feels artificial, like an outdoor movie set.
This town did not stop in the Edo period. Before the war, modern buildings such as the Ohara Museum of Art and banks were built here. After the war, Urabe Shizutaro developed Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel and the Ohara Museum of Art Annex, among other buildings. Modern and contemporary architecture coexists with the white-walled streetscape.
Yamaguchi (honorifics omitted)
Kurashiki is not just a town of Edo-period streetscapes. Good things from each era have accumulated, and the town itself has changed over time.
It is not often highlighted, but architects share the understanding that Kurashiki’s strength lies in spaces where the essence of each era has accumulated.
Nishina
We also hope that exploring how the town came to be in this location could lead to a series of events in the future.
As a first step, we planned this event to explore how Kurashiki came into being from the late medieval to early modern period (1582–1615), by walking through the town.
I understand that you hope this will give people a chance to learn about the area around them.
Nishina
In recent years, towns designated as Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings have been sharing detailed information from local governments about how they developed. But Kurashiki, which was among the first nationwide to receive this designation in 1979, has not compiled materials of that kind.
I think this may be partly due to the town’s history since it became a tenryo (shogunal domain): merchants developed Kurashiki, while the government left town planning to them.
On the other hand, in recent years the Ohara family’s Ohara House Katalyzer, Ohashi House, and Inoue House have been developed as public facilities, each introducing the history of its respective family.
Kurashiki City has also begun holding exhibitions about Japan Heritage at Kurashiki City Kurashiki Monogatari-kan, and there are now more facilities where visitors can learn about the town’s history than before.
However, Kurashiki still has no facility that presents the town’s history as a whole—what is commonly called a visitor center. Compared with other Preservation Districts for Groups of Traditional Buildings, this is an area where Kurashiki is woefully behind.
Yamaguchi
Through this initiative, we also hope that a facility will eventually be created where people can gain an overview of the town’s history—a visitor center. That would add greater depth to walking tours.
What kinds of people would you like to see take part?
Nishina
We would especially like young people who will shape the future to take part.
Yamaguchi
High school, vocational school, and university students; people involved in community development; and anyone thinking about Kurashiki’s future.
Nishina
To help inform discussions about community development, we first want people to learn, with their own eyes and feet, how the Kurashiki area came into being.
Another reason for holding the event is our hope that Kurashiki will be a sustainable town. We would be glad if this event gives people a chance to learn what they themselves can do to help make that happen.
From the Writer
When I first heard about this project, I thought it was like “Bura Tamori” (NHK General TV), because it traces the origins of a place through historical clues alongside experts.
The two interviewees were aware of that similarity, too. I was struck by their comment that it may be a niche, specialized field, but (like the experts featured on Bura Tamori) they first want to share how much they enjoy it themselves.
Another distinctive feature is that this project takes an architectural perspective rather than a historian’s.
I felt that, in a good way, because they are not history specialists, the event was planned from a perspective closer to that of its participants.
The map used for this walking tour will be distributed at tourist information offices and other locations after the event, we were told.
Why not enjoy solving mysteries as you walk through town in the early spring breeze?
Kurashiki Walk: Exploring the Origins of Kurashiki Village Through Its Relationship with Water — Event Information
| Name | Kurashiki Walk: Exploring the Origins of Kurashiki Village Through Its Relationship with Water |
|---|---|
| Event dates | Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, 2025 Registration: from 10:00 a.m. Classroom session: 10:20–11:50 a.m. Walking tour: 1:00–2:30 p.m. After a review and wrap-up, dismissal at 3:00 p.m. (The schedule is the same on both days.) |
| Location | Central Kurashiki City (Bikan Historical Area, Hamamachi, MITSUI OUTLET PARK Kurashiki) |
| Participation fee (tax included) | 500 yen (free for students) Please bring your own lunch for the midday break. |
| Website | Kurashiki Walk: Classroom Session and Walking Tour (Registration Form) |
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